Sweetened Condensed Milk

• 1 cup hot tap water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups instant non-fat dry milk powder
• 6 tablespoons melted margarine
• Blender or electric beaters
   

First get out your blender. You can beat the mixture with electric beaters if you prefer, but a blender really does a better job. A food processor would probably work pretty well too, but I've never tried it. So anyway, measure your hot water into the blender. Add the sugar, dry milk powder and melted margarine. Put the lid on the blender and whirl it around for a full minute. The mixure will be kind of thin, but will thicken up after standing for about an hour. This recipe makes about 3 cups, or the equivalent of two cans of condensed milk. Each store-bought can of sweetened condensed milk contains about 1-1/2 cups. So this recipe is equivalent to two cans. The mixture may be measured and used right away in any recipe calling for sweetened condensed milk. Or for longer storage, divide the mixture equally between two clean pint size canning jars. Store them in the fridge for a week. Or for longer storage, freeze them for a few months, and then just thaw before using. Every time you use this recipe instead of buying the name brand stuff from the store you will save about $3.00. Not bad for less than five minutes work. 

And for anyone who is skeptical: Yes, this recipe really works in all of the recipes the canned stuff does.