Extra milk? What can I do with this?

[ejpnyc]

Have a half-gallon of whole milk that expires in 2 days. What can I do with this? No desserts, please. Thanks!

[kpzoo]

Helen Rennie has a wonderful recipe for a squash/pumpkin kasha/risotto that I'm going to make again soon - it's absolutely delicious and calls for 4 cups of milk:

http://beyondsalmon.blogspot.com/2008...

[scubadoo97]

Pay no attention to the expiration date. When milk goes bad you will know it by the smell and consistency until then it is safe to drink if you keep it in the fridge

[ejpnyc]

Thanks. Actually, the only who really drinks this milk is my 18mos old, so I feel a little more cautious. I'm sure I can get another day or 2 out of it.

[enbell]

You really have more time than you think, just let your nose be your guide. I agree with the ricotta and yogurt suggestions. Freezing it is another good option, just give yourself some room in the container for the ice to expand upon freezing (not a fun mess to clean up)! Finally, do not overlook soups, egg or quiche dishes and cream-based sauces.

[Full tummy]

Chowder!!! Seafood, corn, whatever...

[greygarious]

If you nuke it to almost boiling, then let it cool, it will last for quite a few dals longer although it will have a cooked taste which some people wouldn't like for drinking but which would be fine for cooking. You can freeze it either as is or after heating, and use for future cooking/baking.

[maplesugar]

Soup, cheese sauce...or just freeze it maybe?

[jjrose]

I loved reading this--it goes so far beyond my only idea--make yogurt. I liked reading how to make ricotta, something I'll try if I get to the point I have no yogurt for starter. And then to think: that milk can simply be frozen for later use...or soup, or cheese sauce. [Why do I take my one good idea and then think no further--this challenges me in so many ways. Thanks!]

[Querencia]

Yes, cheese sauce (1 stick butter, 1/2 cup flour, 1quart milk to make a cream sauce then dump in shredded cheddar cheese) freezes nicely and is useful for putting with leftover vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, onions, corn etc) then browning slightly to make an au gratin vegetable. I can't have too much of this in the freezer.

[nofunlatte]

I'd probably make yogurt with it, but you could always pour it into smaller containers and freeze it. That way you won't need to thaw the whole 1/2 gallon.

You've gottem some great suggestions here!

[scuzzo]

I was gonna say ricotta! Very easy! Heat to 180 degrees, then add lemon juice until it curdles. Drain the whey from the curds. Will be especially good with whole milk. Maybe add herbs and form into 3-4 oz. rounds...

[anakalia]

If you like Indian food, you could make paneer out of it (add a dash of freshly ground black pepper, bring it just nearly to a boil, add half a lemon or lime, keep on low heat for a few minutes until it curdles, drain, press in a cheesecloth for a few hours). Then you could use it for a dish like mutter paneer or add pepper strips to it and make a shahi paneer dish....

[jjrose]

I just had the same situation and I happened to have some yogurt in my refrigerator, so I brought the milk nearly to a boil, cooled it to 110 degrees (warm baby bottle warm), tempered the cold yogurt, (add some milk, stir, to make the yogurt not too cold for adding to very warm milk). Whisk yogurt into milk, put in containers, let set for about 8 hours and you'll have plenty of yogurt that will keep for a couple of weeks.

[goodhealthgourmet]

for the record, you can use dairy products past the "use by" or "sell by" date. as long as it smells ok, you're fine. but if you're one of those extremely cautious types, Kelli's ricotta suggestion was a great call. you could also use it in a white sauce, or to cook breakfast grains.

[LauraGrace]

Yup. And you can even extend its life by giving the carton a good shake every time you use it.

My granddad used to tell a story about a fellow trucker taking him to see caves in Kentucky where the government stored milk (to be made into powdered milk as needed for commodities distribution) in giant vats with agitator paddles in them. The fella told him that the milk had been there for months, being stirred constantly. The story goes that he took the cup off the top of his thermos and filled it from the spigot on one of the vats, and it was a sweet and fresh as when it had gone in.

Maybe true, maybe apocryphal, but in any case, I regularly use milk for two weeks past its "use by" date. If it starts to get a little pong, I use it for biscuits or waffles or some other quick bread. I don't throw out milk unless it's chunky.

[cimui]

Interesting story! But I do wonder how agitating the milk would stop or slow the kind of bacteria growth that results in sour / spoiled milk?

And just out of curiosity, if you know: Which caves in KY? :)

[LauraGrace]

All I have is anecdotal evidence that agitated milk lasts longer. It absolutely makes a difference in my experience. I don't know the science but my guess is that it's something to do with stagnation -- stagnant ponds... you know... :-}

I don't know what caves -- even in the 50s when this story took place, Mammoth cave was a tourist attraction, so I'm guessing not Mammoth cave. But that cave system is incomprehensibly massive, so it could very well have been in the same bunch of caves.

[Kelli2006]

With the addition of lemon juice you could make ricotta cheese.