Pluggers by Rick McKee for February 26, 2015

But, oh (gag) when you find a bad one! I do not give them the benefit of a doubt.

When it starts to get “iffy” just make pancakes.

I find my nose to be a good barometer of how sour my stomach can handle milk beyond the sell date. To me, the date does not mean the milk expires, but I might if its too sour.

“Smells like 2%… I ain’t drinking this!”

I always do this. And do not confuse sell by with expiration dates.

I always smell the milk. Sometimes it goes bad before the sell by date and sometimes it lasts for 3 weeks after.

I’ve had several containers of milk that were bad WELL before the expiration date. I’ve learned to take a whiff just in case.

When it comes out in chunks, you’ve got cottage cheese.

If it doesn’t knock you down, it makes good queso blanco. (Heat a gallon to 185°F stirring frequently, add 1/4 cup vinegar, pour slowly through cheesecloth. Keeps for months when frozen. Real quesodillas: mix with minced onion and jalapeño, cook in a folded tortilla as with a taco.

I’ve kept eggs in the fridge for almost two months and they’ve been perfectly fine. Rely on your senses, not the dates on the packaging.

What? Milk has an expiration date?.Well, this explains a few issues…

I sometimes use maple syrup in place of sugar when cooking so there is always a bottle in the fridge.My mom used to buy maple syrup by the gallon, separate it into smaller sized jars and vacuum seal it – and put a date on the label..A few months ago, I used the last of my bottled syrup. In the back of the pantry I found 2 jars my mom had canned the summer I got married:in 1974!

I opened one jar.Syrup tastes fine. If I was worried about it, I could boil it, but I didn’t bother because the vacuum seal was still good..I plan to save the other jar for another 9 years. it will be 50!

If you drink raw milk it does not go “bad” like the puss-filled and germ-riddled pseudo-milk from the store. Raw milk sours to where it makes awesome baked goods.