Another Way To Use Dry Milk

As I've mentioned before, I like to have dry milk in storage for potential shit+fan scenarios. My kids like milk, and it's useful for baking. But I don't use it or drink it on a regular basis, and its short shelf life means it often goes to waste.

I have another food problem, too. After a few cocktails, Hubby and I don't like to go through the trouble of making an extensive meal. We solve this problem by often baking a roast chicken (easy to pop in the oven before we have our first drink), or relying on the ground beef that's always in our freezer for quickie meals like tacos, or making casseroles ahead of time that can cook while we enjoy our beverages.

But I'm kinda getting tired of tacos and casseroles.

When I stumbled upon this mock Hamburger Helper Mix recipe, I was ecstatic. I don't eat Hamburger Helper (too many preservatives, plus Hubby hates it). But the idea of a quick skillet meal made from a meat that we almost always have on hand was too good to pass up. Bonus: the recipe uses dry milk! So I tried it today, with a few modifications.

The result: Not bad. Definitely edible, and even better with the addition of cheese. I served it to P for lunch today, and she pronounced, "Good, Mama! You're a good cook." My heart cockles were warmed.

So if anyone would like to try it, here it is:

Mock Hamburger Helper Mix

1 1/4 t black pepper

1 T garlic powder

2 T dried parsley

1/3 c dried minced onion

3 T onion powder

1 T salt (I think it needs a little more)

1 2/3 c dry milk (I used instant dry milk)

Mix and store in an airtight container. Would probably keep longer in the fridge. Note: The original mix recipe called for the addition of 3 1/2 T beef bouillon. I skipped this (because of the preservatives) and instead made the recipe with beef broth instead of water.

To Use Mix...

Brown and drain ground beef. (I used a full pound, and thought it was just barely enough. But if you're stretching your budget, you could use less.) Stir 1/2 cup of the Mock Hamburger Helper Mix into the meat. Add 2 1/4 cups beef broth (or just water if your mix contains bouillon) and 2 cups of noodles (I used elbow macaroni). Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cover. Simmer about 15-20 minutes or until noodles are cooked through. (I stirred this every few minutes to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan.)

It tasted ok just like that, but I think the addition of cheese really helps it. I added a handful of shredded cheddar to my bowl. I'm sure powdered cheese or processed cheese sauce would work, too.

Another variation for it is a stroganoff. Simply add a little extra onion powder plus some celery salt, and some sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned). Stir in a few globs of sour cream just before serving.

Other variations include chili (add diced tomatoes and chili powder), potato (use thin sliced potatoes instead of noodles), or rice (use rice instead of noodles).