Powdered Milk

Rotating

Powdered milk is an essential food storage item and very easy to rotate. The easiest way is to make up a pitcher of 1-2 quarts of milk and keep in in your refrigerator. Every time a recipe calls for milk, use your powdered milk. When making pancakes, you can also add the dry powdered milk and water separately with the same results as if they were already mixed together.

We have never been able to tell a difference from regular milk when used in cooking. It won't keep forever, so plan to use the milk in your pitcher within about a week.

My favorite use for powdered milk is in creamed tuna and homemade macaroni and cheese. Both of those recipes use two cups of milk, and it would be a shame to use up regular milk for that.

Storage

The cheapest powdered milk often comes in huge containers unsuitable for a kitchen cupboard. The shape and size of this air-tight container (pictured above) works fabulously for storing the dry powdered milk in my baking cupboard. I bought it at Bed Bath & Beyond. You could probably also find it at Walmart or Target.

Type

I prefer powdered milk from the grocery store (as pictured above); the cheapest I can find. This kind reconstitutes quickly and easily, and works in all of my recipes. The kind from the cannery is very lumpy when you add water, and is so fine that the powder spreads everywhere when you use it. Also, it cannot be used in certain baking recipes (like Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chews). It works really well to make up a pitcher of cannery milk after stirring thoroughly and letting it sit for a while. It is really hard to get rid of the lumps for immediate use, though.

Use it!

So don't be afraid of powdered milk. You'll be surprised at how quickly you go through it! Check out my link on the right called "powdered milk" for a few ideas on how to use it.

Kitchen Towels

Recently, I was in a home where one helpful child used a kitchen towel to dry up a spill on the floor. She returned the towel to its place, hanging on the cupboard door. A little while later another helpful child used the same towel to dry out a cup. I'm sure the same thing has happened in my own kitchen (and worse)... gross!

So you can see how a system for kitchen towels might help. We love it! Here's the scoop:

Step 1: Clear Out

I got rid of all of my old kitchen towels... almost. (I saved the nicest ones to use for covering bread while it rises or as a drying mat for dishes on my counter. The next nicest were kept as rags in the laundry room, and the rest were either thrown away or sent to DI.)

Step 2: Start Fresh

I bought all new WHITE towels from Target (for a fresh start, so I can tell when they are dirty, and bleach them when they need it) --

wash cloths

hand towels

drying towels (flour sack towels)

white towels with a colored stripe on each end (to be used on the floor)

Step 3: Store Neatly

I put dividers in our towel drawer for the first three kinds of towels.

I put a basket under the kitchen sink for the "floor towels." The stripe and its separate location help us to remember its use.

Step 4: Dry Out

We installed a 3-prong towel rack under the sink where towels can dry out. This slides back into the cupboard, out of the way... and out of sight.

Step 5: Establish Rules

I explained the "new towel rules" to the family and they are all compliant, especially Jon who has a pet peeve of yucky kitchen towels. In fact, Jon inspired my search for a good towel system. :)

Towel Rules

1. Wash cloths are for washing the counters.

2. Hand towels are for drying hands.

3. Drying towels are for drying dishes and clean counters.

4. Floor towels (striped) are for cleaning up messes on the floor - washing and drying.

5. Only one towel of each kind should be out at a time.

6. After a wet towel is used, wash it out, squeeze out the extra water, and hang to dry.

The kids will ask, "Which towel can I use for my hands?" etc. By now, everyone is pretty familiar with the system and it has worked really well! Yay!