What to do with whole milk??

[gastronomy]

My husband and I drink skim milk and I was going to make a bechamel the other day so I bought a big jug of whole milk. I never ended up making the sauce and now im not really sure how to use it up before it expires.... any ideas on using a lot of whole milk (other then cream sauces).
Thanks! :)

[HaagenDazs]

Do what Alton Brown did on his recent milk episode: dolce de leche. Just Google that and you'll find some recipes. Basically it's a caramelized milk with sugar added to be used as a dessert topping like caramel. VERY good, and making it is about the easiest thing you could possibly ever do in the kitchen.

[chowser]

Make a ragu bolognese and then lasagne w/ bechamel (sorry, I know you said no more cream sauces but this always turns out so good).

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

Or, just make a lot of ragu and freeze it.

[krissywats]

My favorite whole milk recipe involves a pork loin, garlic, salt, pepper and a long, slow braise. The milk turns into the richest, brown gravy and is simply amazing.

Basically you cut little slits all over your pork loin and insert slices of garlic. Then Salt and pepper and brown the loin in olive oil. Then cover it with whole milk and bring to a simmer, put in a 350 oven for an hour or two (until it's tender). Try not to eat the entire thing as you take it out of pot and set aside to rest. In the meantime, I blend the milk until it's smooth (you'll have curds) and then reduce to desired consistency. Salt and pepper as needed but mine never needs it. It's really a 'knock your socks off' flavor...

Good luck!

[roasted138]

Now that's a recommendation! Sounds delicious!! Was size loin do you usually use??

[krissywats]

Hmmm, I am so bad with weights and sizes. I'd say 2lbs? the one i have in my freezer right now is about a foot long and about as big around as one man-sized fist. You can honestly use any size you want if you have a big enough pot. I use a dutch oven and keep the lid on it in the oven. If I have a bigger pork loin I simply cut it in half and put both in and cook longer - just make sure it's just covered with milk when you start.

BAY LEAF! I forgot- add a couple of bay leaves to the milk while you braise.

[Diane in Bexley]

You can pour the whole milk into freezer ice cube trays and freeze it for future use. That way if you decide to do something at the last moment that requires whole milk, you can pop some cubes into a glass measuring cup and into microwave. I do this with buttermilk as well as whole milk. You can pop frozen cubes into plastic storage bag or use Food Saver as well.

[WCchopper]

Kefir is really easy to make. You buy a package of dried cultures. I really love kefir and have no problems digesting it.

[Old Spice]

Gastronomy, here's something for future use. You can make a perfectly fine bechamel with 2% milk. I've even made it with skim, when that's what my friends have in the fridge and they request my mac-and-cheese. If you're using a basic bechamel recipe...2 - 3 Ts butter and similar amount of flour...it should work fine. Unless you're serving up a bowl of bechamel on its own, the mouth feel won't suffer, and you can feel somewhat guilt-free when you decide that you really want to cream that spinach instead of giving it a healthy steam or saute with scant fat. Mac-and-cheese, lasagna bolognese, vegetable gratin, whatever. I use the low- or no-fat stuff as that's what's usually around. Other cooks have commented over the years, "sure you want to do that?" Yeah, I am.

[danna]

Agreed. I use skim in everything. Cakes, bechamel, waffles, biscuits, quiche, you name it. Now, cream you can't substitute, if I need cream i use cream, but I just don't think there's enough difference in milk to be worth the extra fat and the trouble of keeping different products on hand.

That said, I made my vanilla custard one time w/ whole milk, I did have a bit nicer mouthfeel. Custard, aka pudding, is what I tend to make when I have too much milk in the house. Also, I made hot chocolate last year w/ whole milk and it was a bit more luxurious.

I accidentally bought whole milk last year. Fortunately I needed to make a cake for an event, so I used whole (as the recipe specified). There was no discernable improvement ...I was happy to confirm that I hadn't been kidding myself all these years.

[gastronomy]

Thank you so much for that advice- I will make it that way from now on for sure! Im so exited about this revlation!

[roxhills]

hot chocolate, macaroni and cheese, french toast...
(My kids drink it so we go through 3 gallons a week, just for them)

[Candy]

I would just drink it and enjoy the treat

[OnceUponABite]

You can make rice pudding. There are many good recipes on Epicurious.com
Or you can make custard, or other kind of pudding and fill a cake with it?

or how about ice milk? a low fat ice cream?

[gastronomy]

Thanks everyone!! Some great suggestions- That soup sounds so yummy!!!

[manraysky]

You could use some of it up in a quiche. I know most quiche recipes call for cream or half and half. I always use 2% milk. Whole milk would seem decandant!

You could also use it in any "cream of" soup.

[Sherri]

Patricia Wells' Corn Soup!
3 ears of corn, cut off cob. Cover corn kernels and cobs w/ whole milk and simmer slowly for about 1 hour. Remove cobs & discard. Puree corn & milk and add SPTT. Garnish w/ smoked paprika and cilantro, if desired.
Pure summer-y corn essence and elegantly simple. Equally good hot or cold.

[roasted138]

That sounds, as you put is so well, 'elegantly simple'. I love recipes like this, do you cover when you're simmering for an hour or let it simmer uncovered and reduce?? Thanks again, sounds really great for summer!!

[Sherri]

For about the first 30 minutes I had the lid slightly cocked but removed it for the last while. No need to reduce, the simmering did that itself. Had this cold today for lunch and cannot decide which I like best - hot or cold. Both are delicious.

NB: made a spinach vichyssoise and poured each into the same bowl simultaneously -- WOW! A symphony of gorgeous colors and delicous flavors. Great lunch!

[sogi]

you could make yogurt, ricotta cheese, ice cream (bittman's cornstarch ice cream calls for mostly whole milk, i think), pudding, panna cotta, hot cocoa. it's funny, i started drinking whole milk when my now 2yo started drinking cow's milk, just so we wouldn't have to buy too many various cartons, and now i'm having trouble going back to my 2%!