dianevill
Gold Member
- 2,539
I was going through some of my old newsletters and ran across this from 2005 - thought maybe some of you could use this, too. I'm sure I got it from here, so thank you to the original poster!
Emergency substitutions to rescue your holiday cooking!
Ever get stuck in the middle of a recipe when you realize you have run out or forgotten to buy a certain ingredient? Here is a list of common substitutions you can use in a pinch! Make sure to print this out and keep it handy in your kitchen to avoid holiday hold-ups in the kitchen!
Allspice - Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitute: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Baking Powder, Double-Acting - Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitute: 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Baking Soda
There is NO substitute for baking soda
Butter - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute:
- 1 cup regular margarine
- 1 cup vegetable shortening (for baking)
- An equal amount of oil can be substituted for a similar portion of MELTED butter if the recipe specifies using MELTED butter.
Buttermilk - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough regular milk to make 1 cup (allow to stand 5 minutes)
Chili Sauce - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, dash of ground cloves and dash of allspice
Chocolate, Unsweetened - Amount: 1 ounce
Substitute: 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon butter or regular margarine or vegetable oil
Cornstarch (for thickening) - Amount: 1 tablespoon
Substitute: 2 tablespoons flour
TIP: Liquids thickened with cornstarch will be somewhat translucent while flour gives a more opaque appearance. Cornstarch will thicken a liquid almost immediately. A flour-based sauce or gravy must be cooked longer to thicken and will have a floury taste if undercooked. Joy of Cooking cookbook (Scribner, 1997) advises when using flour as a substitution for cornstarch in sauces and gravies, that you simmer it for about 3 minutes AFTER it has thickened to help avoid a raw taste of flour.
Cream, Whipping - Amount: 1 cup unwhipped
Substitute: If you wish to use a commercial pre-whipped whipped cream or whipped cream substitute rather than whip your own cream, use the guideline that 1 cup UNWHIPPED whipping cream expands to 2 cups when WHIPPED. For example, if your recipe called for 1 cup of cream to make whipped cream, you could substitute 2 cups of an already whipped product.
Flour, Cake - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Flour, Self-Rising - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 cup minus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mayonnaise (for use in salads and salad dressings) - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 cup cottage cheese pureed in a blender
- Or use any of the above for part of the mayonnaise
Sugar, Confectioners' or Powdered - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch; process in a food processor using the metal blade attachment until it's well blended and powdery.
Tomato Juice - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water
Wine, Red – Amount: Any
Substitute: The same amount of grape juice or cranberry juice
Wine, White - Amount: Any
Substitute: The same amount of apple juice or white grape juice
Emergency substitutions to rescue your holiday cooking!
Ever get stuck in the middle of a recipe when you realize you have run out or forgotten to buy a certain ingredient? Here is a list of common substitutions you can use in a pinch! Make sure to print this out and keep it handy in your kitchen to avoid holiday hold-ups in the kitchen!
Allspice - Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitute: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Baking Powder, Double-Acting - Amount: 1 teaspoon
Substitute: 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Baking Soda
There is NO substitute for baking soda
Butter - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute:
- 1 cup regular margarine
- 1 cup vegetable shortening (for baking)
- An equal amount of oil can be substituted for a similar portion of MELTED butter if the recipe specifies using MELTED butter.
Buttermilk - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough regular milk to make 1 cup (allow to stand 5 minutes)
Chili Sauce - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, dash of ground cloves and dash of allspice
Chocolate, Unsweetened - Amount: 1 ounce
Substitute: 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon butter or regular margarine or vegetable oil
Cornstarch (for thickening) - Amount: 1 tablespoon
Substitute: 2 tablespoons flour
TIP: Liquids thickened with cornstarch will be somewhat translucent while flour gives a more opaque appearance. Cornstarch will thicken a liquid almost immediately. A flour-based sauce or gravy must be cooked longer to thicken and will have a floury taste if undercooked. Joy of Cooking cookbook (Scribner, 1997) advises when using flour as a substitution for cornstarch in sauces and gravies, that you simmer it for about 3 minutes AFTER it has thickened to help avoid a raw taste of flour.
Cream, Whipping - Amount: 1 cup unwhipped
Substitute: If you wish to use a commercial pre-whipped whipped cream or whipped cream substitute rather than whip your own cream, use the guideline that 1 cup UNWHIPPED whipping cream expands to 2 cups when WHIPPED. For example, if your recipe called for 1 cup of cream to make whipped cream, you could substitute 2 cups of an already whipped product.
Flour, Cake - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Flour, Self-Rising - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 cup minus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mayonnaise (for use in salads and salad dressings) - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 cup cottage cheese pureed in a blender
- Or use any of the above for part of the mayonnaise
Sugar, Confectioners' or Powdered - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch; process in a food processor using the metal blade attachment until it's well blended and powdery.
Tomato Juice - Amount: 1 cup
Substitute: 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water
Wine, Red – Amount: Any
Substitute: The same amount of grape juice or cranberry juice
Wine, White - Amount: Any
Substitute: The same amount of apple juice or white grape juice
