I also make those substitutions frequently, but I did make one recipe that either just wasn't very good, which is unlikely because it was a Dorie Greenspan cake recipe, or it was a bad idea to use yogurt instead of sour cream. I figure it was the latter. I don't recall exactly what the recipe was at the moment, but I do remember that the yogurt was too sour and too thin to make a good substitute. For one thing, I used non-fat yogurt. I've learned my lesson that in some recipes, the real thing is best. If I were to try that again with yogurt, I'll use full fat. But then, what would be the point? Sally

donna_loomis- This "old" thread was brought back up recently with another post that has since been removed. I see the prices I quoted in the post above in 2011 have gone up quite a bit, and I bet the brand in the OP has increased also. I purchase Grandma's Country Cream by the 25# bucket (current price - $110 + shipping and is equal to 8 of the #10 cans), which is enough for 1-year (160-quarts or $2.75 gallon w/o shipping). If a 25# bucket is too much, you can always vacuum-seal it, or use oxygen absorbers and canning jars or mylar bags to keep it longer and extend the shelf-life. I did that for years when I would purchase Morning Moo's in 50# bags. I was paying 98-cents per gallon for Morning Moo's when store prices were double that. I generally use Grandma's Country Cream for fermenting kefir (1-2 quarts a week) because the 100% real milk product works better than whey-based milk substitutes for fermenting (yogurt or kefir). It's the brand I will make for guests who drink milk. I also purchase Morning Moo's whey-based milk substitute - 37# bucket (it's cheaper from Sam's Club $109.98 than from Augason Farms - 978 servings around 10-cents per 8-oz. serving - or around $2.05 per gallon - free shipping). This is what hubby drinks. Powdered milk and powdered whey-based milk substitute products are all we've used since 1981. The whey-based products work best for the lactose-intolerant family members, and that's how I got started using it. I've always purchased enough for a year at a time, or I'll stock up on #10 cans when I find them buy one get one 1/2-price, and never buy milk from the store. Another powdered WHOLE milk product is PEAK (made in Holland). I purchased it from Amazon.com (free shipping) when someone mentioned it here in another thread about powdered milk products. I purchased it just to try it out but wasn't impressed. VERY expensive, not as tasty as Grandma's Country Cream (which is made with Wisconsin milk) or Morning Moo's whey-based milk substitute (made in the U.S.A.), didn't improve my kefir. PEAK is very similar in flavor to NIDO (made in the U.S.A. - around $5.66 gallon for reconstituted milk), which is available in local stores. For those who don't like non-fat milk, you can always add cream or half-and-half for additional fat, or increase the ratio of dry powder to water. I honestly don't think you would miss the fat if drinking a glass of Grandma's Country Cream. The whey-based milk substitute (Morning Moo's) has a shortening-like effect when used in baking, even though it's a non-fat product. In fact, you can reduce the total fat in some baked goods if you use Morning Moo's as the dry or liquid milk. I use powdered milk products for making cocoa mix, pancake mix, Magic Mix, pudding mix, fermenting (yogurt/kefir), a homemade cultured version of "buttermilk", sweetened condensed milk, ricotta and mozzarella cheese, cream soup mixes...... And I've never run out of milk since 1981. ;-) -Grainlady

Sheesh, my father told my grandmother (his mother in law) to do that with her sour cream sugar cookies, which did him out of cookies! My grandfather only liked the first cuts, and dad got the second cuts, so after dad told grandma to just cut them square, he didn't get as many cookies! :) Carolb_w_f, it isn't so much flavor, as mine are good taste wise. It's the fluffy texture that I am looking for. That tender center, not really flaky, with the slightly crisp top and bottom. I will eventually get all three posted recipes tested. Today is going to be a lazy day. It is Fat Tuesday, and I have been to the Polish Bakery to get our Pazcky. Not sure I spelled that correctly, but it is pronounced Poonchki. DH is Polish. DS has worked for the bakery for about 3 years now, and as he finally got a decent paying full time job in maintenance at a Senior Living facility that he really loves, his last day was last Sunday. It has been tradition for the last 5 years to go stand in line (out the door and down the sidewalk) the morning of Fat Tuesday for Pazcky. They bring in accordian players, one of the local news channels, and usually a local radio station in the morning. They set up a tent right outside the door in the parking lot with patio heaters for the line to wind in and out of to help us stay warm. Boss is quite often to be found socializing with the customers while offering shots of Vodka and samples of fresh warm Pazcky. They also had a Polish king and queen socializing and dancing the Polka. I also need to figure out what I am going to do with an overflowing room of craft supplies & bedroom furniture so we can get window estimates on Friday. That is frying my brain!

I'm late to the party, but I wanted to add this bit of info. Several years ago, I saved a pie crust recipe from the King Arthur Flour website that was entitled, "Our Favorite Pie Crust." It was from their Autumn 2001 issue of "The Baking Sheet." Anyhow, the recipe included an optional tablespoon of buttermilk powder. The recipe notes said the buttermilk powder was for tenderness. The recipe has since been removed from the website, but I've still got my printed copy. It uses half butter and half shortening and also includes some baking powder and vinegar. FWIW, I made the pie crust once and noted that the dough was very easy to work with. KAF also has a current recipe for whole wheat pie dough that includes an optional tablespoon of buttermilk powder. This recipe is adapted from the KAF Whole Grain Baking cookbook. So I guess the idea of using buttermilk in pie crust may be unusual but not unheard of.