Nearly every ingredient used in cooking or baking has a substitute which will do in a pinch — usually a cousin that shares some of the characteristics or flavor. You usually have to combine the substitute with another ingredient or two, but it sure beats making a special trip to the store. Clip this column and stick it in your favorite cookbook, and soon you’ll be substituting with the pros.

FLOUR
If you need self-rising  flour and all you have is all-purpose,  just add  1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt to each cup of flour.
 If you need cake flour and all you have is all-purpose flour, take away 2 tablespoon  from each cup of all-purpose flour.
CRUMBS
 If the recipe calls for 1 cup of bread crumbs and you’re out, use 3/4 cups of cracker crumbs. If you need cracker crumbs, substitute 1 1/4 cups of bread crumbs for each cup of cracker crumbs called for.

BAKING POWDER
If you’re out of baking powder or yours is too old,  use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar  or use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2  cup buttermilk and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/2 cup.

BUTTERMILK
If you need buttermilk and you don’t have any handy,  you can substitute the same amount of plain yogurt or take either 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup.

BUTTER
When a recipe calls for butter, you can substitute shortening in a pinch by using 7/8 cup shortening  to replace each 1 cup of butter.  You can also use 7/8 cup of vegetable oil.

CHOCOLATE
For each ounce of unsweetened chocolate called for in a recipe, you can substitute 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus  1 tablespoon butter. For semisweet chocolate, use 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon sugar.

CORN STARCH
For each tablespoon of corn starch, substitute 2 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.

SOUR CREAM
For each cup of sour cream. you can substitute 1 cup of plain yogurt or 3/4 cup sour milk  or buttermilk plus 1/3 cup of butter.
LEMON JUICE
If  you need a quick substitute for lemon juice, use the same amount of vinegar.

For a substitution for nearly every ingredient known to man, visit http://www.switcheroo.com

FLOUR
If you need self-rising flour and all you have is all-purpose, just add 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt to each cup of flour. If you need cake flour and all you have is all-purpose flour, take away 2 tablespoon from each cup of all-purpose flour.

CRUMBS
If the recipe calls for 1 cup of bread crumbs and you’re out, use 3/4 cups of cracker crumbs. If you need cracker crumbs, substitute 1 1/4 cups of bread crumbs for each cup of cracker crumbs called for.

BAKING POWDER
If you’re out of baking powder or yours is too old, use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar or use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/2 cup.

BUTTERMILK
If you need buttermilk and you don’t have any handy, you can substitute the same amount of plain yogurt or take either 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup.

BUTTER
When a recipe calls for butter, you can substitute shortening in a pinch by using 7/8 cup shortening to replace each 1 cup of butter. You can also use 7/8 cup of vegetable oil.

CHOCOLATE
For each ounce of unsweetened chocolate called for in a recipe, you can substitute 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon butter. For semisweet chocolate, use 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon sugar.

CORN STARCH
For each tablespoon of corn starch, substitute 2 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.

SOUR CREAM
For each cup of sour cream. you can substitute 1 cup of plain yogurt or 3/4 cup sour milk or buttermilk plus 1/3 cup of butter.

LEMON JUICE
If you need a quick substitute for lemon juice, use the same amount of vinegar.

For a substitution for nearly every ingredient known to man, visit http://www.switcheroo.com