Pumpkin Dessert

Yummy! This dessert is a hit at our house, especially this time of year.

I realized that I didn't take a picture.  By the time I remembered, we had finished it!

Pumpkin Dessert
1 package yellow cake mix, 1 cup reserved
3 eggs, separated, beaten
1/3 cup + 3 TB butter, softened, separated
3 cups canned pumpkin
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves, ground
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Mix cake mix (not reserved 1 cup) with 1 beaten egg and 1/3 cup butter.  Press into bottom on 9x13 pan.  Beat remaining eggs, pumpkin, sugar, spices and milk.  Pour over cake mix.  Mix reserved cake mix and remaining 3 TB butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over batter.  Bake 350 degrees for 60 minutes.  Chill.  Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Powdered Milk Price Comparisons (per gallon)

As of 7-16-09, here are the different prices per gallon of powdered milk (reconstituted), when purchased at Macey's grocery store:

Country Fresh Farms: $4.88/gallon (ouch!)
Western Family Nonfat: $2.99/gallon
Morning Moo Chocolate: $2.40/gallon
Morning Moo Regular: $2.18/gallon
Country Cream: $2.20/gallon
LDS Cannery: $1.06/gallon (obviously purchased at LDS Cannery)

In a previous taste test, I actually preferred the Country Cream and LDS Church Cannery milk.

Powdered Milk Taste Test

At a class I attended on powdered milk, they had 6 different brands reconstituted (unmarked, so we could not tell what was what). They also had a pitcher (unmarked, of course) of real milk. We each sampled each milk, deciding if we thought:

• Was it instant?
• Was it real milk?
• Would you purchase it for drinking?
• What was the best tasting?
• What was the worst tasting?

We found out later that the brands used were: Carnation Instant (sold in boxes); Morning Moo Milk Alternative; Country Cream; LDS Church Cannery; Morning Moo Chocolate; and real, non powdered milk.

Everyone in the class was surveyed to see which they thought was best, and if they could tell the real milk. It was interesting to see that some people preferred one thing, others preferred something else. This is how I rated them:

1. Country Cream (Best Tasting)
2. The real milk (Funny that I thought Country Cream tasted better... I thought IT must be the real milk)
3. LDS Church Cannery
4. Morning Moo Chocolate Flavor
5. Morning Moo Regular Milk Flavor
6. Carnation Instant (Worst Tasting)

So, before spending a lot of money on your powdered milk, it might be a great idea to purchase several cans, make up a quart of each and have your family do a taste test. Whatever your family likes best should be what you store.

Just make sure you make it up the day before, and serve it refrigerated.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

This has become one of my favorite ways to use wheat. You don't even need a grinder for this recipe! Try it, it just may become one of your favorites as well. I make a double batch, because we really like these.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

1 Cup Milk (translation for powdered milk is 3 T. Milk and 1 C. Water)
1 Cup Wheat Kernels, whole & uncooked
2 Eggs (2 T. powdered eggs 1/4 C. Water)
2 tsp Baking Powder
1-1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbs. Oil
2 Tbs. Honey or Sugar

Put milk and wheat kernels in blender. Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt and honey or sugar to above batter. Blend on low. Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!) onto a hot greased or Pam prepared griddle or large frying pan. Cook; flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.

We like to serve these with Buttermilk Syrup (or as my kids call it, "White" syrup). YUMMY!

Buttermilk Syrup

1 cube butter
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. corn syrup
1/2 cup buttermilk

Melt and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add:

1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Combine and pour over pancakes.

Remember: you can use your food storage for the buttermilk! Just add 1 Tbs. vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup reconstituted powdered milk to make 1 cup buttermilk. Let sit for about 2 minutes.

Creamy Bean Pie (really!)

I know when you read the topic of this post you will say to yourself "GROSS!" When I heard about it, I thought the same thing. However, this pie was sooooo good, that I couldn't believe that it is made with beans! It tastes a lot like pumpkin pie. So, if you like a good pumpkin pie, you will want to try this. Another great way to use your beans (and other food storage staples).

Creamy Bean Pie
3 eggs (can use powdered)
2/3 cup dry milk
3/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 TB molasses
1/2 tsp ginger
2 cups warm water
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 cups cooked white beans (or canned- rinsed and drained)
Pie crust

Mash beans. Blend all ingredients in the order listed (can also use mixer or food processor). When smooth, pour into pie crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Breakfast Muffins (using bean puree)

This muffin recipe is fast, easy, and delicious. It's a great way to use food storage items: powdered milk, powdered eggs and beans!

Breakfast Muffins
3 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. shortening (or 1/3 c. white bean puree + 1/3 c. shortening)
2 eggs (or 2 TB powdered egg + 4 TB water)
1 c. milk (or 1/3 c. powdered milk + 1 c. water)

1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon

Lightly grease 12 muffin cups (we like the mini muffin tins). Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. In separate bowl, cream together 1 c. sugar and the shortening (and/or bean puree). Add eggs; mix well. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes for full size muffins, or 12-15 minutes for minis-or until toothpick comes out clean. In a bowl, melt butter. In a separate bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Dip baked muffin tops in butter, coating thoroughly, then coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Delicious!

If you are using powdered milk and eggs, remember to add dry ingredients with the other dry ingredients, and add the water with wet ingredients.

I used bean puree, powdered milk & powdered eggs. My whole family loved them.

Using Powdered Milk: Sweetened Condensed; Evaporated; Yogurt etc

The best way to rotate your powdered milk, is of course to USE IT! If you are like me, you probably prefer the taste of fresh milk. Especially because right now fresh milk is quite inexpensive. You can regularly find it for under $2.00 per gallon! With that being said, however, here is what I do to stretch those grocery dollars a little more each week while rotating my powdered milk:

• Each gallon of milk that is half empty, I add reconstituted powdered milk to it. I shake it up in the gallon, and no one knows the difference. This extends my trips to the grocery store as well, as we are only going through 1/2 the amount of fresh milk. Please don't alert my kids, (and husband) because they don't know! :)
• EVERY time a recipe calls for milk, I use powdered. Once again, no one knows the difference. I keep a #10 can of non-instant powdered milk and a #10 can of Morning Moo in my pantry at all times. This way we are always rotating.

Did you know you can make your own sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whipped topping, buttermilk, and so much more with your powdered milk (at a fraction of the cost, with all of the flavor)?

Sweetened Condensed Milk

• 1/2 C. Hot Water
• 1 C. Non-instant Powdered Milk
• 1 C. Sugar
• 1 TBS Butter

Place in blender and blend VERY well. Equals one can of sweetened condensed milk

Evaporated Milk

• 1 1/2 C. Water
• 1/2 C. + 1 TBS Powdered Milk

Mix well before adding to other ingredients

Quick Whipped Topping

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Pour evaporated milk into mixing bowl. Chill for 30 minutes. Beat for 1 minute or until frothy. Gradually add vanilla and sugar; continue beating for 2 minutes or until mixture is stiff. Serve immediately. Makes 3 cups.

If you need it to hold shape up to 30 minutes: Sprinkle 1 tsp gelatin over 2 TBS very hot water ins mall bowl; stir until dissolved. Add to evaporated milk before chilling. After whipping, cover and chill for up to 30 minutes.

(I think you may be surprised how good this is)

Buttermilk

• Add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice for every cup of milk and let stand for 5 minutes.

Yogurt
Keeps in fridge 2 weeks

• 2 cups warm (100 degree) water

• 1 cup non-instant milk powder

• 2 tablespoons unflavored yogurt

  Pour warm water into blender and turn on at low speed. Add milk powder slowly. Blend until smooth. Add yogurt and blend a few more seconds. Pour into jars or glasses. Set with one of the following methods:

  Method 1 - Place jars neck-deep in warm water. Cover pan with lid. Set on Yogurt maker and keep temperature at 100-120 degrees. Will take 4-8 hours to set up. Chill immediately.

  Method 2 - Turn on a heating pad to the medium setting. Place a folded towel over the heating pad. Set jars on towel. Cover with another towel. Let set 4-8 hours. When set, chill immediately. You can set your yogurt overnight or while you are at work. Save some of your homemade yogurt for starter.

Have fun rotating your powdered milk!

Powdered Milk 101

We know that powdered milk is an essential part and also the most expensive item to acquire in basic food storage. Realistically however, it starts to change flavor after a shorter amount of time (about 2-3 years). It is still safe to drink past that time, but will taste off. Therefore, it is essential to ROTATE your powdered milk! You don't want to be stuck with a year supply of powdered milk that tastes awful! So, let's look at the different types, and which is best to store.

There are 3 types of powdered milk: Instant, Non-Instant, and Milk Alternative (Morning Moo or equivalent). Let's look at each one individually-

Non-Instant: This is the type of milk that you can purchase at the LDS cannery. It is harder to find in the grocery store. Non-instant nonfat dry milk is made of fresh, pasteurized milk from which the water and fat have been removed. Nutritionally, it includes all the protein, calcium, and B vitamins found in fresh milk. It is generally less expensive than fresh milk, needs no refrigeration, requires little storage space, and is always available and ready to use in your food storage. The non-instant variety is more compact and requires less storage space than the instant variety, but it is more difficult to reconstitute and does not mix easily for drinking purposes.

Instant: Both Instant and Non-instant powdered milk are made from milk in a spray-drying process, but the instant variety has been given further processing to make it more easily soluble in water than regular dry milk. Both types have the same nutrient composition. The most easily found variety is the instant, available in nearly any grocery store. However, because more air has been added into the instant variety, you will often need to use double the amount of instant powdered milk to get the same results as non-instant. Look on your label for reconstitution amounts.

Milk Alternative (Morning Moo): Morning Moo (MM) is made from sweet dairy whey, non-fat dry milk solids, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D. A #10 can of MM will store up to 10 years (or more) if kept at 55 degrees or lower. This can be used in place of any recipe that calls for milk, or powdered milk. However, it does have a shortening effect on some recipes, so if you are using it in a recipe with shortening, you can decrease the amount of shortening. I have used it in breads, rolls, soups, etc and the results have been fantastic. It makes biscuits very flaky!

Reconstituting Powdered Milk:

For Non-Instant Powdered milk (LDS Cannery):

Amount of Milk	Water	Powder
1/4 cup	1/4 cup	2 teaspoons
1/2 cup	1/2 cup	4 teaspoons
1 cup	7/8 cup	3 tablespoons
2 cups	2 cups	1/3 cup
3 cups	3 cups	1/2 cup
1 quart (4 cups)	3-1/2 cups	2/3 cup
2 quarts	8 cups	1-1/3 cups
1 gallon	3-3/4 quarts	2-2/3 cups

For Instant: Check the label as each brand can differ. Generally, it takes up to twice the amount as non-instant.

Baking with Powdered milk:
In cooking, powdered milk performs flawlessly. It can be substituted for fresh milk in just about any recipe with excellent results. I try to cook with powdered milk exclusively. This is a smart use of resources because the results are so good! When baking with powdered milk, add the dry milk to the dry ingredients, and the water to the wet ingredients. Reconstituting is not necessary.

Powdered Milk & Home Storage Q & A

The following questions and answers are from the LDS Church’s provident living website.

What kind of milk is best to store?

Nonfat milk, either regular or instant, stores well when packaged properly and kept at room temperature or cooler. In the past, many felt that non instant milk would store better. There is little difference in shelf life between instant and non instant powdered milk.


What are the best containers?

Milk stored in airtight, low oxygen packaging has been found to last longer and retain a fresher taste than milk stored in boxes or plastic bags. (I think that #10 cans are the ONLY way to store powdered milk).


How long can powdered milk be stored?

Optimal storage life on nonfat dry milk stored at room temperature is three years before the milk begins to taste stale. However, when stored at cooler temperatures, it can be kept much longer. [With this in mind you should either freeze your powdered milk, or buy it in the fall and rotate it yearly.] You can rotate powdered milk by using it yourself or by giving it to others who will use it.


How much powdered milk should be stored?

Guidelines for quantities of dry milk to store are found in the 1978 booklet published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints called Essentials of Home Production and Storage. The booklet recommends that members store an equivalent of 300 quarts (about 75 pounds) of dry milk per person per year.

However, since that time, a U.S. government study on nutritional adequacy during periods of food shortage has recommended 64 quarts, or 16 pounds, per family member per year. Equivalent to approximately one glass of milk a day, that amount will maintain minimum health standards. Keep in mind, however, that children and pregnant or nursing mothers will require more than the minimum amount of stored milk. Families who opt to store only the minimum 16 pounds of milk per person should also increase storage of grains from the recommended 300 pounds per person to 400 pounds per person to compensate nutritionally for the smaller amount of milk.


What should I do with milk that is past its prime shelf life?

Milk develops off flavors as it ages. However, it still retains some nutritional value, and unless spoilage has occurred from moisture, insects, rodents, or contamination, it is still safe to use.


What can be done with milk that is too old to drink?

It is important to rotate dry milk. Older dry milk may no longer be suitable for drinking, but it can be used in cooking as long as it has not spoiled. If powdered milk has spoiled, it can be used as fertilizer in the garden!

Shelf Life for optimum taste (although the milk will last much longer!)

Stored at:
40°F or below: 2-4 years
70°F or below: 12-24 months
90°F or below: 3 months.

With this in mind you should either freeze your powdered milk, or buy it in the fall and rotate it yearly.

Katie's opinion: I have both non-instant & instant powdered milk and Morning Moo in my food storage. I keep equal amounts of both. I use and rotate them all.

Powdered milk is one of the few things that I do store in #10 cans. Because it can change flavor so quickly, I think it is worth the extra money to store it in cans. That way, I am not opening a 5 gallon bucket and exposing it to oxygen. I can realistically use a #10 can quick enough before it spoils. I also keep a #10 can in my pantry at all times for baking and drinking. To improve the flavor of non-instant powdered milk, you can add a tiny bit of sugar and vanilla. It actually makes it quite good! With whatever type you choose to store, if you are going to reconstitute it, make sure you let it sit in the fridge overnight. Give your family a taste test, and you may be pleasantly surprised!