Common ingredient substitutions

Despite your best efforts to have a fully stocked pantry, there will be times when you run out of something in between trips to the grocery store. This handy list will help you find substitutions for many common kitchen ingredients. 

• 1 teaspoon baking powder=¼ teaspoon baking soda+½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 ounce chocolate=3 tablespoons cocoa+1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon corn starch=2 tablespoons flour or 2 teaspoons quick cooking tapioca
• ¾ cup cracker crumbs=1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard=1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 cup self-rising flour=1 cup all purpose flour+½ teaspoon salt+1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh herbs=1 teaspoon dried herbs
• 1 cup ketchup=1 cup tomato sauce+½ cup sugar+ 2 tablespoons white   vinegar (for use in cooking, not as a condiment)
• 1 cup buttermilk=1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar+ whole milk to equal one cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using.
• 1 cup whole milk=½ cup evaporated milk+½ cup water
• 10 mini marshmallows=1 large marshmallow
• 1 small fresh onion=1 tablespoon rehydrated dried, minced onion
• ½ cup brown sugar=2 tablespoons molasses+½ cup white sugar, mix well.
• 1 cup powdered sugar=1 cup white sugar+1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 cup tomato juice=½ cup tomato sauce+½ cup water, stir until combined 
• 1 cup honey=1 ¼ cups sugar+1 cup water, stir until dissolved.

Celebrate every day in January with these delicious food holidays

Most people kick off the new year with resolutions to eat better, lose weight and work out. Here at Devour Dayton, we resolve to celebrate as many of the food holidays as we possibly can in the coming year! We hope you join us on our journey of daily celebrations.

MONTHLY CELEBRATIONS

• Bread Machine Baking Month 
• National Baking Month
• National Candy Month 
• National Citrus Month
• National Egg Month 
• National Fat-free Living Month
• National Hot Tea Month 
• National Meat Month 
• National Oatmeal Month `
• National Prune Breakfast Month
• National Slow Cooking Month
• National Soup Month 
• National Wheat Bread Month 

WEEKLY CELEBRATIONS

• 2nd week National Pizza Week 
• 4th week National Meat Week
• 4th week National Irish Coffee Week

DAILY CELEBRATIONS

January 1

• National Bloody Mary Day 
• Apple Gifting Day 
• National Black-eyed Pea Day

January 2

• National Cream Puff Day
• National Buffet Day

January 3

• National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day 

January 4

• National Spaghetti Day 

January 5

• National Whipped Cream Day 

January 6

• National Bean Day 
• Epiphany: Make an Epiphany Cake 
• National Shortbread Day 

January 7

• National Tempura Day 

January 8

• National English Toffee Day 

January 9

• National Apricot Day 
• National Cassoulet Day 

January 10

• National Bittersweet Chocolate Day 
• National Oysters Rockefeller Day 

January 11

• National Milk Day 
• National Hot Toddy Day 

January 12

• National Curried Chicken Day 
• National Hot Tea Day 
• National Marzipan Day
• National Glazed Donut Day

January 13

• National Peach Melba Day 
• National Gluten-free Day 

January 14

• National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day 

January 15

• National Bagel Day 
• National Strawberry Ice Cream Day 
• National Fresh-squeezed Orange Juice Day

January 16

• International Hot & Spicy Food Day
• National Fig Newton Day 
• National Quinoa Day 

January 17

• National Hot Buttered Rum Day 

January 18

• National Peking Duck Day 
• National Gourmet Coffee Day

January 19

•  National Popcorn Day 

January 20

• National Buttercrunch Day 
• National Cheese Lover’s Day 
• National Granola Bar Day 
• National Coffee Break Day 

January 21

• National New England Clam Chowder Day

January 22

• National Blonde Brownie Day
• National Southern Food Day

January 23

• National Pie Day 
• National Rhubarb Pie Day

January 24

• National Peanut Butter Day 
• National Lobster Thermidor Day

January 25

• National Irish Coffee Day 
• Burns' Night

January 26

• National Green Juice Day 
• National Pistachio Day 
• National Peanut Brittle Day
• International Port Wine Day

January 27

• National Chocolate Cake Day 

January 28

• National Blueberry Pancake Day
• National Pork Belly Day

January 29

• National Corn Chip Day 

January 30

• National Croissant Day 

January 31

• National Brandy Alexander Day 
• National Hot Chocolate Day
• National Pho Day

Celebrate New Year's Eve with Four Roses Bourbon

Christmas is almost here and New Year's Eve is just around the bend. While champagne is the traditional
drink of choice for ringing in the New Year, a warm alcoholic punch is a welcome alternative.  Four Roses Bourbon has created this amazing recipe that features their Yellow Label Bourbon and the traditional holiday flavors of cranberry, clove and cinnamon.

SPICED BOURBON PUNCH 
Ingredients 

• 8 cups apple juice 
• 3 cups cranberry juice 
• 3 tbsp brown sugar 
• 1 tbsp whole cloves 
• 4 cinnamon sticks 
• 3 cups Four Roses Small Batch
• Slices of fresh lemon garnished with whole cloves 

Directions 
Bring juices and spices to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off and add bourbon. Serve warm and garnished with clove lemon slices.

Please don't become another holiday statistic! If you choose to partake in alcoholic beverages this season, please drink responsibly and have either a designated driver or use the services of your local taxi company, Uber or Lyft.

 *Recipe used with permission.

Maria Samuels shares her tips for creating a warm and inviting holiday guest room

Christmas is a mere 5 days away and we are all trying to cram in as many errands and details as we possibly can. If you have holidays guests arriving from near or far, these tips from interior design expert Maria Samuels of InStyle Modern will help you create a cozy guest bedroom to make your company feel welcome and comfortable.

Tips for a Welcoming & Comfortable Guest Bedroom 

• Framed Photos Place a framed photo of the family/guest staying with you in their room to make them feel right at home. If you do not have any photos of the guests, check out their Facebook page and print a few off. 
• Room Service Leave a bottle of wine with glasses in the guest room for the first night along with a personalized welcome note. 
• Personalize It Purchase monogrammed/personalized towels for the bathroom that the guests will be using. This gives the feeling of a spa or resort getaway. Or instead of just leaving out a towel for your guests in the bathroom, fill a basket in the guest room with bath towels, hand towels and wash cloths. Then your guest won’t feel bad for requesting more towels if they need them. Putting a nice fluffy robe in the room is a welcoming addition as well. Most people do not travel with a robe due to the amount of space it takes up in a suitcase, so this will allow them to run to the bathroom during the night covered up. 
• For the Kids If your guests have kids with them, make sure there are plenty of fun board games on-hand in the guest room. Put together a basket of other items kids love like crayons and color books, card games and DVD’s of kid favorites. 
• In-Room Holiday Entertainment Place a television with some favorite holiday movies (‘White Christmas’, ‘Home Alone’, ‘It's a Wonderful Life’, etc.) in the guest room. Your visitors will appreciate being able to retreat to their room and pop in a holiday favorite. 
• Local Goodies & Snacks Fill a basket with snacks and gifts that are local to the area, and place the basket in the guest room with a nice welcoming note. Nothing says welcome like local artisan chocolate. You can also tuck a few snacks in a side table drawer. Small packs of trail mix, granola bars, or even sweets are a nice touch for your guests. Put a bowl of fresh fruit like apples or bananas on the dresser too. If they get the munchies or if they are hungry before bedtime, they will have something they can easily grab without having to ask you or make noise in the kitchen.
• Assemble a Box of Goodies Keep a small storage container in the guest room filled with travel/sample size items, such as shampoo/conditioner, razors, pain reliever, a shower cap, facial cleanser, lotion, toothpaste and toothbrush, etc. These items can be purchased in the travel section of most big box stores or they might be complementary items you collect from your hotel stays. Your guests will appreciate having the items they may have forgotten at home. 
• Light the Path Keeping a small nightlight in the guest room on top of the dresser or side table will help the guest feel comfortable. You can plug it in where it is needed most. As you know, getting around in the dark in a different home can be challenging. Your guest may want to have it plugged in the hallway, bathroom, or guest room. 
• Wake-up Call A nice clock radio/CD player/mp3 or iPod player is also helpful for guest rooms. Your guests won’t have to ask for a wake-up call (especially if it’s earlier than you rise!) and they can put on music to help them fall asleep. Falling asleep in someone else’s home can sometimes be difficult. 
• Good Night, Sleep Tight Create an environment that promotes a great night's sleep like high-thread-count, 100 percent cotton sheets with thick, soft blankets and fluffy pillows. 
• Add Some Light Put an adjustable desk lamp or nightstand lamp beside the bed. This will allow your guest to enjoy a good book or catch up on emails without disturbing the rest of the house. 
• Sleep Appeal Make sure the windows have room darkening blinds or shades in them. Some people like to wake up to sunlight but others prefer to keep a completely darkened room. It also helps create a buffer from street traffic outside.

Maria Samuels is an interior design expert with the popular home furnishing site InStyleModern.com, your top source for stylish and affordable contemporary furniture that won't break the bank. The line offers all the furniture pieces essential to giving every modern home and office a touch of class and style. Connect with InStyleModern on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Celebrate New Year's Eve with three sparkling cocktails from Monin

New Year's Eve is just around the corner and Monin has three especially delightful champagne cocktail recipes to help ensure your party is as delicious as it is fun!

CHAMPAGNE COUNTDOWN 

3 Minute(s) prep time. 4 Minute(s) total.

Yield: 1 Glass

Ingredients 

• 1/4 oz. Monin Strawberry Syrup 
• 1/2 oz. Monin Pomegranate Syrup 
• 4 oz. champagne 
• fresh strawberry 

Instructions 

Add Monin Syrups to a chilled champagne flute. Fill with champagne and stir gently. Garnish with fresh strawberry.

BERRY BUBBLY 

3 Minute(s) prep time. 4 Minute(s) total.

Yield: 1 Glass

Ingredients 

• Ice 
• ½ oz. raspberry flavored vodka 
• ¾ oz. Monin Cranberry syrup 
• extra dry champagne 
• Fresh cranberry or raspberry 

Instructions

Combine ingredients in a chilled champagne flute and stir. Garnish with fresh berry of choice.

MIDNIGHT HIBISCUS KISS

3 Minute(s) prep time. 4 Minute(s) total.

Yield: 1 Glass

Ingredients 

• 1/2 oz. Monin Hibiscus Syrup 
• 1 oz. pomegranate blueberry juice 
• champagne 

Instructions 

Add Monin Syrup and juice to a chilled champagne flute. Fill with champagne and stir gently. Garnish as desired.

Ten tips for better baked goods

There are times when everyone-myself included-needs a little help in the kitchen. These ten tips for better baked goods should help you elevate your breads, cakes, cookies and more to the next level of yumminess.

1. When baking bread, keep a small bowl of water in the oven. It will help keep the crust from getting hard.

2. Cookie dough that needs to be rolled out should be refrigerated for at least an hour before using to lessen sticking. 

3. Pie crust is easier to make when all of the ingredients are cool.

4. Sprinkle baked cakes with powdered sugar before frosting to help the frosting stay in place.

5. To prevent chocolate chips or fruit from sinking in your batters, toss them in flour first.

6. Store yeast in the refrigerator or freezer for best results. 

7. Always scrape your bowls when making batters and doughs. This ensures you aren’t leaving any important ingredients in the bottom of the bowl.

8. For added color and luster, brush the top of bread crusts, scones, rolls and biscuits with cream just before baking. For a little extra dazzle, sprinkle with a little sugar. 

9. No matter how tempting it is, do not open the oven door while baking. It disrupts the temperature and your bake time.

10.  Don’t overfill cake, muffin or bread pans. Pans should be filled no more than 2/3 full or messes can happen.

Common cooking terms every home chef should know

As you read through this blog and our upcoming online magazine, you will most certainly come across cooking terms that you are not familiar with. That's ok, we've broken them down here for you to refer back to as often as needed!

Au Gratin topped with crumbs and/or cheese then browned in an over or under a broiler.

Au Jus served with its own juices.

Baste to moisten food during the cooking process with pan drippings or a special sauce in order to add flavor and prevent the meat from drying out.

Blanch to immerse in rapidly boiling water and allow to cook slightly.

Cream to soften a fat, especially butter, by beating it at room temperature.

Crimp to seal the edges of a two crust pie either by pinching them together at intervals with your fingers or by pressing them together with the tines of a fork.

Crudites as assortment of raw vegetables that is served as an hors d’oeuvre, often with a dip.

Degrease to remove fat from the surface of soups, stews or stocks. Item are usually placed in the refrigerator, allowing the fat to harden for easy removal.

Dredge to coat lightly with flour, cornmeal, etc.

Entrée the main course

Fold to incorporate a delicate substance, such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites, into another substance without releasing the air bubbles.

Glaze To cover with a glossy coating, such as melted jelly for desserts.

Julienne to cut or slice vegetables, fruits or cheeses into match shaped slivers.

Marinate to allow food to rest in a liquid in order to tenderize it and/or add flavor.

Meunière dredged with flour and sautéed in butter.

Parboil to boil until partially cooked; to blanch.

Pare to remove the outermost skin of a fruit or vegetable.

Poach to cook gently in hot liquid kept just below the boiling point.

Purée to mash foods by hand by rubbing through a sieve or food mill or by whirling in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Refresh to run cold water over food that has been parboiled in order to stop the cooking process.

Sauté to cook and/or brown food in a small quantity of hot shortening.

Scald to heat to just below the boiling point.

Sear to cook the surface of quickly with intense heat.

Simmer to cook in liquid just below the boiling point. The surface of the  liquid should be barely moving, broken time to time by slow raising bubbles.

Steep to let food stand in hot liquid in order to extract or to enhance favor.

Toss to combine ingredients with a repeated lifting motion.

Whip to beat rapidly in order to incorporate air and produce expansion in heavy cream or egg whites.

The key ingredients every pantry should have

A well stocked pantry should provide you with everything you need for a good, well rounded meal.  Several, actually. With the right mix of ingredients on hand, you can create a variety of meals for the entire family or for when guests drop by. The following list is considered a well stocked pantry during normal times. Unfortunately we know all too well that these are far from normal times. Stay tuned for a list featuring common ingredient substitutions. 

Staples

• Baker’s Chocolate
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Barbecue Sauce
• Bread Crumbs (also known as Panko)
• Chocolate Chips
• Cocoa Powder
• Cornmeal
• Cornstarch
• Crackers (a variety of styles and flavors)
• Flour
• Honey
• Ketchup
• Lemon Juice
• Mayonnaise
• Non-stick Cooking Spray
• Nuts
• Oats
• Oil (Vegetable and Olive)
• Pancake Mix
• Peanut Butter
• Potatoes
• Shortening
• Sugar (White, Brown and Powdered)
• Vinegar (White and Apple Cider)

Packaged and Canned Goods

• Beans (Both Dried and Canned)
• Broth (Beef, Chicken and Vegetable)
• Baking Mixes (Cake, Brownie, Muffin)
• Canned Tomatoes (Whole and Diced)
• Canned Fruit
• Canned Mushrooms
• Canned Soups 
• Canned Tomato Paste and Sauce
• Canned Meats (Tuna, Chicken)
• Cereal
• Dried Fruit
• Dried Soup Mixes
• Gelatin (Plain and Flavored)
• Gravy
• Salsa
• Milk (Evaporated and Sweetened Condensed)
• Oatmeal
• Pasta
• Rice 
• Spaghetti Sauce

Seasonings & Spices

• Basil
• Bay Leaves
• Black Pepper
• Bouillon Cubes (Beef, Chicken, Vegetable)
• Chili Powder
• Cinnamon
• Mustard
• Garlic Powder
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Onion Powder
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Salt
• Soy Sauce
• Tarragon
• Thyme
• Vanilla
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Yeast

Refrigerated

• Butter
• Cheese 
• Eggs
• Milk
• Sour Cream
• Yogurt