Shhhh. That’s the secret.
It behooves one to let their host know upon receiving the invite. Don’t do it when you walk in the door. The food is prepared already. And don’t make a big fuss.
Most hosts will accommodate you. If they refuse, decline the invitation.
I have severe restrictions and I would never go and eat where I know the food may not be in my best interests.
Well, my husband has a number of mostly mild food allergies. Most of them affect him in a cumulative fashion. If he cheats here and there he’s okay, but if he cheats too much, he gets pretty sick, like he has a stomach flu.
I got in the habit of using no more than two cloves of garlic when a recipe called for it, which he was aware of, and he really had no issue with it. But one day I was making soup and I put in too much garlic. Maybe it was garlic powder? I definitely used more than usual.
As I stared down at the pot I realized I would either have to throw the whole thing out, or we’d have to take our chances.
I said, “Hey husband, how’s your stomach been lately?”
He said, “Great.”
So I served the meal. I figured it wouldn’t hurt much.
He got pretty sick. I posted on Facebook about it (back when I had Facebook) with the ill-advised opener “I think I just poisoned my husband” and apparently this incident was hot gossip in the family. They still reference it and it’s been years. At least ten years.
Anyway, he gets full disclosure now.
Except last week I used a can of expired mango pulp because the Internet said it would be fine, and it tasted fine. I chose not to reveal that decision and no one was the wiser.
Here’s another vote for surreptitious use of anchovies. I smear the salad bowl with anchovy paste before adding and tossing the lettuce for a Caesar salad. That was in the original recipe I learned. It makes a slightly salty addition – in other salads I often sprinkle on seasoned salt, not anchovies.
I used to have a great bean stew dish that I added a spoonful of instant coffee to. People loved it.
I also use Jimmy Dean’s sage sausage in my stuffing and have been doing so for decades.
Instead of going through all the hassle of roasting peppers, then peeling them and seeding them for green chili stew, I just dump in a jar of Zia Hatch Chilis. People rave.
Add some lemon olive oil to your avocado.
Cornmeal pancakes are so far superior to regular pancakes you’ll never go back.
Ooh, I bet that’s good… might have to try that.
I put apple butter in my pumpkin pie.
Ahh. Apple butter. The cook of pastries best friend. It works well in a banana bread or muffins of any kind.
My daughter makes raisin pie that uses apple butter. You can use less fat and it has more flavor than applesauce. IMO
@Chefguy have you posted the corn meal pancake recipe? I’d love it. Thx.
We use whatever unsweetened cereal is in the pantry. I’ve even used Fiber One. That was different…
Especially the next morning! 
AND I like to mash up a can of carrots into it…fiber galore! 
I’m curious - does Worcestershire sauce set it off?
I may have, but here you go. I only make about half of it because there’s only the two of us, but this will feed four. I also use Bob’s medium grind cornmeal. Disclaimer: this is a variation on Bob’s recipe. I add the extra yolk, the sugar and vanilla for richness and flavor.
1 cup water
3/4 cup cornmeal
1-1/4 cups buttermilk (yogurt works fine, too)
2 eggs plus one yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter, which I prefer)
Bring a cup of water to a boil. In a large bowl pour the boiling water over the cornmeal and stir until thick. Let stand for five minutes to cool a bit.
Add in the buttermilk and eggs and mix thoroughly. Add the vanilla and the oil/butter and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Fold it into the cornmeal mixture and stir until combined.
I usually use about 1/4 cup of batter per cake on medium heat. I also fry them in ghee, which gives a nice crisp edge without burning, but whatever works for you. It takes about 3-4 minutes on a side. Top with maple syrup and butter.
Thank you. I’ve got it saved.
We boil water for corn meal for hot water corn bread and griddle cakes. It’s a familiar prep method.
It can-
Surprising Sources of Seafood
These foods may contain anchovies:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Barbecue sauces made with Worcestershire
- Caesar salad and Caesar dressing
That chilli that ya all love? It’s a recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook publlised 50 years ago.
That’s our secret.
My parents had a friend who was a health-food fanatic. But he had one weakness: ginger snaps. But he was always complaining that he could never find any that were as good as his mother had made.
My mother took that as a challenge. She searched for every recipe she could find, but none of them ever met with the friend’s approval. One day, my dad mentioned that his aunt had always made the best ginger snaps. Mom called the aunt, and asked for her recipe. “Oh, I just use the one in the Betty Crocker cookbook. But instead of shortening, I use bacon grease.”
Mom cooked a batch, and gave them to the friend. Success! He asked what the secret was. Mom just smiled and said, “You don’t want to know.”
I put them in latkes, especially the parsnips, which I boil a little first. I also put grated carrots in pasta.
As a vegetarian who does not think fish is a vegetable (and is really tired of getting asked over and over by the same person “You eat fish, right?”) I am really careful whose cooking I eat.