Cooking/Baking Substitutes List - Allrecipe.com

I came across this awesome substitutes list on Allrecipes.com this afternoon while searching for something I could replace soy sauce for in my recipe for dinner. 

 There are SO many times I start a baking/cooking project and I either run out of, or find, I am totally OUT of something...this list is going in the back of my cooking binder for those "emergencies".  :0)

Stuffed peppers w/ a side salad at our house tonight.  What's for dinner at yours??

Common Ingredient Substitutions

Out of baking powder? Make your own with our substitutions guide.

Ingredient	Amount	Substitution
Allspice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Arrowroot starch	1 teaspoon	1 tablespoon flour, OR 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Baking mix	1 cup	1 cup pancake mix OR 1 cup Easy Biscuit Mixture
Baking powder	1 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar OR 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
Beer	1 cup	1 cup nonalcoholic beer OR 1 cup chicken broth
Brandy	1/4 cup	1 teaspoon imitation brandy extract plus enough water to make 1/4 cup
Bread crumbs	1 cup	1 cup cracker crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Broth: beef or chicken	1 cup	1 bouillon cube plus 1 cup boiling water OR1 tablespoon soy sauce plus enough water to make 1 cup OR 1 cup vegetable broth
Brown sugar	1 cup, packed	1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses and decrease the liquid in recipe by 1/4 cupOR 1 cup white sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Butter (salted)	1 cup	1 cup margarine OR 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter (unsalted)	1 cup	1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 7/8 cup lard
Buttermilk	1 cup	1 cup yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup
Cheddar cheese	1 cup shredded	1 cup shredded Colby cheddar OR 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chervil	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Chicken base	1 tablespoon	1 cup canned or homemade chicken broth or stock. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1 cup
Chocolate(semisweet)	1 ounce	1 (1-ounce) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons sugar OR 1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips plus 1 teaspoon shortening
Chocolate (unsweetened)	1 ounce	3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil
Cocoa	1/4 cup	1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
Condensed cream of mushroom soup	1 (10.75-ounce) can	1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of celery, cream of chicken, OR golden mushroom soup
Corn syrup	1 cup	1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup waterOR 1 cup honey OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Cottage cheese	1 cup	1 cup farmer's cheese OR 1 cup ricotta cheese
Cracker crumbs	1 cup	1 cup bread crumbs OR 1 cup matzo mealOR 1 cup ground oats
Cream (half and half)	1 cup	7/8 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon butter
Cream (heavy)	1 cup	1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter
Cream (light)	1 cup	1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons butter
Cream (whipped)	1 cup	1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Cream cheese	1 cup	1 cup pureed cottage cheese OR 1 cup plain yogurt, strained overnight in a cheesecloth
Cream of tartar	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar
Crème fraiche	1 cup	Combine 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt. Let stand for 6 hours at room temperature
Egg	1 whole (3 tablespoons or 1.7 oz)	2 1/2 tablespoons of powdered egg substitute plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water OR1/4 cup liquid egg substitute OR 1/4 cup silken tofu pureed OR 3 tablespoons mayonnaise OR half a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder OR 1 tablespoon powdered flax seed soaked in 3 tablespoons water
Evaporated milk	1 cup	1 cup light cream
Farmer's cheese	8 ounces	8 ounces dry cottage cheese OR 8 ounces creamed cottage cheese, drained
Fats for baking	1 cup	1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Flour--Bread	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon wheat gluten (available at health food stores & some supermarkets)
Flour--Cake	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons
Flour--Self-Rising	1 cup	7/8 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Garlic	1 clove	1/8 teaspoon garlic powder OR 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt--reduce salt in recipe
Gelatin	1 tablespoon, granulated	2 teaspoons agar agar
Ginger--dry	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
Ginger--fresh	1 teaspoon, minced	1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger
Green onion	1/2 cup , chopped	1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped shallots
Hazelnuts	1 cup whole	1 cup macadamia nuts OR 1 cup almonds
Herbs--fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 teaspoon (chopped or whole leaf) dried herbs
Herring	8 ounces	8 ounces of sardines
Honey	1 cup	1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup waterOR 1 cup corn syrup OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Hot pepper sauce	1 teaspoon	3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus 1 teaspoon vinegar
Ketchup	1 cup	1 cup tomato sauce plus 1 teaspoon vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Lard	1 cup	1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oilOR 1 cup butter
Lemon grass	2 fresh stalks	1 tablespoon lemon zest
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lime juice
Lemon zest	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon lemon extract OR 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Lime juice	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Lime zest	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon zest
Macadamia nuts	1 cup	1 cup almonds OR 1 cup hazelnuts
Mace	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon nutmeg
Margarine	1 cup	1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR1 cup butter OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mayonnaise	1 cup	1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup plain yogurt
Milk--whole	1 cup	1 cup soy milk OR 1 cup rice milk OR 1 cup water or juice OR 1/4 cup dry milk powder plus 1 cup water OR 2/3 cup evaporated milk plus 1/3 cup water
Mint--fresh	1/4 cup chopped	1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
Molasses	1 cup	Mix 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Mustard--prepared	1 tablespoon	Mix together 1 tablespoon dried mustard, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar
Onion	1 cup, chopped	1 cup chopped green onions OR 1 cup chopped shallots OR 1 cup chopped leeksOR 1/4 cup dried minced onion OR 1/4 cup onion powder
Orange juice	1 tablespoon	1 tablespoon other citrus juice
Orange zest	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon orange extract OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Parmesan cheese	1/2 cup, grated	1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese OR 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
Parsley	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil OR 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Pepperoni	1 ounce	1 ounce salami
Raisin	1 cup	1 cup dried currants OR 1 cup dried cranberries OR 1 cup chopped pitted prunes
Rice--white	1 cup, cooked	1 cup cooked barley OR 1 cup cooked bulgur OR 1 cup cooked brown or wild rice
Ricotta	1 cup	1 cup dry cottage cheese OR 1 cup silken tofu
Rum	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon rum extract, plus enough water to make 1 tablespoon
Saffron	1/4 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salami	1 ounce	1 ounce pepperoni
Semisweet chocolate chips	1 cup	1 cup chocolate candies OR 1 cup peanut butter or other flavored chips OR 1 cup chopped nuts OR 1 cup chopped dried fruit
Shallots, chopped	1/2 cup	1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped green onion
Shortening	1 cup	1 cup butter OR 1 cup margarine minus 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe
Sour cream	1 cup	1 cup plain yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough cream to make 1 cup OR 3/4 cup buttermilk mixed with 1/3 cup butter
Sour milk	1 cup	1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice mixed with enough milk to make 1 cup: Let stand 5 minutes to thicken
Soy sauce	1/2 cup	4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Stock--beef or chicken	1 cup	1 cube beef or chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water
Sweetened condensed milk	1 (14-ounce) can	3/4 cup white sugar mixed with 1/2 cup water and 1 1/8 cups dry powdered milk: Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 20 minutes
Vegetable oil--for baking	1 cup	1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Vegetable oil--for frying	1 cup	1 cup lard OR 1 cup vegetable shortening
Vinegar	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice OR 2 teaspoons white wine
White sugar	1 cup	1 cup brown sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar OR 3/4 cup honey OR3/4 cup corn syrup
Wine	1 cup	1 cup chicken or beef broth OR 1 cup fruit juice mixed with 2 teaspoons vinegar OR 1 cup water
Yeast-active dry	1 (.25-ounce) package	1 cake compressed yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoonsrapid rise yeast
Yogurt	1 cup	1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup buttermilk OR 1 cup sour milk

Comments - FROM:  ALLRECIPES.COM

Being a Blessing to Sick Friends

I have a friend whose mother is really sick.  She has battled for years with being sick, but just recently she came down with the flu.  On top of her regular problems, the flu has left her really weak and discouraged.  My friend asked me to pray for her, which I am so happy to do, but I was thinking about other ways I might be able to be an encouragement to her.

Today, I came across a great post from The Homeschool Classroom blog:  How to Minister to a Sick Friend.  Tonya gives great "insider" tips on how to help/encourage those who are sick or maybe recovering from surgery.

100 Things to Do With the Family

 Here is a  list of 100 different activities to do with your family.

 Don't forget to take PICTURES!!

 1. Take a bicycle trip.
2. Make homemade ice cream or visit an ice cream parlor.
3. Bake a double batch of cookies and deliver one to the local fire/police station or local food bank.
4. Go to a lake and watch the boats, while you have a picnic.
5. Go on a breakfast picnic.
6. Go to a park and hike or climb trees.
7. Make caramel corn.
8. Make SNOW ICE CREAM  Recipe HERE
9. Head to the lake to swim, rent a paddle boat or canoe.
10. Plan a scavenger hunt- inside or out.
11. Bake plain sugar cookies and let each member of the family take part in decorating them. Or make and decorate a cake - just for the fun of it.
12. Make playdoh and sculpt objects or people (even from Bible stories).  Recipes HERE
13. Read a good book aloud.
14. Look through old photo albums or view family slides, movies, or videos.
15. Play miniature golf or croquet. Set up a course inside if its too cold out.
16. Write a letter or draw a picture and send via "snail mail" to a friend or relative.
17. Make a "birthday flag" for the next upcoming birthday.
18. Go fishing.

19. Play a board game that all can enjoy---Monopoly, Sorry, Scrabble.
20. Work on a jigsaw puzzle.
21. Go roller skating or ice skating.
22. Make family silhouettes. Use a slide projector or a bright lamp to project the head profile on a blank wall. Hold paper against the wall and trace the silhouette. Cut out and glue it on a contrasting sheet of paper or poster board.
23. Have a candy treasure hunt.
24. Work on a crossword puzzle or MAKE your own crossword puzzle for someone.
25. Visit the library, check the events going on there sometimes there are storytimes, craft hours and FREE movies playing.
26. Provide old magazines, scissors and glue. Pick a theme for your collage (families, God's creations, things to be thankful for, etc.). Everyone cuts out pictures and glues them onto a large piece of paper or poster board.
27. Go to the flea market or bright and early one Saturday morning  or garage sales and see who can come home with the best bargain for a dollar.
28. Have a family talent show.  EVERYONE must participate!
29. Make plaster of Paris hand prints. Put name, year and age on the back.
30. Make a family banner. The banner should be made of felt or the flag fabric found in fabric stores. 
31. Go to the zoo.
32. Go bowling.
33. Make your own homemade pizza. Add mushrooms, peppers, onions, black olives and crushed pineapple to the pizza sauce and cheese. You can use pita bread as crust for individual pizzas.
34. Invite another family over for a ice cream sundae & game night.

35. Listen to a new genre of music.
36. Plant some flowers in flower pots and deliver them to older people or shut-ins in your neighborhood.
37. Make a collage using seeds, rice, cereal, old buttons and sewing scraps.
38. Catch fireflies together, put them in a jar and watch them light up. Let them go.
39. Learn a new craft together - wood burning, sewing, painting, building w/ wood.
40. String popcorn and place on a tree for the birds.
41. Write the words and music to a chorus together.
42. Make puppets out of lunch bags, old socks, felt, wooden clothespins. Put on a puppet show.
43. Have a bonfire outdoors or in your fireplace and roast hot dogs and marshmallows.
44. Make a family newsletter, include traditions, pictures a fun "articles" written by the kids.
45. Visit a shut-in or an elderly friend or relative in a nursing home.
46. Pick wild flowers and press some of them to save.
47. Read a Psalm together. Then write a psalm of praise for your own family.
48. Play "I think you're nice because..." Someone thinks of a quality he likes in the person who's "it." Other family members try to guess by asking, "Does it begin with an "A?" and so forth.
49. Make your own family radio drama story.  Tape/record your family acting out a favorite Bible story complete with background sounds effects.
50. Share prayer requests that affect and concern the whole family, then pray about them.
51. Get out the paint and paper and make paintings to decorate a certain area of the house with.
52. Interview each family member, come up with fun (and serious) questions.  What animal would you like to be?  What are you most scared of?  What is a hero?
53. Encourage little ones to color a picture to send to grandparents, older kids can write a letter.
54. Go geocaching.  (www.geocaching.com)  Scavenger hunt w/ GPS.

55. Build a village using blocks, Lincoln logs or Legos. Get out the matchbox cars!
56. Enjoy a shopping trip for something little, but fun---a jar of bubbles, stickers, paper dolls, a matchbox car.
57. Play "20 Questions." One person chooses a Bible character or object to be guessed. The other members of the family take turns guessing what the secret object or person might be. No more than 20 questions can be asked and each one must be able to be answered with a simple yes or no. Whoever guesses first becomes "It" for the next round. Good for car trips too.
58. Visit a farm. Milk a cow, help to feed the animals. Take pictures.
59. Play badminton, volleyball, tennis, Frisbee, yard darts or ping pong.
60. Take the kids on a tour of where Dad works.
61. Play hide-and-seek (inside or outside).
62. Play "Bible Verse Scramble." One person chooses a favorite Bible verse and writes each word on a separate piece of paper. Scramble the order of the words and challenge each member of the family to see who can put it together the fastest. It could be one the family has memorized together.
63. Go camping in the backyard, basement, or dining room. Cook breakfast on the grill.
64. Draw a family tree on paper and complete it as a family. Add old photographs if available.
65. Go jogging or take a walk together.  Make it a "night walk".

66. Give each person a large piece of paper and take turns tracing the outlines of their bodies on it. Color in the outlines to look like you.
67. Using white shelf paper or the inside of brown grocery bags, design your own wrapping paper with crayons, magic markers or paints--even potato prints.
68. Rearrange the furniture in the kids rooms.  Let them help and give input of where they would like their things.
69. Thumb wrestle, play mercy or have a tickle fight. 
70. Write a letter to a missionary family. Your children could write to a missionary's child his own age.
71.Plant a window garden.  Use seeds, dirt and paper cups. 
72. Make candy or caramel apples.
73. Fly a kite!
74. Jump rope.
75. Take pictures of all the houses in your neighborhood, then arrange the houses on a large poster board and identify the people living in the houses. Write their addresses and phone numbers at each house too.
76. Visit a friend.
77.  Have a "pioneer day", see if you can go without electricity for a day.
78. Make paper airplanes.
79. Put together a scrapbook describing a favorite vacation or any special event (pictures, writing, souvenirs).
80. Rake up a big pile of leaves to jump and play in. If it's warm outside, turn on the water sprinkler and run through it.
81. Do a science experiment together. Check out a book at the library or check online.
82. Pick apples and make apple sauce together.
83. Gather seashells,bugs, leaves, rocks, or flowers. Mount and identify.
84. Make snowflakes out of lightweight white paper and hang from the ceiling with thread.
85. Create a traveling friendship basket. Fill an inexpensive basket with baked goodies, crafts, coupons, and so forth. Pass it on to a friend. Leave a note in the basket, directing it to be passed on (within the week) to someone else who could use some cheer.
86. Go to a ball game or play one---football, kickball, softball, baseball, basketball, soccer.
87. Finger paint chocolate pudding.
88. Go sledding.
89. Have a water balloon fight or snowball fight.
90. Take a trip to an amusement park, local factory, a museum or a planetarium.

91. Have a inside picnic.  Watch a favorite movie while eating dinner.
92. Set a Bible verse to a familiar tune and learn both the verse and song as a family.
93. Write and record an interview with a Bible character.
94. Build a tree house or fort - outside or inside with blankets.
95. Go horseback riding.
96. Learn a new game - chess, checkers, card game or how to juggle. 
97. Build a robot out of empty boxes of all shapes and sizes. Oatmeal and salt boxes work well.
98. Work together on a model kit.
99. Make milkshakes or fruit smoothies.
100. Play with sand toys and trucks in a sandbox or at the beach.  Have a sandcastle making contest.

 You will not look back and regret the times you set aside yard work, a social event, time on FaceBook or whatever it is, to be with your family. Your kids will have some fun memories that truly, will last a life time...and so will YOU!!

What's YOUR favorite thing to do with your family??

- MakaziVille

I have just finished up playing the new Makazi Ville interactive online computer game present by the Duggars.  I really repect the Duggar family and was excited to check out this new game because I know that it would be a game I wouldn't mind my kids playing.  As I played, my 12 year old was watching and he wanted to make sure I sent him the link so he could play, too.

As you start your journey, you land in Tanzania, Africa to help with translating God's Word.  You have to find Yakobo, who will help you along.

There are games to play, Bible questions to answer, a village to build, videos to watch...tons of FUN, CLEAN, and EDUCATIONAL things to do on this site that incorporates God's Word - even daily devotions.

 

I am really impressed with this fun online game.  If the kids watch a video while playing MakaziVille, the parent receives an email letting you know, which I LOVE.  There are also fun off-line activities that are given, like do a play, make a flag....

  This is a SPECTACULAR family friendly computer game the incorporates God's Word.
Check it out!

US National Park Fee-Free Days for 2012

What a fun way to explore God's creation than by enjoying one of the 397 US National Parks.   Make sure you mark your calendar to take advantage of the FEE-FREE days to over 100 of the US National Parks that have an entrance fee (many of the 300+ parks, do offer FREE entrance every day) 

FIND A PARK  in your state

January 14-16
Martin Luther King Jr. weekend

April 21-29
National Park Week

June 9
Get Outdoors Day

September 29
National Public Lands Day

November 10-12
Veterans Day weekend

Bye, Christmas Decor.....

Happy 2012!!
Yesterday was our day to dismantle all our Christmas decor.  The house feels kinda naked.

Christmas decor in review....2011

Our family Christmas tree is decorate in an eclectic style - old ornaments from my husband and my childhood, handmade ornaments, the kids yearly ornament and family ornaments from vacations.  Each ornament has a story/memory.

In the kitchen I took down our J-O-Y wall.  I used stiff felt and made up the "J" and "Y".  The "Y" didn't come out perfect, but we still enjoyed it.  It was festive to have colored lights aglow in the kitchen at night.

Originally, the colored balls were all mixed up in the hurricane lamps, which I love.  

(I separated them to see if I might be able to use the red & silver for v-day decor  ???)

Our piano held the Christmas nativity - a family favorite.

This is my front door wreath.  I made it up last year by stringing Christmas balls through a wire coat hanger.

And this was our set up in our breeze way.  Again, it was fun seeing the glow of colored lights at night.  I enjoy white lights for the most part, but seeing the colored lights (in moderation) is fun and pretty, too.

 

On to the new year.....

I hope everyone has a wonderful 2012.  God has so much in store for you....more (and better) than what we can think of right now.  I'm so thankful for a God who directs our ways.