By Pamela Rose Williams
Often times I get to cooking and find that I have run out of an ingredient. Well, rather than scratch the whole project, I will refer to my Cooking Ingredient Substitution List and have found that it is next to impossible to tell that something was changed. Take a look at what I find works:
• 1 teaspoon baking powder = ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ cup buttermilk or ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup sifted cake flour = 7/8 cup sifted all-purpose flour or 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 1-2 tablespoons
• 1 cup self-rising flour = 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour plus 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup honey = 1 to 1¼ cups sugar plus ¼ cup liquid
• 2 large eggs = 3 small eggs
• 1 medium egg = 2 egg yolks plus 1 tablespoon water (for baking)
• 1 medium egg = 2 egg yolks (in custards or cream fillings)
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate = 1 square or 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 6 squares or 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted = 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (as thickening) = 2 tablespoons flour or 2 teaspoons quick tapioca or 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice = ½ teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh herbs = ½ to 1 teaspoon dried herbs
• 1 small garlic clove = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms = 3 ounces dried or 6 ounces canned
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped = 2 cups thawed whipped topping
• 1 cup whipping cream as liquid = 1/3 cup melted butter plus ¾ cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream as liquid = 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup light cream = 3 tablespoons melted butter plus ¾ cup milk
• 1 cup ricotta cheese = 1 cup cottage cheese, liquid drained
• 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup plain yogurt, stirred, or 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or white vinegar) stirred into milk to make 1 cup; let stand 5 minutes to make soured milk for baking only (never use sour milk that’s been in the fridge too long; it’s actually spoiled)
• 1 cup whole milk = 2 teaspoons melted butter plus 1 cup fat-free milk (or water) or equal parts evaporated milk and water or 1 cup nonfat dry milk plus 2 teaspoons melted butter
• 1 cup sour cream = 3 tablespoons melted butter stirred into 7/8 cup buttermilk, soured milk or plain yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream = 1 cup plain yogurt (but it will taste less rich from the missing fat)
• Pecans = walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts
• Chunky peanut butter = creamy peanut butter (or grind roasted peanuts in a blender with a little peanut oil)
• 1 cup bread crumbs = ¾ cup cracker crumbs
• 1 cup butter = 1 cup margarine or 7/8 cup vegetable oil or 7/8 cup butter-flavored shortening
• 1 pound lard = 2 cups shortening
• 1 cup sugar (in baking bread) = 1 cup honey plus a pinch of baking soda
• 1 cup sugar (in baking) = 7/8 cup honey plus a pinch of baking soda
• 1 cup sugar (in main dishes) = ¾ cup honey
• 1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 cup molasses (in baking) = 1 cup sugar (omit baking soda; use baking powder)
• ½ cup dry red wine or white wine = 2 tablespoons sherry or port
• ¾ cup maple syrup = ¾ cup maple-flavored syrup, corn syrup or 1 cup sugar and increase liquid in recipe by 3 tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice = ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pound tomatoes = 3 medium or ¾ cup sauce (6 ounces) or ¼ cup paste (2 ounces)
• 8 ounces tomato sauce = 2/3 cup water plus 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 3 cups tomato juice = 2½ cups water plus 6 ounces tomato paste plus ¾ teaspoon salt, dash of sugar
• 1 large marshmallow = 10 mini (dust off cornstarch from their surfaces or it might overload a recipe)
• 1 cup granulated sugar = 1¾ cups powdered sugar for uses other than baking
• ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger = 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 2 teaspoon minced crystallized
• 1 head fresh dill = 2 teaspoons dill seed
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish = 2 tablespoons bottled
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice = ½ teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard = 1 tablespoon prepared mustard or ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 /4 cup rum = 1 teaspoon rum extract plus liquid to make ¼ cup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 inch vanilla bean, split and simmered in liquid of recipe
• 1 cup wine = 13 tablespoons water, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar or a little less than 1 cup apple juice plus lemon juice
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs = 3 to 4 slices bread, torn and blenderized
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk = 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry milk powder plus ½ cup warm water plus ¾ cup sugar and dissolve
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar = 1½ teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar
Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
