1. = =
Sara Jane Strecker, FACS Educator
©2002 Learning Zone Express

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!
©2002 Learning Zone Express

3. Introduction Successful cooks know: How to read a recipe Abbreviations
Measuring Techniques
Equivalents
How to Change a Recipe
©2002 Learning Zone Express

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
©2002 Learning Zone Express

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
1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
2. Place a tortilla in the pan.
3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on the tortilla.
4. Cover the cheese with another tortilla.
5. Cook about 1 minute, until brown and crisp. Then turn the quesadilla over. Cook until the cheese melts.
6. Place on a serving plate. Cut into pie shaped wedges.
7. 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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

8. Name the Abbreviations
Most other countries use the Metric system:
Milliliter ml
Liter L
Grams g
Kilogram kg
©2002 Learning Zone Express

9. Name the Abbreviations
More abbreviations:
Few grains, dash, pinch f.g.
Dozen doz.
Pound lb.
Inch in.
Second sec.
Minute min.
Hour hr.
Degree 
Fahrenheit/Celsius F. / C
©2002 Learning Zone Express

10. Name That Utensil
Serving spoons & cups vary in size. Only use these standard measuring utensils…
Can you name them?
©2002 Learning Zone Express

11. 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
©2002 Learning Zone Express

12. 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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

13. 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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

14. 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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

15. 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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

16. 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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

17. 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
©2002 Learning Zone Express

18. 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.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

19. 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
©2002 Learning Zone Express

20. Basic Equivalents To help you remember: A formula 2 c. = 1 pt.
2 pt. = 1 qt.
4 qt. = 1 gal.
©2002 Learning Zone Express

21. 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
©2002 Learning Zone Express

22. 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
©2002 Learning Zone Express