1. = = 2.03 O Kitchen Math and Measuring
Sara Jane Strecker, FACS Educator
©2002 Learning Zone Express
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2. Introduction
Most cooks use recipes. A recipe is a list of ingredients that gives you directions for preparing a specific food. If you know how to follow recipes, then you will be successful in the kitchen. Who knows! You may become a famous chef!
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3. Introduction Successful cooks know: How to read a recipe Abbreviations
Measuring Techniques
Equivalents
How to Change a Recipe
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4. What’s in a recipe? A formula!
Read the recipe before you cook. The parts of the recipe tell you:
Name
Ingredients
Equipment
Directions
Yield (number of servings)
Sometimes - Nutritional Analysis
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5. Parts of a Recipe Quesadillas Name What the recipe is called.
A recipe usually includes:
Quesadillas
(Serves per person)
8 flour tortillas
1 cup grated cheese
Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
Place a tortilla in the pan.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on the tortilla.
Cover the cheese with another tortilla.
Cook about 1 minute, until brown and crisp. Then turn the quesadilla over. Cook until the cheese melts.
Place on a serving plate. Cut into pie shaped wedges.
Repeat process with remaining ingredients.
Yield Number of servings the recipe makes.
Ingredients Food products you need to make the recipe.
Equipment
Directions Steps you follow to make the recipe.
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6. What’s an Abbreviation?
Understanding the language of recipes takes the guesswork out of cooking.
Abbreviation - The shortened form of a word.
Abbreviations in measuring units:
Save space on the cookbook page.
Make recipes easier to read.
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7. Name the Abbreviations
The U.S. uses the English system:
Teaspoon tsp. or t.
Tablespoon Tbsp. or T.
Cup c.
Pint pt.
Quart qt.
Gallon gal.
Ounce/fluid ounce oz./ fl. oz.
Pound lb.
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8. Name the Abbreviations
Most other countries use the Metric system:
Milliliter ml
Liter L
Grams g
Kilogram kg
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9. Name the Abbreviations
More abbreviations:
Dozen doz.
Pound lb.
Inch in.
Second sec.
Minute min.
Hour hr.
Degree 
Fahrenheit/Celsius F. / C
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10. Abbreviations Pop Quiz
What do these stand for?
lb. L
tsp. or t.
 F.
qt.
fl. oz.
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11. Name That Utensil
Serving spoons & cups vary in size. Only use these standard measuring utensils…
Can you name them?
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12. The Right Measuring Utensil
What are two ingredients that you’d measure with when using:
measuring spoons?
dry/solid measuring cups?
a liquid measuring cup?
Which measuring utensil would you use to measure each of these ingredients?
1 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons cooking oil
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13. Measuring Liquid Ingredients
Liquid ingredients can include:
Milk, water, oil, juice, vanilla extract, etc.
To measure 1/4 cup or more of a liquid ingredient, use a clear, liquid measuring cup.
Place the cup on level surface and read measurements at eye level.
For smaller amounts use measuring spoons.
Fill the spoon until a slight dome is visible.
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14. Measuring Dry Ingredients
Dry ingredients can include:
Flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder.
To measure 1/4 cup or more of a dry ingredient use a measuring cup.
Measuring cups generally come in 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 cup sizes.
To measure less than a 1/4 cup use a measuring spoon.
Measuring spoons generally come in 1/4, 1/2, & 1 teaspoon & 1 tablespoon sizes.
To measure 1/8 tsp. measure 1/4 tsp. & then remove half.
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15. Measuring Dry Ingredients
A standard set of dry/solid measuring cups is made of four cup sizes.
What amount does each cup measure?
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16. Measuring Dry Ingredients
Measuring flour:
Do not pack the flour into the measuring cup or spoon because you will end up with more flour. Instead, scoop flour into the cup and level with a spatula or knife.
Measuring brown sugar:
Pack the brown sugar tightly into the measuring cup or spoon. Once it is packed down, level it with a straight edge or knife.
Measuring granulated sugar:
Fill the cup with sugar. Level with the back of a spatula or knife so that sugar is even with top of measuring cup or spoon.
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17. Pass the Cup Dry/solid measure check-up: 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup
Which of these amounts is greater? Write the amount.
1/2 cup or 3/4 cup
1/4 cup or 1/3 cup
1/4 cup or 2 Tbsp.
1/2 cup or 1/4 cup
1/4 cup or 3 tsp.
1 1/3 cup or 1 1/4 cup
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18. Measuring Solid Ingredients
Sticks of butter and margarine have measurements marked on the wrapper.
One stick = 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons
Measure solid fats, such as shortening or peanut butter, in a dry measuring cup.
Pack it into the cup and level it with a spatula. Then use a plastic scraper to remove it from the cup.
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19. Measuring Just With Spoons
This chart shows some amounts that you’ll often see in recipes. And it shows how to measure those amounts with measuring spoons.
1 Tbsp. 1 tsp tsp tsp.
3/4 tsp. 1/4 tsp. + 1/4 tsp. + 1/4 tsp. or 1/2 tsp. + 1/4 tsp.
1/8 tsp. half of 1/4 tsp.
1/8 cup 1 Tbsp. + 1 Tbsp.
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20. Basic Equivalents Dry/Liquid equivalents:
Equivalents are amounts that are equal to each other.
They are useful when you must alter or change a recipe to serve more or less people than the recipe yields.
Dry/Liquid equivalents:
Pinch or Dash = less than 1/8 teaspoon
1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1/4 cup = 4 Tablespoons
1/3 cup = 5 Tablespoons & 1 teaspoon
1/2 cup = 8 Tablespoons
3/4 cup = 12 Tablespoons
1 cup = 16 Tablespoons
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21. Basic Equivalents To help you remember: 1 Tablespoon = 3 t e a spoons
There are 3 letters in the word tea and 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon.
1/4 c. = 4 Tbsp.
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22. Basic Equivalents 1 fluid ounce = 2 Tablespoons 8 ounces = 1 cup
16 ounces = 1 pound
1 pint = 2 cups
1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups
1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 16 cups
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23. Basic Equivalents To help you remember: A formula 2 c. = 1 pt.
2 pt. = 1 qt.
4 qt. = 1 gal.
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24. Equivalents at the Store
At the store, many foods are sold by the pint or by the quart. Many recipes will ask you to measure those foods by the cup.
Here is a helpful guide:
1 cup = 1/2 pint
2 cups = 1 pint
4 cups = 2 pints
4 cups = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
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25. Equivalents at the Store
Answer the following questions with one of these amounts:
1/2 pint 1 pint 1 quart
What size container will you buy if. . .
A recipe for salad calls for 2 cups of cottage cheese.?
A recipe for a fruit dessert calls for 1 cup of whipping cream?
You need 4 cups of milk for a pudding?
You need 2 cups of sour cream to make a dip?
A recipe for fruit salad says to mix 8 ounces of yogurt with fruit?
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26. Equivalents at the Store
Now that you know how many cups make up 1/2 pint, 1 pint, and 1 quart, try to figure out how many ounces are in these amounts:
1 cup = ___ oz.
1/2 pint = ___ oz.
1 pint = ___ oz.
1 quart = ___ oz.
1 gallon = ___ oz.
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27. Basic Equivalents Pop Quiz
1 pint = ____ cups
1 gallon = ____ quarts
1 quart = ____ cups
1 cup = ____ tablespoons
1 tablespoon = ____ teaspoons
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28. Putting Cups Together Useful amounts to know:
2/3 cup = 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
3/4 cup = 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup
1/8 cup = half of 1/4 cup
1 cup = 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup
1 cup = 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup
1 cup = 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup
How would you measure these amounts?
1 1/4 cups
2/3 cup
3/4 cup
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29. Chocolate Chip Cookies
How Do You Measure Up?
This recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies yields 3 dozen. You need to make 6 dozen. Write down the measurements you would use to double this recipe. Use correct abbreviations.
Yields 3 dozen.
2 1/4 cup flour 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs
1 cup margarine 2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar
Chocolate Chip Cookies
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30. How Do You Measure Up? Chocolate Cake
Your Grandma’s recipe for Chocolate Cake makes a large cake so you want to make only half of a cake. Write down the new measurements you would need to make half this recipe. Use correct abbreviations.
2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter 2 chocolate squares
2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk 2/3 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Cake
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31. BONUS How Do You Measure Up? What is half of 2/3 cup?
If a recipe calls for one egg and you want to cut the recipe in half, how might you half an egg?
Answer: 1 large egg = 1/4 cup. Crack egg into bowl and mix with fork. Pour out approximately 1/2 or 2 tablespoons of egg.
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32. You’re the Expert
Jenny is throwing a surprise birthday party for her best friend Katie. She has decided to make Katie’s favorite dish, meat loaf. There will be a total of 40 people at the party. Answer the following questions:
The recipe says it serves 8 people. By what number should Jenny multiply each ingredient to make enough meat loaf for everyone?
The recipe calls for 1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef. How much ground beef will Jenny need to make enough meat loaf for everyone?
Jenny will be serving milk with the meal. She plans on using 8 oz. glasses. How many gallons of milk does she need to make sure everyone gets one glass of milk?
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