My mom gave me a great, unexpected Christmas gift that I’ve been meaning to tell you about since the holidays. It’s a slim paperback called Substituting Ingredients — and it’s already been a lifesaver for me in the kitchen.
If you don’t like a particular ingredient (celery is a deal breaker for me), can’t afford it, or just forgot to pick it up, this book guides you through the process of substituting it for another. Your recipes won’t suffer — in fact, they might be even more suited to your taste.
Recently, I was halfway through a recipe that called for cayenne pepper. That’s one of maybe four spices we don’t own (I checked the spice drawer and the overflow spice shelf!), so I turned to the book. Cayenne has two potential alternatives: ground hot red pepper or chili powder. I used chili powder (one of our best-loved spices) and never knew the difference.
I also used the book as a money saver during our Shepherd’s Pie extravaganza last month. One of the ingredients in the Italian Shepherd’s Pie is poultry seasoning. As someone who rarely cooks meat, I knew I didn’t own it. But according to the book, I could make my own poultry seasoning with a mix of marjoram, parsley, sage, and other spices I already owned. No more shelling out for a spice I’d only use once!
Along with listing substitutions for everything from anchovies to zucchini, the book also offers measurement equivalents, guides you through common kitchen disasters (the dish is too salty!), and provides recipes for simple household cleaners. This book should be a kitchen staple. Before adding yet another cookbook to your shelf (I’m guilty of that too!), think about picking up this handy guide.
Spaghetti & Meatballs 