Buttermilk Trick
Thursday, March 16, 2006 at 02:07PM 
How many times have you needed just a half cup of buttermilk to make biscuits and then the rest of the pint has somehow been shoved to the back of the fridge and forgotten?
Well, I have wasted more buttermilk in my life than I care to admit, but recently I got smarter.
I started freezing half cups of buttermilk in those cute little snack-sized zippy bags.
Freeze them flat on a half sheet pan and once frozen you can stack them up.
Then when you need a half a cup to make biscuits or say, 2 cups to make soda bread, just take it out and thaw.
UPDATE: I just remembered how hard it was to fill the little bags without making a mess. After many failed attempts, I came up with a system that works: Measure your 1/2 cup into a cup with a spout, pinch the zipper most of the way closed and THEN pour the milk into the bag. It's much easier to get the bag sealed without having most of it go all over the counter. I won't tell you how many times I spilled before I figured out a way to do it neatly!
Reader Comments (7)
Now why why why have I never thought of this?? I have thrown out too many cartons of buttermilk. Thank YOU Kim for thinking of it!! :)
You are always full of good ideas!
Island Sparrow,
You're welcome!
And Mm:
You know what they say, "necessity is the mother of invention!"
Kim,
It is funny, I've had a hard time finding buttermilk. :)
What I did find was a can of buttermilk powder. When that was finished, I couldn't find that!
My most recent find was through a co-op. I purchased small 3.2oz boxes, that contain 4 envelopes each. They are from "saco". The company is SACO Foods Inc., Middleton, WI 53562. I think a box was about $4.00....the box makes a qt of liquid buttermilk.
Just thought I would add my 2-cents. :)
Kim, you are so clever! I never would have thought to do this. Does it also work for whipping cream?
Hi Carol!
Glad you're back! I missed you!
You know, I've never tried it with whipping cream but I have done it with half and half and flavored creamers.
We drink our coffee black but we have friends and family who like cream or flavored cream, so by freezing a little bit in a little baggie, I can have some on hand. They defrost very quickly in a little bit of warm water.
I will let my wife know about this. We've waisted countle$$ quarts of buttermilk.
David W. (The Highway)