Cooking Information | Adventures in Thyme

One of my pet peeves when cooking was always forgetting simple substitutions and measurements. How many teaspoons in a tablespoon? Ounces in 2/3 cup? What can I substitute for butter? So a year ago I created a chart of the measurements and substitutions that I needed to always remember in my culinary adventures. Tonight I thought I’d share this with you as a time saving tool if your memory is in the same boat as mine.

I made this chart to fit INSIDE the cabinet door of my spice shelf, the go-to door when I’m cooking. Since I taped it on the inside it’s like my secret, nobody knows it’s in there. <maniacal laughter ensues>

I’m providing you the master Power Point file so you can customize the slide to fit YOUR cabinet if you want one too. Mine is approximately 24.5″ high and 14″ wide. Your cabinets might have different dimensions. Because this is an editable master file, you can remove or replace substitutions, such as my substitutions for dairy, eggs and wheat.

Unless you are blessed with your own wide media poster printer, there should be a retailer in your town that can print the chart for you. Mine is printed on semi gloss poster paper (so thicker like card stock).

The inside of your cabinet door quietly announces it’s unused potential each time you open it. Consider blackboard paint, for a clever place to write your grocery list; or some sheet metal to hang magnetic spice holders. Be creative – it’s your kitchen!

Food substitutions PowerPoint slide

Chef’s log, bottle date unknown. During a routine mission into the cabinet-nebula spices have been found faded, tasteless, as if some force has changed their very nature. Our mission is one of rescue and, if necessary, extermination of expired contents.

I have a confession to make, my spice cabinet had become so crammed full of spice bottles I had to start storing new ones in a second cabinet. Then, regularly used spices bottles were kept on the countertop. It was a horror. In total 104 bottles of spices “littered” my kitchen. With the resolve of a starship captain on an away mission of discovery I bushwhacked my way into the unknown.

I was surprised to find that I had not one, or two, but 4 spice bottles of celery (flake and/or seed), and I hate celery! I was also astonished to uncover not two or four but SIX bottles of allspice (2 whole, 4 ground). One by one, I removed each bottle from its place and lined them all up neatly by spice or herb on the counter. Then, with the help of McCormick’s Support Site I was able to remove 37 expired bottles from my collection. Not all of my bottles were stamped with an expiration so the guidelines that McCormick’s provided was really helpful! However, when all else fails, take a sniff. If it doesn’t smell fresh or “clean”, throw it out. Herbs and spices should delight our senses, from the bold color of curry to the sweet peppery odor of basil.

McCormick’s site recommends the following shelf life of herbs and spices:

• Ground Spices – 3 to 4 years
• Whole Spices – 4 years
• Leafy Herbs – 1 to 3 years
• Bottled Seasoning Blends – 1 to 2 years
• Extracts (Except Pure Vanilla) & Food Colors – 4 years
• Pure Vanilla – indefinitely
• Recipe Mixes (gravy, taco, etc.) – 2 years
• Marinades and Sauces – 12 to 24 months
• Seafood Box Mixes – 18 to 24 months

The greatest recipe known to man will fall flat if the herbs and spices used are outdated and tasteless. Next time you change the batteries on your smoke alarm (that’s every year btw), or for the overachievers – each time your car gets an oil change, do a quick check of your spice cabinet so that every dish you make can be it’s yummiest.

Time saving idea…

Spice Trek……..Operation: Annihilate!