need ideas for a potluck - using a secret ingredient

lalawaterlala

I always make this (but I don't know if it's potluck appropriate) -
Spaghetti!

Ok so, you buy a few cans or a couple jars of tomato sauce and put it in a large sauce pan. Take some carrots and shred small pieces into the sauce. No one can tell they are there but they are getting vitamins from carrots when they eat the sauce!

I found this out from my professor who was teaching us how to get picky kids to get more vegetables. Ever since, I've always snuck carrot shreds into my spaghetti sauce and no one knows it's in there :P

lalawaterlala

make brownies....just put some "herbs" in it as the secret ingredient.....everything else will taste amazing too.

Make mashed potatoes but put mayonnaise in them. Trust me....they'll change your world.

the brownies with the "herbs" would definitely take the potluck party to another level haha

HotAshMess

What about mock apple pie? It uses zuchini instead of apples.

Chocolate Cake with mayo.

shartran

Check out this - from 'Green Gourmet Giraffe' blog:

Mashed potato chocolate cake
Posted: 08 Jul 2014 05:28 AM PDT

There are cakes I dream of making again. Cakes from long ago. Cake I still remember with delight. Take for instance a cake I made soon after leaving school. A mashed potato chocolate cake. It made my siblings shudder in horror. That amused me. I found that the mashed potato gave it a lovely soft texture. These days I make many fancier cakes. Yet I have dreamt of this cake for age. It should be the cake that stands tall and proud in a photo rather than falling flat on its face. However it seems fate has a sense of humour too.

Earlier this week we had a lovely dinner of spaghetti squash, veg spag bol sauce, steamed broccoli and mashed potato. It reminded me of the meals my mum used to serve us as kids. High on comfort. I made lots of mashed potato. It seemed the perfect time to bake the mashed potato cake. So yesterday while our paintings were still drying, I got out my old Women's Weekly cookbook.
The cake is made in a 20 cm ring tin. I don't use my ring tin often these days. It got more outings years ago when I had less variety of cake tins. I might have bought this cake tin many years ago but I have a feeling my mum just found it in her kitchen and gave it to me.
The icing was runnier than it looks on the photo in the cookbook. Perhaps it was because I used margarine or couldn't be bothered washing the electric beaters to make the icing. We decorated the cake with M and Ms. My sister won a year's supply of M and Ms recently so all the family has been rolling in them. Well, almost! My brother-in-law says he would have needed far more M and Ms than she got to have a year's worth. Sylvia loved decorating the cake.
Then I had a great idea to put the plate on a cake stand and photograph it outside. I put the cake by the table and propped it up because the table was on a lean. Suddenly the table lurched. It knocked the cake. The cake flew threw the air and landed wrong side down. Sylvia and I laughed hysterically. Then she screamed when she realised that it was on the ground. I picked up the car crash cake, took a photo and ate a slice. It tasted so good.

Last night Sylvia and I drove down to Geelong for dinner for my nephew's birthday dinner. We took him some cake. I mentioned to my sisters that the cake had mashed potato in it. They shuddered. Seems my family's tastes haven't moved on as much as I thought it had. Ironic really, given that the cake reminded me of my mum's chocolate cake. I didn't mention the mashed potato to my brother. Thought it best not to.

Meanwhile Sylvia thought I was joking when I first said that I was adding mashed potato to a cake. It didn't take me long to convince her. And my mashed potato only had carbs, margarine and salt. Nothing you wouldn't usually put in a cake. I thought pepper might be a bit too much for Sylvia. Luckily she is more open minded than most of my family. (Well she does see lots of different dishes even if she rejects most of them.)

Today we got back from a day of craft with her friends at the Immigration Museum. It was really cold and windy. We were tired. That cake tasted so good. I think we were both sad to finish it. E got home and asked if there was any left. Nope and the rest of the mashed potato went into potato scones. I must make that cake again soon.

I am sending this cake to No Waste Food Challenge - hosted by Anne's Kitchen and coordinated by Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Turtles and Pikelets - with gf buckwheat option
Two years ago: Sam Stern's Lancashire Burgers
Three years ago: Cookie wands
Four years ago: Falafel for E, Pizza for Sylvia
Five years ago: Slideshows, Nostalgia and Hedgehog
Six years ago: Curious Chipotles and Bonza Burritos
Seven years ago: PPN#19: You say tuna, I say tempeh!

Mashed potato chocolate cake
From Australian Women's Weekly Cakes and Slices Cookbook

125g butter (I used margarine)
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup mashed potato
1 1/4 cup self raising flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk (I used soy)

Frosting:
90g softened butter (I used margarine)
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 heaped tbsp cocoa
1-2 tbsp milk (I used soy)

Grease and line a 20cm ring tin. Preheat oven to 180 C. Cream butter and sugar (I used electric beaters), then beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in mashed potato, cocoa, 1/2 cup flour and half of the milk. Fold in remaining flour and milk. Evenly spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth on top. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly. Rest 5 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting cream the butter, beat in the icing sugar, cocoa and 1 tbsp of milk to make a spreadable mixture. Add extra tbsp of milk if required. I did this by hand but electric beaters are best to get a creamy icing. Spread icing over cooled cake. [Decorate if desired.]

Gimpypal

My favorite "secret" ingredient is epazote. If you have a Mexican market nearby, they will probably have it. I use it in my pinto beans, cooked eggs, and quesadillas. It is easy to grow (I ordered seeds from California and grew it in SW Virginia). Following is a link to an article about it.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-02-04/entertainment/9802040360_1_mexican-herb-black-beans-yucatecan-dishes

earlnabby

I have the best meatball recipe with a "secret" ingredient.


Bag of frozen meatballs, turkey or beef (or homemade even)
Brown in frying pan
add to crock pot
one large jug of Pace Picante salsa
1 large jar of grape jelly (secret ingredient)
Cook 4-5 hours on high in crock pot, or 6-8 hours on low

They are really good, super easy and people always request them at every party/potluck I go to.

I make the same thing except with a can of jellied cranberry sauce instead of the grape jelly.

WadeLam

I have the best meatball recipe with a "secret" ingredient.


Bag of frozen meatballs, turkey or beef (or homemade even)
Brown in frying pan
add to crock pot
one large jug of Pace Picante salsa
1 large jar of grape jelly (secret ingredient)
Cook 4-5 hours on high in crock pot, or 6-8 hours on low

They are really good, super easy and people always request them at every party/potluck I go to.

I make the same thing except with a can of jellied cranberry sauce instead of the grape jelly.

There must be tons of variations of this recipe. For mine, I use a large bottle of barbecue sauce and a small jar of apricot preserves. It's delish and incredibly easy.

Tingababoo

Chocolate Peanut Butter TOFU Mousse (4 Ingredients)

by: a Couple Cooks
Makes: 4
What You Need
14-ounce package silken or soft tofu (try to find GMO-free or organic)
⅓ cup natural creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons salted peanuts (for garnish)
What To Do
In a food processor or blender, puree tofu with ⅓ cup peanut butter, 6 tablespoons maple syrup and ¼ cup cocoa powder in a blender until smooth.
Divide among glasses and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, until set.
For the garnish, crush 2 tablespoons peanuts and sprinkle on top of the pudding. Add a touch of cocoa powder, if desired.

http://www.acouplecooks.com/2014/03/chocolate-peanut-butter-mousse-4-ingredients/

Toblave

This is actually really good :-)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/moo-less-chocolate-pie-recipe.html

sfbaumgarten

Sorry if someone already said it, but you could sub greek yogurt for cream cheese, sour cream, or mayo in just about any recipe...

Mygsds

Another good one. Tastes like apple pie.. Secret ingredient..... Green tomato slices.

You can also use premade crust like pillsbury and skip pastry part.

Ingredients

Pastry

2 2/3
cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1
teaspoon salt
1
cup shortening
7
to 8 tablespoons cold water
Filling

1 1/3
cups sugar
1/4
cup plus 3 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 1/4
teaspoons ground nutmeg or ground cinnamon
1
teaspoon salt
4
cups green tomato slices, cut into fourths
1 1/4
teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4
cup lemon juice
1
tablespoon butter or margarine


Directions
1In medium bowl, mix 2 2/3 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
2Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

3Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 10-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

4In large bowl, mix sugar, 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt. Add tomatoes, lemon peel and lemon juice; toss to coat. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over tomatoes. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate
.
5Roll other round of pastry. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape. Unfold top pastry over filling; trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute as desired. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.
6Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm.
Expert Tips
Extra lemon peel? Instead of throwing it out, sprinkle it on the bottom of the pastry before filling with the tomato mixture. You’ll give each slice of pie an extra flavor boost! You’ll need about 2 lemons to get the 1/4 cup juice needed for this pie. You’ll need to grate only one lemon for the peel. For a pretty glazed top crust, brush this—and any other double crust pie—with milk or cream and sprinkle with sugar before baking.

canadjineh

I sneak snips of nori into my spaghetti sauce and my hubby thinks it's spinach, lol. More minerals and gives the sauce better umami flavour making it richer tasting and more satisfying. Usually a full sheet at least. Just use scissors to snip it up.

CindyMarcuzAdams

Sorry, I got nothin'.

Ooh! Magic Mushrooms. That will liven up any potluck.

Oh my that would indeed.

Go to pintrest and do a general search for secret. Ingredient. Recipes. There is a ton of them. Have fun.

massivediet

Chili with peanut butter is excellent and can be made in a vegetarian form too. People generally do not detect the peanut butter, if the goal here is to have people guessing, but it makes for a richer overall flavor. There are many recipes online, but if you have a good chili recipe, I think it would be safe to just add some bit by bit.


I don't think of bread pudding as a full-on dessert, so maybe it would work too. This is an excellent recipe that uses sharp cheddar cheese--I i have made it several times and it always goes over well. It's "Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)" and there is a recipe at myrecipes.com. This is a good holiday recipe if you don't use it now.

SnuggleSmacks

I've been wanting to make these:



They're marbled tea eggs. If you can find Lapsang Souchong, that's the best tea to use, as it's a smoked tea and gives the eggs an amazing smoky flavor and fragrance. You can google an exact recipe, but you basically hardboil the eggs, crack the shells all over but don't remove them, and then soak them in a mixture of strong Lapsang Souchong, soy sauce, a little sugar and some spices (aromatics like cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, etc. and peppercorns)

kikityme

I like appetizers, cause they're easy to make and transport
Also, wheat free (depending on what you serve it with) and low sugar

Goat Cheese Spread (secret ingredient, heart of palm)

Serves 8 to 10 (makes about 2 1/2 cups)
Per 1/4 c Serving: 70 calories (40 from fat), 4.5g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 230mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 5g protein

1 ear yellow corn, husked (highly recommend husking it yourself, I suppose you could use frozen....)
1 (6-ounce) container goat cheese crumbles
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 (14.1-ounce) can whole hearts of palm, drained and finely chopped

Carefully remove corn kernels from the cob and set aside in a small bowl. Working over a large bowl, use the dull edge of a table knife to scrape down the length of the cob on all sides to remove as much "milk" as possible; discard cob. To the large bowl, add cheese and lemon zest and juice and mash with a fork until creamy and well combined. Stir in reserved corn kernels, parsley and hearts of palm. Chill before serving. Serve with ciabatta, toast, pita chips etc.

CamilleJackie350

Just make the other type of brownies. If you gnomesaiyin

2BeHappy2

I have the best meatball recipe with a "secret" ingredient.


Bag of frozen meatballs, turkey or beef (or homemade even)
Brown in frying pan
add to crock pot
one large jug of Pace Picante salsa
1 large jar of grape jelly (secret ingredient)
Cook 4-5 hours on high in crock pot, or 6-8 hours on low

They are really good, super easy and people always request them at every party/potluck I go to.

Actually this is good...someone at a family function made this...I think she said she used some kind of chipotle sauce (maybe that's the exchange for the salsa on this recipe) and it was yummy!!