| Cooking is very forgiving and allows you to take a | | | | recipes for baking (not all but most) require some |
| recipe and switch it up by adding, deleting or | | | | kind of leavening agent like baking powder or |
| exchanging ingredients. Say for instance you see | | | | yeast. This makes it very tricky to make |
| a recipe that calls for a spice that you just don't | | | | alterations and still come out with the desired |
| care for or perhaps something that you are | | | | results. |
| allergic to, most of the time you can substitute | | | | When using a recipe for baking anything you are |
| another spice for it and the dish will come out | | | | usually better off not making any big changes. |
| pretty close to the original recipe. Cooking is very | | | | You can alter or substitute like kind ingredients |
| forgiving and you have permission to experiment. | | | | without too much deviation in results, such as the |
| It will usually come out edible and most times | | | | flavorings. Vanilla extract vs. Almond extract, etc. |
| surprisingly good. | | | | When substituting an ingredient for the sweetener |
| I get ideas from original recipes but almost never | | | | for example you will need to use something that |
| make them exactly to the directions. Once you | | | | is similar in composition like brown sugar instead of |
| have been cooking for a while you develop a | | | | white. If you substitute some of the liquid be sure |
| knack for improving recipes even before you | | | | to use a liquid with similar properties such as milk, |
| make them for the first time. | | | | water, etc. You can still get creative with baking |
| One of the main staples in our house that I will | | | | but it is more of a science than an art project. |
| add to most recipes is garlic! You just can't go | | | | So, use caution when altering recipes. |
| wrong if you add garlic or more garlic. Of course | | | | In commercial baking where they scale everything |
| that is coming from an Italian that loves to cook! | | | | into larger batches, they are called formulas. As I |
| Garlic and olive oil are two ingredients we never | | | | mentioned previously, the ingredients are all based |
| do without. | | | | on a percentage of weight to the flour base. |
| Now baking is another story altogether. Recipes | | | | Cooking and baking can be very therapeutic so |
| are based on a percentage to flour and most | | | | get creative and have some fun! |