123 surprise recipes

Leeks, wild mushrooms, and green beans sautéed in sherry with a bright finish of orange zest and apple cider vinegar. A low-fat, 20-minute side dish with surprising depth.

Crazy cake mixed right in the baking pan with no eggs, no butter, and no milk. Cocoa, vinegar, and oil create a surprisingly moist chocolate cake from Depression-era ingenuity.

It is really so nice a recipe, my first time tried it, really a surprising for my whole families, they all loved it so much, will make it again soon.

A marbled cinnamon sugar loaf made without eggs or butter. Layers of soft batter swirled with warm cinnamon create a fragrant, tender quick bread that's surprisingly easy to pull off.

Nuclear Waste cocktail with blue curacao and Irish cream liqueur topped with cider for a murky, sci-fi green drink. A deliberately ugly Halloween party drink that tastes surprisingly good.

A surprisingly tasty sweet and spicy combination. The creamy texture of the bananas enhances the creaminess of the melted cheese and sets off the spicy flavors of the cilantro and jalapenos.

Sweet spinach tart with wine-steamed spinach cooked in rosewater, sugar, and cinnamon, filled into a pie shell and topped with fresh sliced strawberries. A medieval-inspired dessert that's surprisingly beautiful.

Egg-free, dairy-free chocolate wacky cupcakes with a sugar substitute option. Vinegar and baking soda create the lift in these surprisingly tender, fudgy treats that come together in one bowl.

Sicilian-style slow cooker cannellini beans simmered with hot Italian sausage, ripe tomatoes, herbs, and a surprising strip of orange zest. Hands-off comfort food that fills the house with warmth.

Tomato-free ketchup made from cooked carrots and beets blended with lemon juice and spices. A clever low-sugar, nightshade-free condiment that looks and tastes surprisingly like the real thing.

Mock cheesecake uses blended tofu, honey, lemon juice, and vanilla in place of cream cheese for a vegan-friendly, dairy-free dessert baked into a graham cracker crust. Surprisingly creamy and bright.

Old-fashioned baked beans made from dried navy beans, slow-baked 7 hours with bacon, molasses, dark rum, and a surprise hit of curry powder. From-scratch comfort that earns every minute.

Jalapeño salsa cooked on the stovetop with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, cilantro, and a surprising kick of chopped green olives. A bright cooked salsa that goes with chips, tacos, eggs, and grilled meats.

Crazy chocolate cake made with no eggs, no butter, and no milk. Vinegar and baking soda create the lift in this one-bowl Depression-era recipe that bakes up surprisingly moist and rich.

Mock apple pie made with crackers instead of apples, boiled in sugar syrup with cream of tartar. A Depression-era trick pie that tastes surprisingly like real apple pie without a single apple.

Pears Helene is a classic French dessert of poached pear halves served with hot chocolate sauce and optional vanilla ice cream and chopped almonds. Elegant, timeless, and surprisingly simple to make at home.