I try to use what I have on hand. Unless I am celebrating a special occasion, I use the food I have before running to the store. If I don’t have exactly what I need, I substitute something else in its place. If I don’t have an acceptable substitute, I make a different meal from what I have on hand. This saves myself time and gas by avoiding a last minute trip to the grocery store. I try to limit my trips to the grocery store to once a week or twice a month.
Ingredient Substitution List
• 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 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 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 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 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 blended
• 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 vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple sugar= 1 tablespoon granulated sugar plus a dash of maple extract