Using the right measuring tools, and the right measurements, will help you be consistent when baking and cooking. < Back Common Measuring Equivalents Using the right measuring tools, and the right measurements, will help you be consistent when baking and cooking. Dry Ingredients ½ tablespoon = 1 ½ teaspoons 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 1 ½ tablespoons = 1 tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoons 1 ½ tablespoons = 4 ½ teaspoons 2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup 4 tablespoons = ¼ cup 5 1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup 5 1/3 tablespoons = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon 1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon 6 tablespoons = 3/8 cup 3/8 cup = ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons 8 tablespoons = ½ cup 5/8 cup = ½ cup + tablespoons 2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons 12 tablespoons = ¾ cup 7/8 cup = 1 cup – 2 tablespoons 16 tablespoons = 1 cup 2 cups = 1 pint 2 pints = 1 quart 4 cups = 1 quart 4 quarts = 1 gallon Liquid Ingredients 1 tablespoon = ½ ounce 2 tablespoons = 1 ounce ¼ cup = 2 ounces or 4 tablespoons 1/3 cup = (2 2/3 ounces) or 5 1/3 tablespoons ½ cup = 4 ounces or 8 tablespoons 1 cup = 8 ounces or 16 tablespoons 2 cups = 16 ounces or 1 pint 4 cups = 32 ounces or 1 quart or 1 liter Butter Measurements 2 cups = 4 sticks = 1 pound 1 cup = 2 sticks = ½ pound ½ cup = 1 stick = ¼ pound ¼ cup = ½ stick = 4 tablespoons Power in Numbers Programs Locations Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next

Step by step directions to making Instant Pot Yogurt < Back Instant Pot Yogurt Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 9 hours Serves: 16 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients ½ gallon milk 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with cultures Preparation Pour milk into the inner pot of Instant Pot. Push the yogurt button until the screen reads "boil." (Usually you will need to hit the yogurt button two times) This will take about an hour. Once the Instant Pot beeps that the boil cycle is complete, carefully remove the lid and test the temperature. It should be around 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the inner pot sit in the instant pot for 5 minutes and then remove the inner pot. Allow the milk to cool to 105-115 degrees. This will take an hour on the countertop or about 15 minutes if you place your inner pot into an ice bath. Gently skim off the "skin" on the yogurt and discard. Whisk in the prepared yogurt. Place the inner pot (be sure to dry off well if you have an ice bath), put the lid on and press the yogurt button again and then adjust until the screen reads 8:00. (The pressure should also read normal--if it reads less, hit adjust again until normal is lit up.) Once the pressure cooker beeps that the yogurt cycle is complete, remove the inner pot from the inner pot and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 8 hours before transferring to individual containers or stirring the instant pot. Once refrigerated for 8 hours, you can strain the yogurt to prepare Greek yogurt and/or set some yogurt aside for future yogurt making. To make Greek yogurt, strain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth overnight in the fridge (be sure to place over a large mixing bowl while draining.) Equipment Needed Electric Pressure Cooker with Yogurt Function Notes Instead of prepared yogurt as your starter, you can use a yogurt starter. Just follow directions to determine how much starter to add to ½ gallon milk (each brand is a bit different.) You can use any percentage of fat to make homemade yogurt. To make Greek yogurt, strain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth overnight in the fridge (be sure to place it over a large mixing bowl while draining.) Homemade yogurt should last for about 10-14 days. If sweetening yogurt, I have found it is best to add in sweeteners/vanilla after the yogurt has set up in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or after straining. If you find your milk is not reaching 180 degrees after the boil cycle, you can turn to saute function for a few minutes, watching VERY closely to help it reach to 180 degrees. Nutritional values are approximate and have been calculated using 2% milk. The serving size is approximately 4 ounces. Previous Next

Amina Al-Saigh’s take on Iraqi dolma wraps a beautiful array of veggies, herbs and rice into every bite < Back Stuffed Onions Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Amina Al-Saigh’s take on Iraqi dolma wraps a beautiful array of veggies, herbs and rice into every bite Ingredients 6 small, oval yellow onions (plus more, if needed) Stuffing: 4 large garlic cloves 1 yellow onion, finely diced ½ large red pepper, finely diced 1 cup parsley, finely chopped 1 large tomato, grated 1½ cups short-grain rice 2 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp cumin 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp dried dill weed 1 tsp dried mint 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses 3 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp lemon juice Sauce: ½ cup tomato paste 3½ cups hot water 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses ¼ cup lemon juice 1½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp black pepper Any remaining juices from the stuffing Preparation Place the oven rack in the lowest position and heat the oven to 450 F. Peel the onions. Then, using a paring knife, carefully cut out the root, creating a hole about ¼ inch deep (this will help you separate the layers later on). Cut a slit in the onion lengthwise, stopping when you reach the centre. Place the onions in a medium glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute to soften the layers slightly. (Alternatively, you can place the onions in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute.) Set aside to cool as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. To make the stuffing, mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. To stuff the onions, use your fingers to carefully dislodge each layer of an onion, popping them out one by one until you reach the centre. Repeat this process until you’ve separated all of your onions into single layers. Place roughly 1½ tablespoons of stuffing inside each layer, then join the two edges of the onion so they overlap by at least a ½ inch. Note that the rice will expand while baking. Arrange stuffed onions in a round 3-quart lidded sauté pan that’s at least 2 inches deep (you could also use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and cover with foil), fitting them tightly together to help them stay closed while cooking. To prepare the sauce, mix ingredients together in a medium glass bowl. Pour the sauce over the stuffed onions. Cover tightly with the lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover, then continue to bake for another 30 minutes. Check on the onions at this point to ensure there is enough sauce left in the pan. If needed, add another ½ cup water. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, allowing the top to brown, the rice and vegetables to get very soft and the sauce to thicken. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve with yogurt and salad on the side. Previous Next

There is no better gravy than the gravy from the drippings of a beef or pork roast, or a chicken or turkey. Mashed potatoes are naked without this gravy! < Back Cornstarch Meat Gravy Prep Time: 2 minutes Cook Time: 5-10 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 2 cups seasoned broth drippings from beef, pork, chicken, or turkey 2 tablespoons corn starch ¼ teaspoon black pepper (to taste) Salt to taste, if necessary Soy sauce to taste for beef gravy, if necessary Preparation Measure out 2 cups of meat drippings. Bring 1 1/2 cups of the meat drippings or broth to a boil. In the remaining 1/2 cup of cool drippings/broth (or water), mix the corn starch in until blended. Slowly pour mixture into boiling broth while constantly whisking the mixture until it thickens. Taste the gravy. If it is too strong - add water. If it isn't strong enough, add a little soy sauce or other seasonings to taste. Previous Next

So creamy and delicious, it almost seems impossible. < Back Impossible Egg Custard Pie Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 3 tablespoons flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons butter 1 13oz. can evaporated milk Preparation Beat together all ingredients except the milk. Add milk and mix. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan or greased 9” pie pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional), and serve warm or cold. They say that you can substitute cooked and drained squash (possibly butternut?) in place of the milk. I haven’t tried it, but there are options. Previous Next

This herb butter will make just about everything taste better. < Back Herb Butter with Rosemary Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: Serves: Multiple Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients ¼ cup butter, softened ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled Preparation Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in rosemary and marjoram. Makes ¼ cup. Serve with hot corn on the cob, or a slice of toasted French bread. Let your imagination be your guide. Previous Next

A good dry rub will make all the difference in a barbeque. Especially good on chicken, pork ribs, and spareribs. < Back Dry Rub Spice Mix for Oven or BBQ Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: Serves: Multiple Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 3 tablespoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 ½ teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon roasted ground cumin (regular cumin can be substituted) ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste Makes 5/8 cup. Preparation Mix ingredients together. Store in an airtight container. Previous Next

Have you ever wondered what "mt", "gpm", or "cu" means? Now you know. < Back Measurement Legend Have you ever wondered what "mt", "gpm", or "cu" means? Now you know. Abbreviation = Unit of measurement sq. = square ft. or ‘ = foot or feet in. or “ = inch or inches lb. = pound oz. = ounce or ounces gm. = grams mt. = meters ml. = milliliters cm. = centimeters fl. = fluid tsp. = teaspoon Tbl. = tablespoon cu. = cubic c. = cup gal. = gallon qt. = quart psi = pounds per square inch gpm = gallons per minute Power in Numbers Programs Locations Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next

These delightful grilled potato wedges will tickle your taste buds! A perfect solution for a grilling night side dish. < Back Buffalo Potato Wedges Prep Time: 25-35 minutes Cook Time: 25-35 minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted (it is better with butter) 1 teaspoon vinegar, cider or white 4 teaspoons red pepper sauce, to taste ½ teaspoon salt 4 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled (about 1 ¼ lbs.) 1 cup favorite blue cheese dressing (this is not optional, cannot be substituted) Preparation Pre-heat coals or gas grill to medium. Mix butter, vinegar, red pepper sauce, and salt in a shallow dish. Cut each potato lengthwise into 4-6 wedges; pat dry with paper towels. Dredge potato wedges in butter mixture. Reserve any remaining butter mixture for basting. Grill potatoes 4-6 inches from medium heat, about 25-35 minutes, brushing occasionally with butter mixture and turning once or twice until tender. Serve hot and dip potatoes in blue cheese dressing. Oh my! Grilling perfection! Previous Next

The way that great grandma used to cook and how she did it. < Back Miscellaneous Cooking/Baking Helps The way that great grandma used to cook and how she did it. Whipping Cream: Chill cream thoroughly. Pour into a chilled bowl and whip with a dover beater (old fashioned eggbeater), or an electric eggbeater, until stiff. Cream, when whipped, approximately doubles in bulk. (Note: Do not overwhip or you will end up with butter.) If making sweet cream, sprinkle sugar a little at a time, to taste, while beating. Add vanilla, to taste, at the end – about ½ to 1 teaspoon. Whipping Evaporated Milk: Heat milk over hot water (double boiler) until a film forms on the surface. Stir until blended. Pour into a bowl, and chill thoroughly. Beat with an eggbeater until stiff. Evaporated milk may be prepared for whipping by boiling in the can for 5 minutes, and thoroughly chilling before whipping it. Evaporated milk, when whipped, approximately trebles in bulk. Caramelizing Sugar: Heat sugar in a heavy frying pan or saucepan, stirring constantly until a golden brown syrup is formed. Remove from heat immediately. Changing a Sweet Milk Recipe to a Sour Milk Recipe: ½ teaspoon baking soda is the equivalent in leavening property of 2 teaspoons baking powder. 1 cup sour milk requires ½ teaspoon baking soda. Therefore, if a recipe requires 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1 cup sweet milk, it may be changed to a sour milk recipe by using 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and 1 cup sour milk. Milk Cooking: Foods consisting largely of milk, such as custards and white sauces, should be cooked at a moderate temperature. For this reason, soft custards and white sauces are cooked over hot water, and baked custards are cooked in a moderate oven (375º F.). The dishes containing the custard are set in a pan of warm water before being placed in the oven. Evaporated Milk is unsweetened. It has a much lower water content than fresh milk. It may be diluted with water in the proportion of 1 part milk to 1 part water. Less dilution may be used if desired. It is suitable for use in any recipe which requires milk. Sweetened Condensed Milk has a lower water content and a higher sugar content than fresh milk. It may be diluted with water in as high a proportion as 1 part milk to 3 parts water. When substituted for sweet milk in a recipe requiring sugar, the sugar should be decreased 2 tablespoons for each ¼ cup of the sweetened condensed milk used. Scalded Milk: Heat milk over hot water until a film forms on the surface. When ready to use, stir film into milk. Croquettes A croquette is a small fried food roll usually made from a combination of ingredients of which can include, mashed potatoes, and/or minced meat (veal, beef, chicken, or turkey), shellfish, fish, and vegetables with spices to tase. It is then dipped in egg and coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. The croquette is usually shaped into a cylinder or disk shape. The croquette gets its name from the French word croquer, “to crunch.” General Directions for Preparing Croquettes: Grind food material or separate it into fine shreds. Prepare a thick, well –seasoned white sauce. Add 1 cup sauce to 3 cups of prepared food. Mix until well blended. (The mixture should be as soft as can be handled.) Cool. Scoop about 1 to 2 tablespoons for each croquette. Form with hands or spatulas on a lightly floured board into cylinders, cones, or balls. They should be uniform in size. Dip into slightly beaten egg, diluted with 1 tablespoon water, roll in the breadcrumbs, and then dip again in egg. Fry in deep, hot fat (375º F.) until brown. Drain on absorbent paper. General Directions for Preparing Creamed Foods: Use freshly cooked or leftover meat, fish, poultry, or vegetables. Leave whole, cube, or shredded, as desired. Prepare a medium white sauce. Add sauce to food to be creamed. Mix lightly or add sauce to food after it has been placed in the serving dish. Allow from ½ to ¾ cup sauce for each cup of food. If cubed or shredded, it is often served on top of buttered toast or hot biscuits. General Directions for Preparing Soufflés: Use finely shredded or chopped meat, fish, and vegetables, or grated cheese. Prepare a thick, well-seasoned white sauce. Add ½ cup food to approximately ¾ cup sauce. Add the well-beaten yolks of 3 eggs. Stir until blended. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour it into a well-oiled baking dish. Bake in moderate oven (375º F.) until an inserted knife comes out clean. General Directions for Preparing Scalloped Foods: Use finely shredded or chopped cooked meat and fish and diced or sliced uncooked or cooked vegetables. Fill a well-oiled baking dish with alternate layers of food and medium white sauce. Cover the top with buttered breadcrumbs or cheese. Bake in moderate oven (375º F.) until the food is thoroughly cooked. Uncover and allow to brown. Adding Flavor to Foods: Natural flavors of foods may be intensified or developed by adding suitable seasonings. A few grains of salt will improve the flavor of nearly every food. The tartness of lemon juice will emphasize the milder flavor of other fruits. Sugar in small quantities, added to fresh or canned vegetables, will improve the flavor of the vegetables. A bit of garlic, garlic salt, dehydrated onions, or finely diced onion will prove helpful in developing the flavor of many meat combinations, salads, and salad dressings. Factors Which Affect Fat Absorption of Foods: Croquettes or other foods cooked in deep fat will absorb fat if the mixture is too thin, too rich, has rough surfaces, or if the fat is not sufficiently hot. Buttered Bread or Cracker Crumbs: Roll dry bread or cracker crumbs until fine. Add melted butter or butter substitute (margarine) in the proportion of 2 tablespoons to each cup of crumbs. 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These Texas Roadhouse Rolls are deliciously soft, mildly sweet dinner rolls just like the ones they serve at everyone’s favorite restaurant chain. (Though after baking up this copycat recipe, you might never need to go back again!) < Back Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls with Cinnamon Butter Prep Time: 1 hour 40 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 24 rolls Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Ingredients 1 pkg. active dry yeast 2 ¼ teas. ¼ cup warm water about 100 degrees Fahrenheit 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons butter softened 1 tablespoon butter melted ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon sugar 3 ½ -4 ½ cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg Cinnamon Butter Ingredients 1 stick butter softened 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons powdered sugar Preparation Heat milk to 180 degrees Fahrenheit n a pot on the stove or microwave safe bowl or measuring cup in the microwave. Remove the milk from heat and add the softened butter. Let cool to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Dissolve yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar in the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes. In a stand mixer bowl add the yeast, milk, sugar, salt and 1 cup flour. Combine with whisk or paddle attachment. Add egg and beat until combined. Add 2 more cups of flour one at a time scraping down the sides and mixing after each addition. Change to dough hook and add flour ½ cup at a time on low speed until dough forms and pulls away from the sides. Knead the dough with the dough hook on medium until the dough is smooth, 3-4 minutes. Grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray. Lightly dust counter with flour and turn dough out. (Be sure to dust your hands as the dough will be sticky.) Form the dough into a ball and place in greased bowl. Turn over once to oil both sides of the dough. Cover and place in a warm place at least 1 hour or until doubled in size. I put it in the oven with the inside light left on. Turn out on to a well-floured surface. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out to ½ inch thick. Using a dough scraper or pizza cutter cut out rectangles of dough about 2x3 inches. Take the rectangles and fold the short edges under, meeting in the middle to make a rounded shape on top. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet; cover and let sit until doubled. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending upon the temperature in your room. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (Make sure to remove the rolls if you are letting them rise in the oven.) Bake at 350 degrees F until deep golden brown, 11-13 minutes. Remove and brush with melted butter. Serve warm with cinnamon butter. Cinnamon Butter Instructions: Cream together ingredients in medium bowl. Enjoy on warm rolls. Previous Next

Move over lemon, Orange Dream Bars are IN THE HOUSE. Better than lemon bars, this is one of the best orange recipes you’ll ever try! < Back Orange Dream Bars Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour Serves: 24 bars Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon salt FILLING: ½ cup (119ml) fresh squeezed orange juice Zest of 1 orange 1 teaspoon orange extract 1 ½ cups (150g) granulated sugar ¼ cup (31g) all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 4 large eggs Powdered sugar for topping Preparation Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9×13” pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Beat butter with a hand or a stand mixer until creamy, then add the flour, sugar, and salt and beat until a dough forms. (If you’re using a hand mixer it will take extra time.) Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18 minutes. A few minutes before the crust comes out of the oven, prepare the filling. Place all filling ingredients into a blender jar and blend until smooth, a few seconds to almost a minute, depending on your blender. You can also do this with a whisk in a large bowl. Carefully pour filling evenly over the hot crust. Return to the oven and bake until the top is no longer jiggly, about 20-23 minutes. Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar and slicing into bars Previous Next