Jul
12
2011
12
2011
The Creative Cook: Emergency Ingredient Substitutions
An article by 
Credit: Free images from acobox.com
Have you ever been really excited to try a recipe, done any shopping required, prepped all your ingredients for it, and then… realize that you’re missing something? That happens to me all the time! So I keep a list of what I can use to substitute for what I don’t have. Or, sometimes I know I don’t use a spice or product often, so I’ll keep track of what I can use instead of rushing out to the store for something I’m going to use once and throw the rest of it away since I don’t use it often. Maybe you’d like this list too?
Emergency Ingredient Substitutions
| If your recipe calls for… | Use this instead! |
|---|---|
| Allspice | Cinnamon and a dash of cloves |
| Basil | Oregano or Thyme |
| Cardamom | Ginger |
| Chervil | Parsley |
| Chili Powder | Oregano and Cumin plus a dash of hot sauce |
| Cumin | Chili Powder |
| Marjoram | Basil or Thyme |
| Oregano | Thyme or Basil |
| Red Pepper | Black Pepper |
| Saffron | Just a dash of turmeric |
| Savory | Sage |
| Thyme | Basil, Marjoram or Oregano |
| 1 tsp Baking Powder | 1/2 tsp cream of tartar plus 1/4 tsp baking soda |
| 1/4 cup Dry Breadcrumbs | 1/4 cup cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup cornflake crumbs or 2/3 cup rolled oats |
| 1 cup Buttermilk | 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup, let stand 5 minutes. Or 1 cup plain yogurt |
| 1 tablespoon Cornstarch | 2 tablespoons flour |
| 1 cup cake flour | 1 cup all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons |
| 1 cup Self-rising flour | 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda |
| 1 cup Light cream or Half and Half | 1 tablespoon melted butter plus enough milk to make 1 cup |
| 1 cup Heavy cream or Whipping cream | 2 cups dessert whipped cream |
| 1 cup Honey | 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water |
| 1 cup milk | 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water |
| 1 cup Molasses | 1 cup Honey |
| Sour Cream | Plain Yogurt |
| 1 cup Granulated sugar | 1 cup packed brown sugar or 2 cups stirred powdered sugar |
What are your most commonly used ingredient substitutions?
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[...] you don’t already have a meat thermometer, I highly recommend you get one. In addition to my ingredient substitution list, one of my other kitchen staples is a chart that lets me know what temperature meat should be [...]