18 secret recipes

Pork or veal schnitzel with a mushroom sauce topped with bacon. Perfect for Oktoberfest or any time you are hankering for German fare.

Secret kiss cookies hide a whole chocolate kiss inside a buttery, walnut-flecked shortbread, baked until just set and rolled in powdered sugar. Bite in and the soft chocolate center is the surprise. A Christmas cookie tin favorite.

Had some leftover pulled pork and wanted something a little different than your standard barbeque sauce. Why "Chauvinist Pig"? Secret's in the sauce!

Ultra-moist banana bread with a secret ingredient twist—buttermilk and brown sugar stirred in at the end for tender crumb and caramel notes.

Classic all-american potato salad with a secret ingredient that delivers the seasoning.

Pinto bean fudge blends strained beans with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and nuts for a surprisingly creamy candy. No one will guess the secret ingredient.

Orange sweet potatoes whipped with fresh orange juice, zest, brown sugar, and a secret splash of Angostura bitters. A lighter, butterless holiday side dish.

This chocolate fudge cake hides two secret ingredients: beer for depth and sauerkraut for moisture. Rich, dark, and unbelievably tender with optional raisins and nuts.

Bread machine rye bread with caraway seeds and a secret ingredient: sauerkraut for extra tang and moisture. Three-flour blend for a dense, chewy crumb.

An award-winning chili recipe that combines pork with beef, sauces and reveals secret spices while cooking using a two-phase process to keep flavors bright and fresh.

Creamy chocolate tofu pie in a homemade graham cracker crust, sweetened with honey and vanilla. Dairy-free, egg-free, and so silky nobody will guess the secret ingredient.

A deep dish apple pie with homemade crust and a secret: heavy cream poured through the slits mid-bake, creating a luscious sauce around every cinnamon-spiced slice.

Texas-style pecan pie with a secret cornmeal addition for texture, both light and dark corn syrup for depth, and vanilla butternut extract. Gooey, crunchy, and piled with whipped cream.

Chili Krieghauser with ground beef, French onion soup, kidney beans, and a splash of cola plus cocoa for unexpected depth. The midwestern-style cookoff chili with a secret ingredient list.

Bakery-style scones loaded with chocolate chips, toffee bits, and toasted walnuts. The secret? Whipped heavy cream folded into the dough for a tender, flaky crumb that rivals your favorite cafe.

Hearty no-bean beef chili built on 3 pounds of stewing beef, half a cup of chili powder, masa harina for body, and a secret weapon: a dash of Peychaud's bitters and nutmeg at the finish.