Mystery ingredient

“You’ll never guess what’s in this” is not exactly the most inviting thing your dinner guests could hear as they belly up to a feast at your home. It’s part challenge, part dare, with just a little bit of “Fear Factor” thrown in.

But, as long as you’re not spiking your lasagna with live grubs, there is a certain wow factor to whipping up a tasty dish with an unusual, unexpected ingredient.

In fact, Christopher Kimball, founder and editor of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, says one such recipe with a you’ll-never-guess-it-in-a- million-years ingredient is his favorite ever created by the magazine’s test kitchen in its nearly 15-year history.

“I’m just mad I didn’t come up with it,” Kimball says.

The creation is simple enough: Pie dough.

But the addition of the secret ingredient – a quarter cup of ice-cold vodka – makes it ultra light and flakey, arguably the perfect pie crust.

“I’m a big pie maker,” Kimball says. “It’s the hardest thing to do well in the kitchen.”

Plus, it’s just kind of fun to let your guests guess how you made such a wonderful pie crust.

There are many World War II-era recipes that call for unusual ingredients to get around rationing and shortages. (Ever tried mayonnaise cake?)

And there are other recipes that came en vogue not long after, as an increasing number of convenience products came on the market.

“Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, a lot of food editors were hired as consultants of big food companies,” Kimball says.

Nancy Patrykus, a Spokane resident who moved here from Chicago following her retirement a couple of years ago, considers herself a recipe collector.

“I’ve got a roomful of recipes,” Patrykus says. “I always saved all my old cookbooks … I could sit and read recipes.”

But she has a particular affinity for the unusual recipes gathered from old relatives and church cookbooks.

She’s not sure how she came across the instructions for Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake, but she knows it tastes great.

“Don’t tell people,” she says. “They’ll think it’s coconut.”

Sometimes the key to recipe success is thinking outside the box. And that often means using ingredients in unexpected ways.

Marcie Jabbora of Spokane likes to spike her pumpkin pie with Chinese Five Spice Powder, instead of the routine spice combination.

(She also tells a story about accidentally spilling parakeet food into her pumpkin pie batter nearly 20 years ago. Her son still asks if she’ll be making “bird seed pumpkin pie.”)

Bird seed not included, the cooks in Kimball’s test kitchen have become masters at finding new ways to use old ingredients.

Here are some recipes that include unexpected ingredients. Test them out on your guests and see if they can figure out your secret.

Foolproof Pie Dough

From Cook’s Illustrated, November/December 2007

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening cut into 4 pieces

1/4 cup cold vodka

1/4 cup cold water

Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup of flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) double pie crust

Approximate nutrition per serving, crust only, based on 10 servings: 348 calories, 24 grams fat (11 grams saturated, 62 percent fat calories), 3 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrate, 37 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 235 milligrams sodium.

Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake

From Nancy Patrykus, of Spokane. Patrykus says no one will guess the secret ingredient in this cake. Tastes like coconut, she says.

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup sauerkraut, drained, rinsed and finely chopped

1 cup water

Cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cocoa. Add to creamed mixture in batches, alternating with the water. Stir in sauerkraut.

Pour into greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Yield: 12 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 270 calories, 10 grams fat (5 grams saturated, 31 percent fat calories), 5 grams protein, 43 grams carbohydrate, 73 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 340 milligrams sodium.

Mashed Potato Fudge

From “America’s Best Lost Recipes.” It is best to keep this softer fudge in the refrigerator.

1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 cups sugar

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

Bring the potato and the water to cover to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potato, then mash until smooth.

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving overhang on all sides. Grease the foil. Transfer 1/2 cup mashed potatoes to a large saucepan (discard the remaining potatoes) and add the sugar and milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer, about 234 degrees, 15 to 25 minutes.

Off the heat, add the vanilla, peanut butter and peanuts, mixing with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and refrigerate, uncovered, until firm, at least 4 hours. Using the foil overhang, remove the fudge from the pan and cut into 1-inch squares.

The fudge can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 64 pieces

Approximate nutrition per serving: 54 calories, 2 grams fat (less than 1 gram saturated, 36 percent fat calories), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrate, less than 1 gram cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 11 milligrams sodium.

Low-fat Peanut Butter Cookies

From Cook’s Country, September 2007. Editors recommend Skippy Reduced-Fat Super Chunk for these cookies.

1 1/2 cups Cap’n Crunch’s Peanut Butter Crunch cereal

1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted.

5 tablespoons reduced-fat crunchy peanut butter

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon water

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pulse cereal and 1/3 cup flour in food processor until finely ground. Add remaining flour, baking soda and salt and pulse to combine. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat softened butter, peanut butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in melted butter, egg whites and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Add water and mix until absorbed.

Roll 1 1/2 tablespoons dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and space 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press each dough ball into a 1/2-inch disk with the back of a measuring cup or a flat bottomed glass. Using a fork, make a crosshatch pattern on top of each cookie.

Bake one sheet of cookies until edges are lightly browned but centers are soft, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookies. Serve.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 3 days.

Yield: 24 cookies

Approximate nutrition per serving (from the magazine): 130 calories, 4 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated, 27 percent fat calories). Other nutrition values not provided.

Ancho Chili

From The Coca-Cola Company

5 ancho chiles, rinsed, stems, seeds and ribs removed

1 1/2 cups water to cover chilies

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 1/2 cups diced white onion, diced small

3 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed

2 jalapeño peppers, medium, seeds and ribs removed, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3/4 pound ground beef, lean

3/4 pound ground pork, lean

1 cup canned whole tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups Coca-Cola

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 teaspoons salt

1 cup (10.5 oz. can) red kidney beans, canned, drained

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

1/2 cup sour cream, low-fat (optional)

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion (optional)

Place ancho chilies in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Transfer chilies and cooking liquid to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño peppers. Cook until onions soften and turn translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the beef and pork, and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add cola, tomatoes, cumin, tomatoes, and puréed chilies; stir well to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 30 minutes.

Stir in beans and 1 tablespoon salt. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until mixture thickens, about 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste with remaining 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste.

Ladle chili into warmed bowls and garnish with cheese, sour cream, and green onions if desired.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.

Secret-Ingredient Devil’s Food Cupcakes

From Real Simple magazine

3 large eggs

1 cup mayonnaise

1 box devil’s food cake mix

1 cup water

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place papers in 24 muffin-tin cups. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Beat in mayonnaise. Mix well with devil’s food cake mix, water and vanilla. Divide the batter among the cups. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool. For the frosting, melt semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler; whisk in sour cream. Frost the cupcakes immediately.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.