Home-made Yogurt

One of the very best ways to use powdered milk is to make yogurt.

This is fast, easy, and inexpensive. There are lots of ways to make yogurt. Here is one basic method (makes one quart). You'll need some plain yogurt with active cultures for the "starter;" a thermometer; and a way to incubate the yogurt.
Mix together 4 C water and 2 C powdered milk.
Heat in the microwave about 2 minutes. Take out and let sit until the temperature reaches about 120 degrees. Mix in 1 heaping T of plain yogurt (mix thoroughly). Pour into a container and cover.
Now let the yogurt incubate until it sets up. You can use a commercial yogurt maker; a heating pad set to low, with a large pot inverted over top your yogurt; or even the pilot light on an oven. The important thing is to keep the yogurt at a constant temperature of 100-120 degrees for from 4-8 hrs.
When you use the yogurt, reserve a little to start the next batch.
Note: You can freeze yogurt starter. Just spoon into ice-cube trays, then store the yogurt ice-cubes in the freezer. Thaw 1 cube (don't microwave) for a batch of yogurt, and use as usual.

What to Do With Yogurt
Substitute yogurt for sour cream (1 C yogurt = 1 C sour cream) in dips, dressings, and sauces.
Fruit Smoothies. In the blender, liquify 1 pint yogurt, 2-3 frozen bananas, cut in chunks, 2 C frozen fruit (peaches, strawberries, pineapple etc.) You can vary the proportions as you wish; more yogurt makes it more like a drink, more fruit makes it more like soft-serve ice cream.

Holiday Fruit Salad.
Mix together 1 quart yogurt, 1/4 - 1/3 C frozen orange juice concentrate and your choice of fruits: mandarin oranges, pineapple, grapes, bananas, apples, etc. (vary proportions to suit your taste)Top with a thick layer of coconut.
Then garnish the top according to the holiday:
Valentines - dried cranberries, maraschino cherries, bright red apple slices
St Patrick's - kiwi, sliced green grapes
Easter - robin's egg candies, jelly beans
4th of July - blueberries & sliced strawberries
Halloween - mandarin oranges, choc. sprinkles
Christmas - kiwi, dried cranberries

Creamy Salad Dressing
1 C yogurt + 2 T dry milk powder
1 t onion or garlic powder (or to taste)
1 t salt (or to taste)
1/4 t pepper (or to taste)
Additional seasonings as desired (parsley, dill, blue cheese, etc.)
Combine & let sit to blend flavors.

Cream Cheese Substitute.
Put a coffee filter in a strainer placed over a bowl. Put 1 pint yogurt in the coffee filter and let sit overnight. You'll end up with about 1 C of thick, non-fat yogurt "cream cheese." Use as you would cream cheese, in dips, spreads, cheesecakes, etc.
Buttermilk Substitute. Mix plain yogurt with an equal amount of water (for example, to make 2 C buttermilk, blend 1 C plain yogurt with 1 C water).