123 surprise recipes

Vegetarian black bean chili simmered in stout beer with three chiles, peanut butter, and steamed broccoli florets. Deep, malty, and surprisingly bold.

Diet Rite bread: a 3-ingredient bread machine loaf made with just yeast, bread flour and soda water. Fat-free, sugar-free and low in sodium, with a surprisingly light, airy crumb.

Easy Spam triangles: hand-pie pockets filled with Spam, smoky Gouda, diced apple, and onion dip in flaky pie pastry. Retro party appetizer with surprising flavor.

Vegetarian tofu chili with crumbled frozen tofu, kidney beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, and cumin. A hearty meatless chili with surprisingly meaty texture.

Japanese pickled cauliflower, a quick refrigerator pickle with green pepper and celery in a sweet-tart brine with a surprising splash of cola for caramel depth.

Raspberry bran muffins with a hidden teaspoon of raspberry jam baked inside each one. Buttermilk bran batter with a fruity surprise center. Makes 24.

Single-serving broccoli rice soup made with leftover rice, cooked broccoli, and a surprising hint of apple. Serve chunky or puree it smooth. Ready in about 10 minutes of active cooking.

No-bake coconut candy with a secret ingredient: mashed potatoes bind coconut and powdered sugar into tiny haystacks, then get dipped in dark chocolate. Old-fashioned and surprisingly addictive.

Roast duckling glazed with orange marmalade and concentrated OJ, finished with a luscious cherry-red wine sauce. A sweet-savory showpiece that's surprisingly easy to pull off.

Great flavor with the basil and tomatoes. I needed to use up some fresh tomatoes and I was surprised how good they tasted in this.

Garbanzo bean pizza with a gluten-free chickpea puree crust topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Italian herbs. High-protein, grain-free, and surprisingly crispy.

Hidden Kisses cookies with chocolate kisses wrapped in buttery pecan shortbread and rolled in powdered sugar. A snowball cookie with a melted chocolate surprise inside.

Chocolate popcorn fudge: classic stovetop chocolate fudge cooked to soft-ball stage with chopped popped corn folded in for surprise crunch in every creamy square.

Fat-free chocolate cake with cocoa powder, egg whites, and corn syrup for moisture, finished with a quick cocoa glaze. Surprising richness with zero added butter or oil.

Whole wheat banana bread with no added fat - applesauce replaces butter and egg whites replace whole eggs. A wholesome, low-calorie loaf that stays surprisingly moist.

No-egg raisin cake with brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and ginger baked low and slow. A Depression-era pantry cake that's moist, spiced, and surprisingly rich.