Kitchen tips

• How long can food sit out? Fridge times

  Perishable food should not sit out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Fridge times for leftovers, raw meat and eggs, from USDA guidance.

• How to measure flour correctly: cups vs grams

  Measure flour with the spoon-and-level method or a scale. A cup of flour is about 120 to 125 g, but scooping can add 20 percent or more.

• Safe internal cooking temperatures chart

  Minimum safe internal temperatures for chicken, beef, pork, fish, eggs and leftovers, based on USDA guidance, with Celsius equivalents.

• How to halve or double a recipe (with chart)

  Halve or double any recipe with this chart for cups, tablespoons and teaspoons, plus what to change for eggs, spices, pan size and cooking time.

• How many tablespoons are in a stick of butter?

  One US stick of butter is 8 tablespoons, 1/2 cup, 4 ounces or 113 grams. Conversion chart, calories per tablespoon and how to soften butter fast.

• Buttermilk substitute: 4 easy ways to replace it

  No buttermilk? Mix milk with lemon juice or vinegar, or thin yogurt with milk. Exact amounts per cup, and when each substitute works best.

• Baking soda vs baking powder: how they differ

  Baking soda needs an acid to work, baking powder already contains one. Learn how they differ, typical amounts, and how to substitute one for the other.