Some dishes need exact measurements to turn out right and some are more tolerant of guesswork. Be sure you know which ones can take the hit or miss attitude when you cook.
Any mix for a baked item should use exact measurements to get the product pictured on the box. After you have tried it, you may be willing to change things. My aunt used a prepared mix to make cakes for years. She changed the measurements adding a lot more oil than the recipe called for, but she had some failures over the years, too.
You might call this kind of cooking experimental--but you do have to eat it when you are through. Adding more oil will make a richer, tenderer product, but it will also have more calories. Adding sugar sometimes makes baked goods tougher, like pie crust, for instance. If you want to add sugar to pie crust, don't add more than 1 teaspoon of granulated or 1 tablespoon of powered sugar per pie crust.
If you are not familiar with measurements like ounces, liters, or teaspoons, get a cookbook with good charts to help you. I had a friend who couldn't figure out why she was getting too much baking powder in her biscuits and cornbread. The recipe called for two teaspoons, and she thought that equaled one tablespoon. Fact: three teaspoons equal one tablespoon. Try to be exact in things like salt, baking powder, soda, and spices. When you only add small amounts, it doesn't take much to be too much. After you have experience with a recipe, you may want to adjust it to suit your taste.
If you are trying to adjust a recipe to make less, be sure you reduce everything proportionately--to make half as much as the recipe calls for, cut all the ingredients in half. Use a smaller pan, and you may have to reduce the cooking time, too. Watch it carefully. A smaller amount may cook quicker, or it may still take the same cooking time, especially if it is in different size pan.
Bottom line--don't let measurements intimidate you. Learn the measurements and equilivants and cook away.
Any mix for a baked item should use exact measurements to get the product pictured on the box. After you have tried it, you may be willing to change things. My aunt used a prepared mix to make cakes for years. She changed the measurements adding a lot more oil than the recipe called for, but she had some failures over the years, too.
You might call this kind of cooking experimental--but you do have to eat it when you are through. Adding more oil will make a richer, tenderer product, but it will also have more calories. Adding sugar sometimes makes baked goods tougher, like pie crust, for instance. If you want to add sugar to pie crust, don't add more than 1 teaspoon of granulated or 1 tablespoon of powered sugar per pie crust.
If you are not familiar with measurements like ounces, liters, or teaspoons, get a cookbook with good charts to help you. I had a friend who couldn't figure out why she was getting too much baking powder in her biscuits and cornbread. The recipe called for two teaspoons, and she thought that equaled one tablespoon. Fact: three teaspoons equal one tablespoon. Try to be exact in things like salt, baking powder, soda, and spices. When you only add small amounts, it doesn't take much to be too much. After you have experience with a recipe, you may want to adjust it to suit your taste.
If you are trying to adjust a recipe to make less, be sure you reduce everything proportionately--to make half as much as the recipe calls for, cut all the ingredients in half. Use a smaller pan, and you may have to reduce the cooking time, too. Watch it carefully. A smaller amount may cook quicker, or it may still take the same cooking time, especially if it is in different size pan.
Bottom line--don't let measurements intimidate you. Learn the measurements and equilivants and cook away.
