As I was perusing the internet for some recipes, I came across an article that was a lot of fun to read. It was all about chefs and their secret ingredients. I love hearing what people add to recipes to make them special and unique. My father-in-law has a spaghetti recipe that I really enjoy. I normally don't like spaghetti- I am not a huge fan of tomato sauce. But I will definitely eat this stuff. I asked him what he adds to his sauce to make it so tasty- and he told me he adds cream cheese and barbecue sauce. The cream cheese adds a thickness and richness that is awesome, and the barbecue sauce adds a unique flavor that is super tasty. It's not something I would have put together, but it totally works.

And that's the beauty of secret ingredients- everyone thinks a little differently, and so many tasty possibilities are born that might not have otherwise been created! Here are some other combinations and secret ingredients you may want to give a try next time you're in the kitchen!

*Add cocoa powder to your pasta sauce.

*Add cilantro to your homemade pesto instead of basil.

*Crush some animal crackers and add them to mole sauce.

*Use some crushed Funyuns as breading on fish (like halibut) .

*Smash some Cheetos or cornflakes and use them as breading for chicken.

*When making French toast, add sweetened condensed milk to the eggs before dipping your toast in them.

*Coat cauliflower in ketchup before frying it.

*Grind rice and add it to soups to make them even creamier and rich!

*Add cinnamon to your favorite stew or mole sauce.

*Make Wolfgang Puck's special sauce: 1 tablespoon of chopped ginger, 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped garlic and 3 minced green onions mixed into a rough paste, and add it to meats, veggies, or anything your heart desires.

*Try a little Dijon mustard in your homemade sauces or dressings.

*Add just a little bit of fresh mint to your dishes for a unique and refreshing flavor.

*Put some Worcestershire sauce in your scrambled eggs.

These are only a few of many unique flavorings. Do you have a special go-to secret ingredient? Or a special recipe that has an unexpected pairing? I'd love to hear all about it!