Any measuring cup will do.

Many cookbooks will tell you that measuring cups are not interchangeable and not all ingredients are measured in the same manner. I agree with this when you are baking, but not when you are cooking. Baking is an exact science. You cannot arbitrarily leave out ingredients or measure them inaccurately and expect your cake to rise.

If you put too much flour in your batter, or do not incorporate enough air as you are creaming the butter and sugar, your cake will turn out heavy and dense. The science behind baking must be respected and followed otherwise disaster will result. The ingredients used for baking are more delicate and you can taste a mistake immediately. If you put extra vanilla or nutmeg in your batter, you will taste it in the finished dish and it could be unpalatable.

Cooking, on the other hand, is a lot more forgiving. If you put too much flour into the pot and your sauce gets too thick all you need to do is add a bit more broth to thin it. Cooking allows a lot more room for the cook to make corrections. Adding extra rosemary to your stew or extra basil to your tomato sauce will be fine.

Give up the idea of perfection when you are cooking and go for end taste. You do not have to be exact when you cook and you certainly can put your spin on a recipe. The test is in the finished taste; if the finished dish tastes good then your efforts were a success. When you start to cook dinner, do not concern yourself with what measuring cup to use just reach for a cup and go for it. As America’s Cooking Cheerleader™, I am thrilled you are reaching for a measuring cup and not reaching for your car keys to take you to the drive-thru.

Cooking is easier than you think and you are worth the time and effort it takes.


Simple cooking idea: To save nutrients, cut the vegetable, add one tablespoon of water, cover, and microwave on high until it is soft.

Copyright ©2010 by Gigi Centaro. All Rights Reserved.