Many common ingredients can be substituted

It happens to us a lot: We rush into the kitchen to whip up a quick meal only to find we've just run out of a key ingredient. Never fear. With a bit of kitchen wizardry, you can substitute lots of common ingredients so deftly your family will never know the difference.

There are two caveats. Alternate ingredients are riskiest when baking from scratch, so we don't recommend substitutes in baking. Also, never substitute fat-free ingredients for regular ones if the dish is to be cooked or baked. The chemistry of fat-free foods is very different, and many break down when heated.

Here are some of the substitutions we use most often.

• For 1 cup fresh bread crumbs: use 3/4 cup finely crushed plain crackers

• For 1 cup buttermilk: use 1 cup cream, half-and-half or milk, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar (white or cider)

• For 1 cup chicken or beef broth: use 1 bouillon cube plus 1 cup boiling water

• For 1 clove fresh garlic: use 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• For 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece of gingerroot): use 1 teaspoon bottled minced ginger

• For 1 cup honey: 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and 1/4 cup liquid (use water or whatever liquid is already called for in the recipe)

• For 1 teaspoon lemon juice: use 1/2 teaspoon vinegar (likewise, you can substitute 2 teaspoons of lemon juice for 1 teaspoon vinegar.)

• For 1 cup sour cream: use 1 cup plain yogurt

• For 1 cup tomato sauce: use 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tomato paste combined with 1/2 cup water.

Menu suggestion: Chilled Cucumber Bisque with Tomato

Toasted cheese sandwiches

Orange slices

---

CHILLED CUCUMBER BISQUE WITH TOMATO

Start to finish: 15 minutes preparation, plus 30 minutes minimum chilling time

Cook's note: Instead of the sour cream, you can use 1 cup of either plain yogurt or buttermilk (fat-free or low-fat is fine). You can also use 1 cup of either heavy cream, half-and-half or milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar (white or cider) to give the tang of sour cream.

1 clove garlic

2 large cucumbers (for about 2 cups pieces)