How can I substitute ingredients in a recipe using what I have at home?

10 popular questions on a given topic. However, here is one potential question on substituting ingredients when cooking:

Subbing Dairy Items in Recipes

Precisely when you don't have the specific dairy thing called for in a recipe, there are overall reasonable substitute choices you can use considering everything. Here are some regular dairy replacements:

Substituting Milk

• If the specific type of milk required by a recipe isn't available, you can reliably replace it with a variable amount of a different variety of milk, taking all factors into consideration.

  • Replace whole milk with 2% milk, low-fat milk, or skim milk
  • Replace 2% milk with 1% milk or skim milk
  • Replace low-fat or 1% milk with skim milk
  • Note: Using lower-fat milk may slightly alter the texture of baked goods

• Non-dairy milks like soy, almond, oat, or coconut milk can often be used, but flavor and nutrients may differ

• To substitute 1 cup of buttermilk, you can use 1 cup of regular milk combined with 1 tablespoon of either lemon juice or white vinegar.. Let stand 5 minutes before using

• Evaporated milk can be substituted for an equal amount of regular milk, but reduce other liquids in the recipe by about half the amount

Substituting Cream

• In cooking and baking, weighty cream and whipping cream can by and large be exchanged in equivalent sums

• For 1 cup heavy cream, substitute:

  • 3/4 cup milk + 1/3 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk + 1/3 cup butter
  • 7/8 cup milk + 1⁄4 cup butter + 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cornstarch whisked together

• Light cream can replace an equal amount of half-and-half

• For 1 cup half-and-half, substitute:

  • 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup butter

• Non-dairy creams work well for things like coffee, but may not achieve ideal results for baking/cooking

Substituting Yogurt

• In many recipes, plain Greek or regular yogurt can be used interchangeably

  • Note: Avoid fat-free yogurt as texture and flavor may suffer

• For a 1 cup sour cream, substitute 1 cup yogurt. Be aware acidity differs so don't use for chemically-leavened baked goods

• Non-dairy yogurt choices can imitate the surface, however flavor will differ

• A pleasant replacement for buttermilk is 1 cup milk blended in with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice in addition to 1 cup yogurt

So in rundown, get imaginative with the dairy items you have available! There are almost always suitable substitutions to achieve similar texture and flavor. Consider factors like fat content and acidity, and adjust other ingredients as needed when replacing one dairy product for another.

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Here is a second potential question on the broader topic:

What are great vegetable replacements when I don't have what the recipe calls for?

And a 1000 word article for that question:

Substituting Vegetables in Recipes

It happens to most home cooks - you're ready to start a recipe when you handle you don't have the specific vegetable the recipe calls for. Do whatever it takes not to totally dump the dish! Coming up next are two or three fundamental vegetable substitutes for ordinary trimmings:

Substituting Onions

• If a recipe calls for yellow onion and that's all you have, use it even if red or white onion is specified
  • Flavor nuances will vary slightly but overall flavor profile will be similar
• Shallots can typically be used in place of onions
  • Use about half as much since shallot flavor is more concentrated
• Leeks or scallions will mimic onion flavor in something like a soup or sauce
  • Just use a little less, about 3-4 scallions for 1 small onion

Substituting Bell Peppers

• Use any color bell pepper if that's all you have on hand
  • Flavor varies just slightly but overall works nicely
• Poblano peppers make a great mild substitute for things like fajitas or chili
• Diced zucchini or eggplant works well to replace bell peppers in dishes with longer cook times
  • Just add a little earlier so veggies have time to soften

Substituting Leafy Greens

• Collard greens, kale, Swiss chard, beet greens, mustard greens, turnip greens are all very interchangeable
  • Flavor varies some by variety but overall work nicely substituted
• Spinach leaves can work instead of heartier greens but will cook down significantly more in volume
  • Great in something like a soup or sauce
• Arugula, watercress, or radicchio leaves add a nice peppery punch
  • Use about half as much for a strong flavor like kale

Substituting Root Vegetables

• Carrots, parsnips, turnips, and rutabagas work well swapped for each other
  • Turnips are the most bitter so perhaps use a bit less
• Diced butternut squash can mimic the starchiness of potatoes in dishes like stews or pot roasts
  • May need to increase cook times since denser than potatoes
• Sweet potatoes can replace white potatoes in the majority of recipes
  • Imparts beautiful color and nutrients
• Celery root makes a nice stand-in for celery in cooked dishes
  • Will get creamier texture when braised

The key when substituting vegetables is considering characteristics like flavor intensity, texture, starchiness, and cook time. With so many varieties of vegetables available, though, there's almost always a workable stand-in to use if you don't have just what the recipe calls for. Get creative mixing and matching produce for delicious results!