Week 15: DRY MILK 40 oz. will make 5 gallons . Get what you family needs. 100 lbs per person per year. Stores well.
Powdered Milk is available in two common forms: Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder and Regular Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder. Regular dry milk is sometimes referred to as “Non-Instant”. It doesn’t dissolve as readily as instant milk powder and is a bit more troublesome to locate. Dry whole milk powder is available too. It doesn’t last as long as non-fat dry milk because the fat in it can go rancid over time. When it is fresh however, it has a very pleasing flavor. Dry whole milk can be difficult to find. You can buy it in small tins in the ethnic section of a large grocery store. It costs a little more than instant non-fat dry milk, but it’s good to have on hand, for young children especially.
Once reconstituted, powdered milk tastes a lot better than it used to. If you haven’t tried it in the past few years, it’s worth another taste. When mixed correctly and chilled overnight, it has a pleasant, sweet flavor that tastes especially good with homemade cookies. Reconstituted milk doesn’t taste the same as fresh whole milk. If you are already used to skim milk though, you won’t notice much difference in the flavor of reconstituted milk. In cooking, powdered milk performs flawlessly. It can be substituted for fresh milk in almost any recipe with excellent results. Many budget conscious women cook with powdered milk exclusively. This is smart use of resources because the results are so good.
Here are a couple recipes you for to try!
Overnight Buttermilk: To make your own buttermilk, you have to start off with 1/2-cup of fresh, store-bought buttermilk and a quart (4-cups) of reconstituted milk. Combine the fresh buttermilk and reconstituted milk in a pitcher or jar. Mix it really well. Allow it to stand at room temperature overnight, or for about 8 hours. The milk will have thickened up and cultured into regular buttermilk. Refrigerate or chill and use anywhere fresh buttermilk is called for.
Quick Whipped Topping: This recipe is best made if you have electricity. Put 1/2-cup of water into a large bowl and place it in your freezer. When ice crystals form around the edges remove it from the freezer. Add 1/2-cup instant dry milk powder. Whip the mixture with electric beaters until it is light and fluffy. This will take a couple of minutes. Add 2-tablespoons sugar, 1-teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1/2-teaspoon of vanilla. Beat until thick enough to spoon like whipped topping. Use immediately.
Things to consider when buying dried milk:
1. It is best to buy dry milk fortified with vitamins A and D.
2. A claim of “No Preservatives” may be on the label to reassure customers, however,
added preservatives are not legal therefore no dried milk processed in the U.S. will
contain preservatives.
3. The label may say Grade A to indicate the quality of the milk used in the drying
process. Essentially all processing plants producing dried milk use Grade A milk
today.
4. “Extra Grade” on the label indicates that the processing plant has met certain criteria
and the milk is slightly lower in butterfat and moisture content, more soluble, contains
fewer bacteria, and contains fewer scorched particles.
5. The size of the container holding the dried milk should fit storage space considerations
and family need. Once a container is opened, the milk will not keep as long, therefore,
a very large container is not desirable for a household that consumes a small amount of
milk per week.
6. Type of package becomes important if the dried milk is to be stored for long periods of
time. The package should be water proof and impermeable to air. Plastic films are
good protection against oxygen over short periods of time, but not if the dried milk is
to be stored for more than a year.
7. Do not buy more dried milk than you would normally use in a reasonable time period.
8. Date the milk when you buy it.
Where can you buy dried milk?
Amazon.com
Costco
Sam's Club
Local geo store
Week 16: SEWING KIT Thread, pins, needles, buttons (cut off of old clothes) snaps, zippers, tape measure, scissors. Consider your family's needs.
Make a Mason Jar Sewing Kit!
1 Begin by taking apart the mason jar. Separate the lid's sealer and the screw on cap. On a piece of cardboard, trace the circumference of the sealer with a pencil. Add one inch to the diameter of the circle, and use a compass to draw a larger circle on a piece of cotton fabric.
2 Cut out both circles; the cardboard and the fabric. Stuff the quilt batting between the fabric and cardboard. Turn the screw cap upside down; apply hot glue to the inside edge of the rim. Press the assembled cushion into the lid until the cloth side protrudes in a smooth dome above the screw cap. The cardboard should be flush or even with the rim.
3 Put hot glue around the edge of the cardboard backing. Fold over excess fabric, and press down to adhere. Glue the top of the sealer to the fabric-covered cardboard for a neat finish. Allow this to dry completely before use.
4 Fill your mason jar sewing kit with spools of thread, needles, pins and pin cushions, or whatever you need to store.
Hand-Sewing Kit
- Clover Glass Head Patchwork Pins--100 pieces + case
- Pin box
- Safety Pins
- Thimble
- 8" x 10" Drawstring Muslin Bag
- Scissors
- tape measure
- buttons
- seam ripper
- thread
- needles
Remember to put things in your sewing kit that you use on a regular basis. Plus homemade sewing kits make great gifts!
Have a great week. Bro. Stimpson stopped me at church on Sunday. If you are interested in purchasing wheat in bulk please give him a call. He has found a great deal on wheat! Thank you Bro. Stimpson!
