I've used applesauce in my meatloaf in place of
eggs!

I used to make a delicious, moist chocolate cake, using sauerkraut. When I make banana bread or muffins I use almond extract instead of vanilla. Dottie P.S, your cookies sound so good!!!

Used to make a spice cake using baby food prunes!

It's not a secret ingredient, but I do grate carrots into my spagetti sauce. The theory is that the sweetness of the carrots counteracts the acidity of the tomatoes. The carrots cook down and you cannot see them.

I used to put grape jelly in my chili. Added a little sweetness to it.

I also use cayenne pepper instead of paprika on my deviled eggs... not because it tastes better, just because I never had paprika on hand... but I wanted the bit of color on the top. My DD was the only one who ever complained. lol

chili: add cocoa

When making cinnamon bread, add a few pinches of cocoa to the cinnamon sugar mixture. It adds more color, and a richness to the taste of the cinnamon, without tasting chocolate-y. Learned that trick from a bakery in our town

I use to make a green tomato pie that tasted like apple pie,only better!

Yup. Got a secret ingredient for chili. Its a little bit of brown sugar. Add the brown sugar to taste after the chili is about 1/2 way through its cooking process. Be careful. A little goes a long way. A little too much ruins the batch. Some folks add grapes in place of the sugar.

Another chili secret; add cinnamon.

My mother always told me to sprinkle a little sugar on lima beans, sweet peas and sweet corn when cooking. (after its been frozen.) It really helps bring back the freshness.

I make a chocolate cake, that I put shredded zucchini in. Yummy.

When my girls were little, that was the only way I could get zucchini in them. :)

Moni

Nutmeg in mashed potatos.

Shredded carrots in meatloaf. Keeps the meatloaf moist and adds a veggie.

I add chopped carrots to meatloaf, spaghetti and many other things! I don't like cooked carrots and the kids weren't thrilled with them either, so I would hide them in lots of things.

DH Dean will occasionally make soup...I really try to dissuade him to do this tho...you just never know with him!! Anyway, he made chicken noodle one time, and accidentally added some cinnamon. Just a small amount, but it really is good!

I replace all my oil in quick breads and bars with applesauce. So much moister!

It's not exactly an ingredient, but I put a few whole berries of allspice in my pepper grinder, mixed throughout. It adds a nice flavor to the pepper.

Ever have someone 'share' a recipe and leave out her secret ingredient? When a childhood friend of mine was a newlywed she tried and tried to make her DH's favorite pepper steak, only to hear, "It doesn't taste like Mom's."

'Mom' accidentally-on-purpose left out an ingredient: Worcestershire Sauce! (Do I need to tell you who had opposed the marriage?)

Grandma always added butter, sugar and milk to Campbells canned cream of tomato soup. In fact, she always added sugar to any tomato dish, "to cut the acid".

Secret ingredient to my pie dough when making it, for the liquid I use lemon lime soda drink.

Sue

I started using bourbon in a lot of things I cook/cooked long before Jack Daniels put all their sauces and stuff on the market!

A friend used to make chili for her DH, who didn't like kidney beans, with Bush's baked beans, instead. It makes a sweeter chili that way.

DH & DS just made saurkraut balls Fri night. Part of them were made acording to DMIL's recipe, and some had home made horseraddish added to them.

DS puts horseraddish in deviled eggs sometimes.

Tami

I was going to say that I make chocolate cake, and use my frozen, shredded zucchini in. I see that Oklamoni beat me to it, she does the same thing.

It's delicious.

Shredded potatoes into meatloaf. Occasionally I'll cube up some mozzarella cheese and mix in the meatloaf (or burgers) too. Most anything chocolate I add some cinnamon. I just think cinnamon and chocolate go together well. Let's see, I sneak beer into a lot of things that need moisture, especially chili, braising ribs, pot roast, etc. Adds flavor and tenderizes the meat too. Wine can work but usually the flavor is much stronger. Lemon pepper is added to season a lot of things too. That slight touch of lemon adds something. I often use almond extract in place of or in addition to vanilla.

Oh, a little tip I read recently said to add some powdered milk to meatloaf and meatballs. Sneaks some extra calcium into the diet without anyone knowing it.