This post was inspired by a Tweet tonight from Tanis; she tweeted:
Cream, Cream Cheese and Sour Cream were the popular answers, however, with a homemade tomato sauce.. adding a cream can easily go wrong. That’s a delicate balance and can go bad on you, very quickly.
Truly, the answer is quite simple and is probably in your pantry right now:
Honey.
I know, you’re sayin’: “Honey, please”
Honestly, y’all.. Honey. Just a little bit of the sweet combats the heat from too much cayenne, too much red pepper, too much hot sauce. A little bit of honey goes a long way and won’t compromise the integrity of your dish.
So, this got me thinking… what other quick kitchen fixes do I know?
Too much salt in a soup or stew?
- add in a few thick slices of peeled potato, potatoes absorb salt. Just add the potato slices and slowly simmer until the potatoes become translucent.
Bitter Coffee
- Add a dash of salt to a pot of coffee that tastes too bitter, yet you can’t bring yourself to throw it out.
Undercooked Cake
- Scoop out the center and fill with frosting or fresh fruit
- Crumble up the usable parts to serve over ice cream or make into a beautiful parfait.
- Whatever you do, don’t tell them it’s a mistake!!! Just smile, wink and accept the compliments and praises on your delicious concoction
Too Thin Sauce
- if your sauce is too thin, you can add a bit of cornstarch mixed with water, mashed potato flakes or even a quick flour and butter roux
Recipe Substitutions:
Did you run out of buttermilk or another key ingredient? There are some surprisingly simple fixes for that.
- 1 tsp baking powder = ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 Cup Skim Milk + 1 Tbsp vinegar or Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch = 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cream = ½ cup butter + ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 cup honey = 1 ¼ cups sugar + ¼ cup water
- 1 cup molasses = 1 cup of honey
- 1 cup sour cream = 1 cup of yogurt
- 1 cup brown sugar = ¾ cup of granulated sugar + ¼ cup molasses
- 1 cup granulated sugar = ¾ cup honey or ½ cup corn syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1/8 tsp cornstarch (blended in food processor)
How To Take The Gamey Flavor Out of Venison
- Soak the venison in a mixture of buttermilk and worcestershire for 24 hours.
and I can’t believe I forgot this one! Thanks, April!
What Can I use in Place of Oil during Baking?
- I use applesauce in place of oil in a LOT of my baking recipes: Like in my Easy homemade Granola
- April also suggests: pureed pumpkin, sweet potato and even pureed black beans!
These are just a few ideas, a few quick tips to fix those “happens-to-everyone” kitchen oopsies
What are your favorite tips, hints and tricks?
What are your favorite kitchen tricks and tips? leave them in a comment here 
Rachel, what can you add if chili or tomato sauce is too tangy?
You can try adding more tomatoes, or use the honey method.
A little bit of honey goes a long way.
Add some honey, simmer a bit, taste… repeat
The honey worked like a charm. Thanks so much Rachel. I knew I could count on you to fix my kitchen blunders. I really need you to come up north and give me some kitchen lessons. My children would thank you for eternity. Wink.
Redneck Mommy´s most recent brilliance ..How Old Is Old Enough
Oh my gosh. Can you imagine????
First: ME in Canada
ooh yes.
Second: We could do a whole video series, it would be the awesome.
Third: I WISH.
(hugs)
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
Wonderful tips post darlin’
I never knew about the salt in bitter coffee.
Tickled Red´s most recent brilliance ..Shrimp Grits Love
Thanks!
I don’t drink coffee, but I know people that swear by that and they told me about it
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
What a fun post! I love this! I use the buttermilk substitution whenever I make scones because they only sell buttermilk in quarts around here and most of it ends up going to waste.
Boston Mamas´s most recent brilliance ..77kids Do Good Day
QUARTS! Wow.
My Granddaddy drank buttermilk. I KNOW!
I cn easily go through a quart with baking and marinating but dang….
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
I like to substitute applesauce, pureed pumpkin, pureed sweet potato or pureed black beans for fat and oil.
it’s yummy AND makes recipes healthier.
MommyNamedApril´s most recent brilliance ..Mini Vacations Are Kind of Our Thing I Didnt Bring My Camera to the Beach- So You Can Imagine Those Shots Sand- Water- Sweat You Know the Drill
Thank you for reminding me
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
Im a new follower, and had to let you know this post could have helped me ALOT on the past and will be even better for the future when things go wrong in the kitchen
Love your blog!
Jennifer´s most recent brilliance ..The Versatile Blogger
AWE! Hi Jennifer!
Thank you so much! YAY! Welcome 
I hope this does help you out
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
These are some great tips, Rachel!
Karly´s most recent brilliance ..Cherry Pie
Thank you, my sweet
What? you aren’t chiming in? I know you have to have some fabulous tips.
You are the Queen of baking and delicious noms!
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
Great post! I’m always overdoing something!
Thank you, ma’am!
I hope it comes in handy for ya!
Wow, this is so helpful! I would never have known any of them.
Kellee´s most recent brilliance ..Cone of Shame!
Thanks, Kellee!
If you ever have any kitchen/cooking questions feel free to shoot me an email, I’m always willing to answer anything that I can 
I’d like to think I’m a useful and fun resource
Here’s one of my favorite tips:
Trying to get more vegetable into your kids’ diet? Once it is soup season again, try this trick for 1. cooling down soup to an edible temp and 2. getting more veggies into those kids! Just stir in some frozen mixed vegetable into any vegetable stew or soup you are serving. The heat will cook the veggies and in turn these frozen bits will cool down the soup so it is not scalding to little mouths.
Great tip, Margo! Thanks!!!
Mine’s not for cooking, but I ALWAYS put lemons and limes down the garbage disposal to make it smell nice.
MomBabe´s most recent brilliance ..3 year olds are too sneaky for their own good
ME TOO!
See, this is why you’ve always been one of my favorites
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
I am printing this and storing in my kitchen, so useful. Thanks!
Hockeymandad´s most recent brilliance ..Hello Monday
Thank you, sir.
How’s Ang?
Hugs and love to y’all.
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
If I have just a little salsa left, I add it to my rice as it cooks while I make tacos. Out of oil, you said it, apple sauce is the best. need to use up some dried figs/cranberries/raisins? throw them in your banana bread.
those are my tips.
designHer Momma´s most recent brilliance ..Still sharper than a Sharpie
Me too, Me too!!!
I love adding salsa to rice and beans as they cook!
You. rock.
xo
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
Love, and I mean Love this post. You don’t know how many times I wish I had some of this info handy. The honey? Who knew? I know I’m going use that one. Printing up this info and posting it in my kitchen cabinet. Thanks a bunch of daffodils~
The fact that I just helped YOU with something. (ZING) my day is made.
Every single time I put my apron on, I smile.
I get compliments on it EVERY SINGLE TIME I wear it.
YAY!!!! xoxo <3
Rachel ~ Southern Fairytale´s most recent brilliance ..How To Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents
This is so awesome! I never can remember these things when I need to!
amy2boys´s most recent brilliance ..Shark Bites – The Office
I would have never thought of honey, what a great tip!
Christi´s most recent brilliance ..Must Have Small Appliance for the Kitchen- Mixer
Sending this to my mom…she seems to like to oversalt things…well, except her coffee:)
I make all of these mistakes seemingly on a daily basis! LOL I am bookmarking this post so you can rescue me when I goof from now on!
thank you! (my husband’s taste buds thank you, too! LOL)
LOL Sarah!
I hope that some of these help you!
Let me know!!!
I think your first sub is mixed up: 1 tsp baking powder = ¼ tsp baking soda + 1/2 cup buttermilk or ½ tsp cream of tartar
Can’t be 1/2 cup buttermilk – isn’t it cornstarch or salt?
Rachel (Hounds in the Kitchen)´s most recent brilliance ..Wise Water Use in the Kitchen – Blog Action Day 2010
Thank you so much for catching that, Rachel! I’m not sure how the buttermilk got in there! oops! That’s what I get for doing multiple posts at once
The buttermilk was incorrect! it was supposed to be 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar!!!
I can’t believe that’s been up for so long and nobody (ME) caught it!!!!
Awesome! I have honey on hand but haven’t ever actually bought molasses…oops! ;p
Once I was making brownies, had already started, then realized that we were out of eggs…so I searched online for vegan cooking tips, and used banana. They didn’t set, but DANG they were tasty!
Al_Pal´s most recent brilliance ..Sensitivity- I have it
I’ve always heard the bananas sub for eggs thing, yet, never believed it
or tried it!
I’m glad ot hear it was tasty, even if it didn’t set
Molasses is awesome, I think everyone should have Molasses in their pantry — it lasts forever and it’s so useful!!!!!!
What are the types of kitchen accident. List them please!!!