Tidy Tip Tuesday - Some Common Substitutions

Having discovered that she's out of pasta with dinner guests arriving

in 20 minutes, Jean is forced to use the kid's macaroni necklaces.

Have you ever been faced with Jean's situation? You're out of an ingredient and cannot just run to the store? It's good to know that there are alternatives to the ingredient you're missing. Check out the ones I have listed below and then visit the link at the bottom of the post for more substitutes.

No buttermilk?
For one cup of buttermilk, substitute:
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar (white or cider) plus enough milk to make 1 cup (let stand for 5-10 minutes)
or 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
or 1 cup sour cream
or 1 cup milk plus 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

No ricotta cheese?
For one cup of ricotta cheese, substitute:
1 cup dry cottage cheese

No fresh herbs?
For one tablespoon of fresh herbs, substitute:
1 teaspoon of dried herbs

No ketchup?
For one cup of ketchup, substitute:
1 cup tomato sauce, plus 1 teaspoon vinegar, plus 2 teaspoons organic maple syrup

No hot pepper sauce?
For 1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce, substitute:
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus 1 teaspoon vinegar

For more substitutions visit this link.