“I add pureed or shredded carrots to my tomato sauce.
It really cuts the acidity without the extra added sugar.
Everyone always raves about my pasta sauce.”
“I use Kraft Macaroni & Cheese packets to season my popcorn.
It’s life-changing.”
Something about salted Irish butter will take your cookies to the next level."
“I add a pinch of salt to hot chocolate, and people go crazy for it.
But it’s only hot cocoa mix, milk, and salt.
The extra sodium doesn’t make it salty at all.
In fact, it somehow brings out more of the chocolate flavor.”
“The secret to incredible tomato sauce is butter.
Try putting a decent amount of butter into your red sauce and let it simmer.
It will taste so much better, but no one will be able to guess the secret.”
“Try adding a touch of horseradish to your mashed potatoes…especially garlic mashed potatoes.
It’s a game changer.
It adds a ton of flavor without being too noticeable or overpowering.”
It’s creamy, savory, spicy, sweet, and totally divine."
It makes for an incredible grilled cheese sandwich."
“Anytime a recipe calls for water, I always use chicken broth instead.
It makes just about anything taste richer, more complex, and better.”
“Add a little bit of soy sauce to your tuna or chicken salad.
It gives it that extra salty tanginess.
I worked at Jimmy John’s for a while, and that was their secret.
I’ve been making mine this way for 10 years now, and I could never go back.”
It keeps baked goods super soft and moist for days."
“Most people use overripe bananas for banana bread, but I have another great trick.
I freeze the overripe bananas first, then I thaw them when it’s time to bake.
Freezing them first somehow makes them taste even sweeter.”
“Crack an egg into your mashed potatoes when they’re almost ready.
Forget about cream and butter the secret to super-creamy mashed potatoes is adding an egg into the mix.
(It works for pasta carbonara, so why not for mashed potatoes?)
It makes them taste so much more flavorful than simply cooking them in water.”
“Add a bit of mayonnaise to your beaten eggs before scrambling them or making an omelet or quiche.
It adds volume and makes them light and fluffy.”
“Adding a pinch of baking soda to grits or polenta cuts the cooking time in half.
It’s my favorite dinner time-saver.”
It’s the key to the fluffiest, airiest waffles ever."
“Place an ice cube on any leftover food you’re microwaving to add moisture while reheating.
The ice wont melt, but it adds steam to your food.
It’s especially useful for rice.”
Just soften a pat of butter and add anything from herbs or garlic to chili pepper.
Shape the butter into a cylinder on waxed paper, roll it up, and freeze it.
Whenever you want to use it, just use a warm knife to slice off a portion.
I always have about five different-flavored butters in my freezer on any given day."
“Add a layer ofGreekyogurt or mayonnaise on top of fish fillets like salmon before baking them.
It prevents the fish from drying out on the oven, keeping it moist and flaky.”
“The trick to life-changing mashed potato gravy: the spice packet from yourinstant ramen.
“I put extra yolks in my scrambled eggs.
It makes them so much more decadent.
It gives the meat a smoky heat that really elevates the flavor.”
“A friend of mine learned this trick in culinary school, and now I swear by it.
Yellow mustard or Dijon always does the trick.
I dont know what kind of magic it is, but it totally works.”
It helps cut those sour, acidy, bitter flavors and adds another level of deliciousness.”
It makes it creamier and so rich."
“I worked in a high-end restaurant that was very well known for its cheesecake.
Since I learned this trick, I’ve started keeping a box around for lazy days or emergencies.
They’re a lifesaver when you’ve added too much liquid to soup.”
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
