Substitutions
Sometimes, plan as you may have, you don't have everything called for in a particular recipe. Or, if you're canning, and it calls for liquid pectin but all you can find locally is powdered - what do you do? What are reasonable substitutes, what aren't? Here's a list of common substitutions that can save the day, no matter how experienced you are!
DON'T HAVE USE THIS
1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda + 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup unsalted butter 1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. cream of tartar 2 tsp. vinegar OR lemon juice
1 cup corn syrup 1 1/4 cup white sugar + 1/3 cup water
1 cup buttermilk 1 Tbs. lemon juice or white vinegar + enough milk to total 1 cup
1 Tbs. mustard 1 Tbs. dried mustard, 1 tsp. water, 1 tsp. vinegar + 1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest 2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup evaporated milk 1 cup light cream
1 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup milk + 1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup white sugar + 1/4 cup molasses and decrease liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup
1 tsp. allspice 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger + 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. arrowroot powder 1 tsp. cornstarch OR 1 Tbs. flour
DON'T HAVE USE THIS
1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda + 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup unsalted butter 1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. cream of tartar 2 tsp. vinegar OR lemon juice
1 cup corn syrup 1 1/4 cup white sugar + 1/3 cup water
1 cup buttermilk 1 Tbs. lemon juice or white vinegar + enough milk to total 1 cup
1 Tbs. mustard 1 Tbs. dried mustard, 1 tsp. water, 1 tsp. vinegar + 1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest 2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup evaporated milk 1 cup light cream
1 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup milk + 1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup white sugar + 1/4 cup molasses and decrease liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup
1 tsp. allspice 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger + 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. arrowroot powder 1 tsp. cornstarch OR 1 Tbs. flour
Measurement Exchanges
It's not the easiest task in the world to remember which unit measurements equal one another, if you don't use them regularly. Here's a list of common exchanges that are posted in my kitchen, and have saved me from headache more than once!
1 gallon = 4 quarts = 16 cups = 8 pints
1/4 gallon = 1 quart = 4 cups = 2 pints
1/8 gallon = 1/2 quart = 2 cups = 1 pint
1 cup = 8 oz. = 16 Tbs. = 48 tsp.
3/4 cup = 6 oz. = 12 Tbs. = 36 tsp.
2/3 cup = 5 1/3 oz. = 10 2/3 Tbsp. = 32 tsp.
1/2 cup = 4 oz. = 8 Tbs. = 24 tsp.
1/3 cup = 2 2/3 oz. = 5 1/3 Tbs. = 16 tsp.
1/4 cup = 2 oz. = 4 Tbs. = 12 tsp.
1/8 cup = 1 oz. = 2 Tbs. = 6 tsp.
1 Tbs. = 3 tsp.
1 gallon = 4 quarts = 16 cups = 8 pints
1/4 gallon = 1 quart = 4 cups = 2 pints
1/8 gallon = 1/2 quart = 2 cups = 1 pint
1 cup = 8 oz. = 16 Tbs. = 48 tsp.
3/4 cup = 6 oz. = 12 Tbs. = 36 tsp.
2/3 cup = 5 1/3 oz. = 10 2/3 Tbsp. = 32 tsp.
1/2 cup = 4 oz. = 8 Tbs. = 24 tsp.
1/3 cup = 2 2/3 oz. = 5 1/3 Tbs. = 16 tsp.
1/4 cup = 2 oz. = 4 Tbs. = 12 tsp.
1/8 cup = 1 oz. = 2 Tbs. = 6 tsp.
1 Tbs. = 3 tsp.
Quick & Simple Kitchen Tricks
Rinse measuring cup in hot water before using syrup, oil, etc. Will pour out clean and not stick to cup.
When making pie, sprinkle the sugar under the fruit instead of on top. This prevents pie from boiling over.
Keep a small bowl of cornmeal nearby while kneading and working with dough. If you need to quickly answer the phone, the door, or rescue a runaway toddler while your hands are full of sticky dough, rub dry cornmeal on your hands. This removes dough faster than washing your hands in soap and water.
Do you have an old box of baking soda in the pantry and you’re not sure whether or not it’s still good? Fill a small cup half full with vinegar and drop a teaspoon of baking soda in it. If things start fizzing, the baking soda is active.
Sprinkle wet fruit and veggies with baking soda then gently scrub and rinse. This cleaning method safely removes dirt and residue off produce.
If your honey has crystallized, place the bottle or container in a pot full of hot water and let it sit for about 1/2 hour or until the honey is melted. Stir the honey well and the crystals will be gone.
After stuffing peppers and tomatoes, arrange in a muffin tin before sticking them in the oven. They’ll stay upright and keep their shape perfectly! You could also do this with baked apples or other round or stuffed items.
If your muffin or cupcake recipe doesn’t fill all the spots in your muffin pan, fill the empty places 3/4 full with water. This will help protect those slots from darkening or getting scorched.
Placing a piece of bread in with the brown sugar will prevent it from becoming hard, or sealing the package tight and storing it in the refrigerator will also keep it soft and fresh.
Make your own cake flour by substituting two tablespoons of cornstarch for two tablespoons of all-purpose flour for every cup of flour called for in the recipe.
To ripen bananas quickly, place an apple with the bananas in a brown paper bag for approximately two days.
To produce more juice from a lemon or other citrus fruit, place the fruit in a bowl of hot water before cutting and squeezing.
Keep peeled and mince garlic fresh by placing it in a small jar and pouring just enough olive oil over it to cover the garlic and then place it in the refrigerator. It will keep its fresh flavor for about a week.
When cutting onions and only half the onion will be used, use the top half and store the root end. The root end will stay fresh for a longer period of time.
Do not store potatoes close to onions. The onions will cause the potatoes to rot faster.
For baking recipes that call for oil, replace half or all the oil with applesauce to produce a low-fat version of the recipe. Reduce baking time to prevent the recipe from becoming too dry.
Do not use fresh pineapple in a salad that contains gelatin. The fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that will prevent the gelatin from setting. Use canned pineapple instead.
Sautéing vegetables in oil or butter before adding them to a soup will seal in their flavor and help keep them firm after they are added to the soup.
Adding a thin coat of oil along the top edge of a pot will prevent food from boiling over.
When making pie, sprinkle the sugar under the fruit instead of on top. This prevents pie from boiling over.
Keep a small bowl of cornmeal nearby while kneading and working with dough. If you need to quickly answer the phone, the door, or rescue a runaway toddler while your hands are full of sticky dough, rub dry cornmeal on your hands. This removes dough faster than washing your hands in soap and water.
Do you have an old box of baking soda in the pantry and you’re not sure whether or not it’s still good? Fill a small cup half full with vinegar and drop a teaspoon of baking soda in it. If things start fizzing, the baking soda is active.
Sprinkle wet fruit and veggies with baking soda then gently scrub and rinse. This cleaning method safely removes dirt and residue off produce.
If your honey has crystallized, place the bottle or container in a pot full of hot water and let it sit for about 1/2 hour or until the honey is melted. Stir the honey well and the crystals will be gone.
After stuffing peppers and tomatoes, arrange in a muffin tin before sticking them in the oven. They’ll stay upright and keep their shape perfectly! You could also do this with baked apples or other round or stuffed items.
If your muffin or cupcake recipe doesn’t fill all the spots in your muffin pan, fill the empty places 3/4 full with water. This will help protect those slots from darkening or getting scorched.
Placing a piece of bread in with the brown sugar will prevent it from becoming hard, or sealing the package tight and storing it in the refrigerator will also keep it soft and fresh.
Make your own cake flour by substituting two tablespoons of cornstarch for two tablespoons of all-purpose flour for every cup of flour called for in the recipe.
To ripen bananas quickly, place an apple with the bananas in a brown paper bag for approximately two days.
To produce more juice from a lemon or other citrus fruit, place the fruit in a bowl of hot water before cutting and squeezing.
Keep peeled and mince garlic fresh by placing it in a small jar and pouring just enough olive oil over it to cover the garlic and then place it in the refrigerator. It will keep its fresh flavor for about a week.
When cutting onions and only half the onion will be used, use the top half and store the root end. The root end will stay fresh for a longer period of time.
Do not store potatoes close to onions. The onions will cause the potatoes to rot faster.
For baking recipes that call for oil, replace half or all the oil with applesauce to produce a low-fat version of the recipe. Reduce baking time to prevent the recipe from becoming too dry.
Do not use fresh pineapple in a salad that contains gelatin. The fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that will prevent the gelatin from setting. Use canned pineapple instead.
Sautéing vegetables in oil or butter before adding them to a soup will seal in their flavor and help keep them firm after they are added to the soup.
Adding a thin coat of oil along the top edge of a pot will prevent food from boiling over.
To preserve your wooden cutting board, occasionally rub it down with a couple of drops of oil. This will also help prevent food from sticking to the board.
To rid a cutting board of food smells, such as fish or onions, cut a lemon or lime in half and rub the board down with it.
To freshen a smelly garbage disposal, grind up some lemons, oranges, or grapefruits. Save lemon and orange rinds in a plastic bag in the freezer to use for this purpose. When the disposal begins to smell, take a rind from the freezer and throw it down the disposal.
Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor.
After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
Recipes are only a guideline, not the Bible. Feel comfortable replacing ingredients with similar ingredients that you like. If you like oregano but not thyme, use oregano! The only exception to this, is recipes for canning/preserving. Those must be followed as written, every time, to ensure food safety.
To rid a cutting board of food smells, such as fish or onions, cut a lemon or lime in half and rub the board down with it.
To freshen a smelly garbage disposal, grind up some lemons, oranges, or grapefruits. Save lemon and orange rinds in a plastic bag in the freezer to use for this purpose. When the disposal begins to smell, take a rind from the freezer and throw it down the disposal.
Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor.
After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
Recipes are only a guideline, not the Bible. Feel comfortable replacing ingredients with similar ingredients that you like. If you like oregano but not thyme, use oregano! The only exception to this, is recipes for canning/preserving. Those must be followed as written, every time, to ensure food safety.