Getting Serious with Baking Substitutes

Ordinary Girl's Top 10 list of ingredient substitutions that are handy in a pinch. Simple, practical, and economical substitutions when you're short on time and can't dash out to the supermarket.

Baking Powder: Sift together 1/4 cup cream of tartar & 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Sift three times. Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 wks.

Buttermilk: For 1 cup, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon.

Brown Sugar: For 1 cup packed, mix 1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses.

Chocolate (semi-sweet): For 1 oz, 1 (1 oz) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons of sugar.

Corn Syrup (light): For 1 cup, 1 1/4 cup of white granulated sugar and 1 cup of honey

Corn Syrup (dark): For 1 cup, 3/4 cup light corn syrup plus 1/4 cup molasses

Bread crumbs: For 1 cup, 1 cup of crushed cracker crumbs OR 1 cup of ground oats.

Marscapone Cheese: For 1 cup, 3/4 cup cream cheese beaten with 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream.

Tapioca (instant): For 1 teaspoon needed, 1 1/2 teaspoon of flour.

Vanilla Bean: For 1 bean, use 3 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.

Note: Ingredient substitutions can cause a slight change in taste or texture. The degree of change depends on whether the substitution is a major or minor ingredient in the recipe.

Oh My Gosh, It's Homemade Vanilla Extract

Occasionally, I'll be sharing my recipes and thoughts for great home-made gifts that can be made on the cheap. If you're living on a limited budget like myself, you'll appreciate the minimal effort required to pull the gift together, its low cost, and more importantly, its taste.

Idea #1: Oh My Gosh, It's Homemade Vanilla Extract
Vanilla is the stuff from which baking dreams are made. Vanilla extract recipe below is a simple, easy to make, great gift to receive. Once you've sampled this home-made version, you'll think twice before purchasing the store-bought version again. Start this recipe now, and you'll be ready for the Christmas gift giving season!

Background Information.
Never hurts to be knowledgeable about your spices. Here's a little background information for you. Vanilla is a flavoring, native to tropical America, specifically Mexico. The name comes from the Spanish word "vainilla," meaning "little pod."[ Its derived from a type of orchard. If you're interested in learning more about the history of this favorite spice, its lore/legend, or alternative uses to baking, click here.

Recipe
Ingredients

2 cups of brandy or bourbon
2 vanilla beans, cut into quarters

Instructions:

• Place the brandy and vanilla beans in a jar.
• Seal the jar tightly
• Let the mixture sit for 2-3 months at room temperature in a dark place to let the flavor develop.
• Remove the pieces of vanilla beans before using.
• This extract will keep indefinitely in a well-sealed jar.

Gift ideas:

• Give a cup as a stand-alone item. Hand paint or decorate the jar. Wrap the jar in some ribbon and add a tag
• Give some in a jar, accompanied by some of your favorite recipes that include vanilla as an ingredient.
• Pull together a gift basket of vanilla flavored gifts: Jar of homemade extract, bag of french vanilla coffee beans, and some Vienna/vanilla creme cookies, etc.