Measuring
What you need to know
1 Tablespoon
3 teaspoon
1 Tablespoon = 3 t e a spoons
There are 3 letters in the word tea and 3 teaspoons
in a tablespoon.
¼ cup
4 Tablespoons
What is half of a 2/3 cup of
molasses?
1/3 of a cup
What is half of ¾ a cup of milk?
2 Tablespoons
1 fluid ounce = 2 Tablespoons
¼ cup = 2 oz
Understanding a Recipe
The basics so you can find your way
Recipe Formats
1. Standard form
a. ingredients first
b. assembly directions
1) step by step
2. Combination form
a. ingredients and assembly directions
together
b. on food packages
(hamburger helper)
Parts of a Recipe
• A recipe usually includes:
Yield
Number of
servings the
recipe makes.
Equipment
Name
What the
recipe is called.
Quesadillas
(Serves 4 - 2 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.
Directions
Steps you follow
to make the
recipe.
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.
Ingredients
Food products
you need to
make the recipe.
Name the Abbreviations
• The U.S. uses the English system:
– Teaspoon
– Tablespoon
– Cup
– Pint
– Quart
– Gallon
– Ounce/fluid ounce
– Pound
tsp. or t.
Tbsp. or T.
c.
pt.
qt.
gal.
oz./fl. oz.
lb.
More abbreviations:
– Few grains, dash, pinch
– Dozen
– Inch
– Second
– Minute
– Hour
– Degree
– Fahrenheit/Celsius
f.g.
doz.
in.
sec.
min.
hr.
°
F./C.
Abbreviations Pop Quiz
• What do these stand for?
–
–
–
–
–
–
lb.
L
tsp. or t.
 F.
qt.
fl. oz.
____________
Pound
____________
Liter
____________
teaspoon
____________
Fahrenheit
____________
quart
____________
Fluid ounce
Measuring
Facts and Methods
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.
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.
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 ¼ cup use a
measuring spoon
– To measure 1/8th tsp.
• many sets come with a 1/8th spoon
• 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
Pass the Cup
• Dry/solid measure check-up:
– Which of these amounts is greater? Write the
amount.
1/2 cup
or
3/4 cup
_____________
1/4 cup
or
_____________
1/3 cup
_____________
1/4 cup
or
2 Tbsp.
1/2 cup
_____________
or
1/4 cup
_____________
1/4 cup
or
3 tsp.
1 1/3 cup
_____________
or
1 1/4 cup
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.
Basic 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
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
How Do You Measure Up?
BONUS
• What is half of 2/3 cup?
• If a recipe calls for one egg and you want to
cut the recipe in half, how might you half an
egg?
Answer: 1 large egg = 1/4 cup.
Crack egg into bowl and mix with
fork. Pour out approximately
1/2 or 2 tablespoons of egg.
Now you should be ready to
get started in the kitchen