Years ago most cooks used their memory when cooking and cooking measurements was something of a guess. A dash of this and a pinch of that usually described the amount of a dry ingredient used in a recipe. Depending on where you live and what you are cooking, measurements are typically given in teaspoons, tablespoons and cups, in the United States and in countries that use the metric measurement system grams and milliliters are most often used.

Cooking measurements will also include ounces, either fluid ounces or dry ounces, depending on whether the ingredient is wet or dry, but when following a recipe common sense prevails. Some of the most basic cooking measurements are learned while in grade schools, but there may be some equivalents that seem unnecessary to learn. For example, if a recipe calls for one cup of an ingredient, a one-cup measure is usually used. However, if you don’t have one, just add 16 tablespoons.

During the early to mid 20th century, many recipes called for cooking measurements that were somewhat subjective such as drop, dash and pinch. To many a pinch would be as much of a dry ingredient that the cook could pinch between the thumb and first finger. In reality, a pinch is one-fourth of a teaspoon.

Need Math Whiz For Changing Recipes

Many times, recipes are written down to realize a certain amount of the product being cooked. Many recipes for cookies, for example will produce between two and three dozen baked cookies. To make a larger batch the cooking measurements will have to be altered evenly to make the finished product come out correctly. Some of the measurements can simply be doubled if making a double batch but knowing that a dash equals .06 of a teaspoon will reveal that two dashes equals one 12th of a teaspoon.

One of the easiest conversions in cooking measurements is teaspoons, as everyone knows that three teaspoons equal one tablespoon and since 16 tablespoons makes a cup, it will take 48 teaspoons to equal a cup. Instead of writing the recipes with these cooking measurements, it is much easier to write it as one cup. It is easier to measure out as well.

However, there are going to be times when simply doubling a recipe can end in questionable results. A recipe calling for a teaspoon of salt for example, if doubled may end up with more salt in the food that wanted. While most cooking measurements are accurate, slight variations can be used to adjust the taste of the individual cook.

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Most times in the fall when pumpkins are harvested for pies, bread or for Halloween decorations, the seeds are routinely discarded. However, knowing the many different methods of cooking pumpkin seeds can provide a healthy snack. One of the simplest methods used for cooking pumpkin seeds is to place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven with a little bit of salt, but there are other ways to create a tasty treat.

Considering the pumpkin seeds can be toasted, roasted, boiled or baked cooking pumpkin seeds can also be a fun experience for the kids. Depending on the type of flavor used when they are cooked, they can also be plain, hot or mild. Some of the suggestions for cooking pumpkin seeds include using cayenne pepper or some other form of spice to add a real kick to the finished snack.

Before embarking on a plan for cooking pumpkin seeds, there are some guidelines to use, regardless of how you plan to prepare the seeds for eating. All of the pulp left over from extracting them from the pumpkin has to be removed and the seeds should be thoroughly rinsed and dried. Once rinsed with plain water, they can be spread out on paper towels and allowed to dry for several hours, usually overnight.

Baking Can Provide Healthier Choice

If you plan on cooking pumpkin seeds in the oven, once the seeds are dry that can be sprayed with cooking oil or placed in a sealed plastic food storage bag with a one teaspoon of melted butter or olive oil for every two cups of seeds. Shake the bag until the liquid is evenly spread on the seeds and then spread them out on a cookie sheet covered with non-stick aluminum foil.

Sprinkle the spice of your choice on the seeds and place in the oven at 250-degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until the seeds begin to turn light brown. It is important when cooking pumpkin seeds not to allow them to burn. Once they are done, they can be kept in a sealed bag for about a week but like many baked snack product they will go stale after a few days if left opened.

The same preparation can be used with other method for cooking pumpkin seeds and those who do not like the taste, can place them in the oven, without all the cleaning and baked for 10 or 15 minutes for a treat for the birds.

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