My mother has this list posted on the inside of one of her cabinets for emergency help, reminders, and simply good information to keep at hand. I highly recommend printing this and doing the same. Enjoy!
Emergency Substitutions
Flours
Pastry Flour (1 cup)
*7/8 cup all purpose or bread flour
Cake Flour (1 cup)
*7/8 cup all purpose flour (1 cup less 2 Tbsp)
White, all purpose, for thickening (1 Tbsp)
*1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
*1 Tbsp quick cooking tapioca
*1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, or 2 egg yolks
White, all-purpose, for baking (1 cup)
*1/2 c. barley flour
*1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
*1 1/8 c. cake flour (1 c. plus 2 Tbsp)
*7/8 c. to 1 c. cornmeal
*3/4 c. gluten flour
*1 1/4 c. rye flour
*1 1/3 c. rolled oats
*1/3 c. wheat germ plus 2/3 c. all purpose flour
*1 c. minus 1 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
White, all purpose, self rising (1 cup)
*1 c. all purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt
Milk
Buttermilk or sour milk (1 cup)
*1 cup milk minus 1 Tbsp plus 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice, let stand 5 min.
*1 cup milk plus 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 tsp. ream or tartar
*1 cup yogurt
Skim milk (1 cup)
*1/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk plus 7/8 c. water
Whole milk (1 cup)
*1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 c. water
*1 cup reconstituted dry milk plus 2 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
*1 cup fruit juice or potato water in baking
*1 cup water plus 1 1/2 tsp butter (in baked products)
*1 cup buttermilk plus 1/2 tsp. baking soda (decrease baking powder by 2 tsp)
Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 cup)
*1 cup plus 2 Tbsp dry milk plus 1/2 cup warm water plus 3/4 cup sugar. Add dry milk to warm water; mix well; add sugar; may set bowl in pan of hot water to dissolve sugar
1 cup butter=1 cup margarine=7/8 cup vegetable oil
Cream
Half and half, 10-12% fat (1 cup)
*1 1/2 Tbsp butter plus 7/8 c. milk
*1/2 cup coffee cream plus 1/2 c. milk
Whipping Cream, 36-40% fat, (1 cup)
*1/3 c. butter plus 3/4 cup milk (for baking only, will not whip)
Sour cream (1 cup)
*7/8 c. buttermilk, yogurt, or sour milk
*1 1/8 c. powdered nonfat dry milk, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 Tbsp vinegar (mixture will thicken in refrigerator in a few hours)
*1 cup 70ºF. evaporated milk plus 1 Tbsp vinegar (Allow to stand until it clabbers)
*1/3 c. buttermilk, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 cup smooth cottage cheese blended together.
Leavening Agents
Baking Powder, double acting (1 tsp)
*1/4 t. baking soda, 1/2 t. cream of tartar, and 1/4 t. cornstarch
*1/4 t. baking soda plus 5/8 t. cream of tartar
*1/4 t. baking soda plus 1/2 c. butermilk, sour milk or yogurt (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
*1/4 t. baking soda, 1/2 T. vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to make 1/2 c. (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
*1/4 t. baking soda plus 1/4 to 1/2 c. molasses (decrease liquid in recipe by 1 to 2 Tbsp)
Sugars
Brown Sugar (1 cup)
*1 c. granulated sugar
*1 c. granulated sugar plus 1/4 c. molasses
Confectioners or powdered sugar (1 cup)
*3/4 c. granulated sugar
Granulated Sugar (1 cup)
*1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
*1 3/4 c. confectioner’s sugar (for uses other than baking)
*2 c. corn syrup, reduce other liquid by 1/4 c. (never replace ore than 1/2 of sugar called for in recipe with corn syrup)
*3/4 c. honey; reduce liquid in recipe by 3 Tbsp for every cup of honey added; add a pinch of baking soda to neutralize acidity
*3/4 to 1 cup maple syrup minus 3 Tbsp other liquid
*1 1/3 c. molasses or sorghum plus 2/3 t. baking soda; omit or decrease baking powder by 2 2/3 t.; reduce other liquid by 6 2/3 Tbsp.
Molasses (1 cup)
3/4 c. sugar; increase liquid by 5 Tbsp; decrease baking soda by 1/2 t.; add 2 t. baking powder
*3/4 c. sugar plus 1 1/4 t. cream of tartar; increase liquid in recipe by 5 Tbsp.
Maple sugar, grated
*1 T. white sugar (to replace 1 Tbsp.)
*1 c. maple syrup (to replace 1/2 c. sugar)
Corn Syrup (1 cup)
*1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 c. water or other liquid called for in recipe
*1 c. maple syrup/Dark corn syrup = 3/4 c. light corn syrup+ 1/4 c. light molasses
Honey (1 cup)
*1 1/4 c. sugar plus 1/4 c. water or liquid called for in recipe
Chocolate
Unsweetened chocolate (1 oz)
*3 T. cocoa plus 1 T. butter or fat
*3 T. carob powder plus 2 T. water
Semi-sweet chocolate (1 2/3 oz.)
*1 oz unsweetened chocolate plus 4 t. sugar
Tomato Products
Tomatoes, packed (1 cup)
*1/2 c. tomato sauce plus 4 tsp sugar
Canned tomatoes (1 cup)
*1 1/3 c. diced tomatoes simmered 10 minutes
Tomato Juice (1 cup)
*1/2 c. tomato sauce plus 1/2 c. water
Tomato sauce (2 cups)
*3/4 c. tomato paste plus 1 c. water
Tomato soup (one 10 3/4 oz can)
*1 C. tomato sauce plus 1/4 c. water
Catsup/Ketchup (1 cup)
*1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 c. sugar and 2 Tbsp. vinegar (for use in cooking)
Chili Sauce (1 cup)
*1 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 2 T. vinegar, 1/4 t. cinnamon, dash of ground cloves and allspice
Kitchen Conversions
1 pinch = less than 1/8 teaspoon (dry)
1 dash = 3 drops to 1/2 teaspoon (liquid)
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon = 1/2 ounce (liquid and dry)
2 tablespoons = 1 ounce (liquid and dry)
16 tablespoons = 8 ounces = 1 cup
2 cups = 16 ounces (liquid) = 1 pint
4 cups = 32 ounces (liquid) = 2 pints = 1 quart
16 cups = 128 ounces (liquid) = 4 quarts = 1 gallon
Quick notes on Spices and Seasonings
- Buy small amounts and replace often
- Store dried herbs and spices in a cool and dark cabinet or drawer
- Refrigerate red spices like paprika and chili powder
- Whole spices keep for up to one year, but ground spices only last 6 months before they lose aroma and intensity.
- Store fresh culinary herbs in the refrigerator and use quickly.
- Add dried seasonings early and fresh herbs late in the cooking process for optimum flavor.
Basic seasonings uses
Basil - meats, salads, Italian dishes
Bay leaves - soups, stocks, sauces
Chili Powder - Mexican, Spanish, and Thai dishes
Cinnamon - Middle Eastern Dishes, Cake, Bread
Cloves - Ham, Pork, Cakes, Apples
Cumin - Indian and Mexican dishes
Curry - Poultry, Vegetables, Indian Dishes
Dill - Fish, Carrots, Poultry, Cheese
Ginger - Asian and Indian Dishes
Mint - Melon, Cucumber, Indian Dishes
Oregano - Meats, Italian Dishes
Paprika, sweet and hot - Meat, Poultry, Cheese
Poppy seeds - Cakes, Breads
Rosemary - Lamb, Poultry, Fish
Sage - Pork, Poultry, Cheese
Tarragon - Poultry, Cheese, Vegetables
Thyme - Soups, Stuffings
How Much and How Many
20 salted crackers = 1 cup fine crumbs
12 graham crackers = 1 cup fine crumbs
22 vanilla wafers = 1 cup fine crumbs
8 to 9 zwieback = 1 cup fine crumbs
1 slice bread = 1/2 c. soft crumbs
You can easily determine whether you need a fresh supply of baking powder by pouring 1/4 c. hot tap water over 1/2 t. of baking powder. If the mixture doesn’t bubble actively, it’s too old.