KITCHEN HELPS and TIPS

ALCOHOL COOKING SUBSTITUTIONS
A lot of recipes call for wine or some type of alcohol. If you don't use alcohol, or have that readily available, here are some options when cooking.
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Alcoholic Ingredient + Description + Substitution
Amaretto - Italian almond-flavored liqueur - Substitute: Almond extract.
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Beer or ale + Various types.
For light beers, substitute chicken broth, ginger ale or white grape juice. For heavier beers, use a stronger beef, chicken or mushroom broth or stock. Non-alcoholic beers may also be substituted.
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Brandy +Liquor made of distilled wine or fruit juice.
Scotch or bourbon. If a particular flavor is specified, use the corresponding fruit juice, such as apple, apricot, cherry, peach, raspberry etc. or grape juice. Corresponding flavored extracts can be used for small amounts.
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Calvados, Apple brandy
Substitute: Apple juice concentrate or juice.
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Chambord, Black raspberry liqueur
Substitute: Raspberry juice, syrup or extract.
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Champagne, Sparkling white wine.
Substitute: Sparkling white grape juice, ginger ale, white wine.
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Claret
Light red wine or Bordeaux.
Non-alcoholic wine, diluted currant or grape juice, cherry cider syrup.
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Cognac, Aged, double-distilled wine or fermented fruit juice.
Substitute peach, apricot or pear juice.
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Cointreau, French, orange-flavored liqueur.
Substitute: Orange juice concentrate or regular orange juice that has been reduced to a thicker consistency.
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Curacao, Liqueur made from bitter Seville oranges.
Substitute: Orange juice frozen concentrate or reduced fresh orange juice.
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Creme de menthe, Thick and syrupy, sweetened mint liqueur. Comes both clear and green.
Substitute: Mix spearmint extract or oil with a little water or grapefruit juice. Use a drop of food coloring if you need the green color.
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Framboise, French raspberry liqueur.
Substitute: Raspberry juice or syrup.
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Frangelico, Italian hazelnut liqueur.
Substitute: Hazelnut or almond extract.

Galliano, Golden Italian anise liqueur.
Substitute: Licorice extract.
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Grand Marnier French liqueur, orange-flavored.
Substitute: Orange juice frozen concentrate or reduced fresh orange juice.
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Grappa Italian grape brandy.
Substitute: Grape juice or reduced red wine.
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Grenadine, Pomegranate syrup, sometimes alcoholic.
Substitute: Pomegranate syrup or juice.
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Hard Cider, Fermented, alcoholic cider.
Substitute: Apple cider or juice.
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Kahlua, Syrupy Mexican liqueur made with coffee and cocoa beans.
Substitute: touch of cocoa powder.
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Kirsch (Kirchwasser) Colorless liqueur made of cherries.
Substitute: Black cherry, raspberry, boysenberry, currant, or grape juice or syrup, or cherry cider.
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Red Burgundy, Dry French wine.
Substitute: Non-alcoholic wine, red wine vinegar, grape juice.
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Red wine, Sweet or dry wine.
Substitute: Non-alcoholic wine, beef or chicken broth or stock, diluted red wine vinegar, red grape juice diluted with red wine vinegar or rice vinegar, tomato juice, liquid from canned mushrooms, plain water.
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Rum, Liquor distilled from molasses or sugar syrup.
Substitute: For light rum, use pineapple juice flavored with almond extract. For dark rum, use molasses thinned with pineapple juice and flavored with almond extract. Or use rum extract flavoring.
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Sake,Fermented rice drink.
Substitute: Rice vinegar.
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Schnapps, Flavored, colorless liquor.
Use corresponding flavored extract such as peppermint, peach, etc.
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Sherry, Fortified dessert wine, sweet or dry, some with a slightly nutty flavor.
Substitute: Orange or pineapple juice.
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Southern Comfort, Bourbon mixed with peach liqueur.
Substitute: Peach nectar mixed with a little cider vinegar.
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Tequila, Liquor made of the agave plant.
Substitute: Cactus nectar or juice.
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Triple Sec, Orange-flavored liqueur.
Substitute: Orange juice frozen concentrate or reduced fresh orange juice.
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Vermouth, Wine-based drink infused with herbs, sweet or dry.
Substitute: For sweet, use non-alcoholic sweet wine, apple or grape juice or balsamic vinegar. For dry, use non-alcoholic white wine, white grape juice or white wine vinegar.
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White Burgundy, Dry French wine.
Substitute: Non-alcoholic wine, white grape juice diluted with white wine vinegar.
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White wine, Sweet or dry wine.
Substitute: Non-alcoholic wine, chicken broth or stock, diluted white wine vinegar or cider vinegar, white grape juice diluted with white wine vinegar, ginger ale, canned mushroom liquid, water. For marinades, substitute 1/4 cup vinegar plus 1 Tbsp sugar plus 1/4 cup water.

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August 13, 2008 TERRIFIC USES FOR BOUNCE DRYER SHEETS I love any product with multiple uses. Turns out that Bounce dryer sheets are the multi-tasking gold mine! This is a product that most of us have in our laundry room, and check out the myriad of uses!
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1. Need to keep yellow-jackets and bees away? Forget the bee spray and simply tie a sheet of Bounce to your belt loop.

2. Have a problem with ants? Forget the toxic ant sprays and lay a sheet of Bounce near them. Watch it chase the ants away!

3. Do your old photo albums and books that are used infrequently have a funny odor? Stick in a sheet of Bounce.

4. Not just a yellow-jacket repellent, Bounce sheets work as mosquito repellant as well.

5. Use Bounce sheets to eliminate static electricity from your TV or computer screen. This will also help keep dust from re-settling.

6. Use Bounce to clean your shower doors, and watch the soap scum disappear.

7. Place a sheet of Bounce in your drawers to freshen the air in your home.

8. Next time you replace your vacuum's bag, put in a sheet of bounce. The heat from the vacuum will enhance the scent.

9. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.

10. To prevent suitacases from getting musty, place a sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing. 11. Place a sheet of Bounce under the seat in your car to freshen the air.

12. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan. (I love this one!).

13. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets by placing a sheet of Bounce at the bottom.

14. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from re-settling.

15. Deoderize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight. 16. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.

16. If your hair is full of static electricity, rub a dryer sheet lightly across it. It will quickly take care of the problem.

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August 10, 2008 CANDY - MAKING CHART *
Thread
begins at 230°
The syrup will make a 2" thread when dropped from a spoon.
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Soft Ball
begins at 234°
A small amount of syrup dropped into chilled water forms a ball, but flattens when picked up with fingers
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Firm Ball
begins at 244°
The ball will hold its shape and flatten only when pressed.
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Hard Ball
begins at 250°
The ball is more rigid but still pliable.
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Soft Crack
begins at 270°
When a small amount of syrup is dropped into chilled water it will separate into threads which will bend when picked up.
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Hard Crack
begins at 300°
The syrup separates into threads that are hard and brittle.
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Caramelized Sugar
310° to 338°
Between these temperatures the syrup will turn dark golden, but will turn black at 350°.

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LIQUID & DRY MEASURE Dry Measure
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3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon = 1/2 ounce = 14.3 grams

2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup = 1 fluid ounce = 28.3 grams

4 tablspoons = 1/4 cup = 2 fluid ounces = 56.7 grams

5 1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup = 2.6 fluid ounces = 75.6 grams

8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup = 4 ounces = 113.4 grams = 1 stick butter

12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup = 6 ounces = .375 pound = 170 grams

32 tablespoons = 2 cups = 16 ounces = 1 pound = 453.6 grams

64 tablespoons = 4 cups = 32 ounces = 2 pounds = 907 grams
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Liquid Measures
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1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 1/2 pint = 237 ml

2 cups = 16 fluid ounces = 1 pint = 474 ml

4 cups = 32 fluid ounces = 1 quart = 946 ml

2 pints = 32 fluid ounces = 1 quart = 0.964 liters

4 quarts = 128 fluid ounces = 1 gallon = 3.784 liters

8 quarts = one peck

4 pecks = one bushel

dash = less than 1/4 teaspoon



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LIQUID MEASURE CONVERSION

1/2 fl oz =1 tbsp = 3 tsp

1/8 cup = 1 fl oz = 2 tbsp = 6 tsp

1/4 cup =2 fl oz = 4 tbsp = 12 tsp

1/2 cup =4 fl oz =8 tbsp = 24 tsp

1/4 qt =1/2 pt = 1 cup = 8 fl oz

1/2 qt = 1 pt = 2 cups = 16 fl oz

1/4 gal = 1 qt = 2 pt = 4 cups = 32 fl oz

1/2 gal = 2 qt = 4 pt = 8 cups = 64 fl oz

1 gal = 4 qt = 8 pt = 16 cups = 128 fl oz

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August 7, 2008 BAKING SUBSTITUTIONS Have you ever been smack in the middle of a recipe, and realized that you are missing a vital ingredient? Here are a few substitutions that just might come in handy some day.
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MILK:
1 Cup Milk=1/2 C. evaporated milk plus 1/2 C. water; or 1 C. buttermilk plus 1/2 tsp. baking soda; or 3 Tbs. sifted reg. non-fat dry milk plus 1 C. minus 1 Tbs. water; or 1/3 C. instant non-fat dry milk plus 1 C. minus 1 Tbs. water.
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1 Cup whole milk=1 C. reconstituted non-fat dry milk plus 2 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine.
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1 cup Sour or Buttermilk=1 Tbs. vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 Cup. Let stand for 5 min. or 1 3/4 tsp. cream of tartar plus 1 C. milk.
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1 cup Heavy Cream=1/3 C. butter plus about 3/4 C. milk
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FLOUR:
1 Cup sifted all purpose flour=1 C. unsifted all purpose flour minus 2 Tbs. or 1 C. plus 2 Tbs. sifted cake flour.
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1 Cup sifted Cake Flour=7/8 C. sifted all purpose flour or 1 C. minus 2 Tbs. sifted all purpose flour.
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1 Tablespoon Flour for Thickening=1/2 Tbs. cornstarch or 2 tsp. quick cooking tapioca.
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CORNSTARCH: for thickening
1 Tablespoon=2 Tablespoons flour
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SHORTENING OR LARD:
Many great OLD recipes call for Lard. Most of us don't have lard hanging around. Use this instead:
1 cup Lard=1 1/4 C. butter minus 1/2 tsp. salt from your recipe.
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BAKING POWDER:
1 teaspoon=1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
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BROTH:
1 Cup=1 cup hot water plus 1 teaspoon bouillon granules or 1 bouillon cube
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CHOCOLATE:
1 square semisweet (1 ounce)=1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon sugar or 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
1 square Chocolate (1 ounce)=3 tablespoons baking cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil
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CORN SYRUP, DARK (1 cup)=3/4 Cup light corn syrup plus 1/4 cup molasses
CORN SYRUP, LIGHT (1 cup)=1 Cup sugar plus 1/4 cup water
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HONEY (1 cup)=1-1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup water
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LEMON JUICE (1 tsp) = 1/4 tsp. cider vinegar
LEMON PEEL (1 tsp)=1/2 tsp. lemon extract
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MOLASSES (1 cup)=1 cup honey
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MUSTARD, PREPARED (1 tablespoon)=1/2 teaspoon ground mustard plus 2 teaspoons cider or white vinegar
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ONION (1/3 cup chopped)=1 tsp. onion powder or 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
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POULTRY SEASONING (1 tsp.)=3/4 tsp. ground sage plus 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
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SOUR CREAM (1 cup)=1 Cup plain yogurt
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SUGAR (1 cup)=1 cup packed Brown Sugar or 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
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TOMATO JUICE (1 cup)=1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water
TOMATO SAUCE (2 Cups)=3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water