This cookbook is fantastic. I devoured it with the same enthusiasm with which I plan to tear after the Berry Breakfast Pastries (Cardamom).

Each recipe has an unexpected secret ingredient that elevates a dish to something extraordinary. Examples? I am looking forward to Cheesy Corn Chowder (Tarragon), Sheetpan BBQ Meatballs (Orange Soda), Blueberry French Toast Muffins (Coconut Milk), and Caesar Pasta Salad (Avocado).

The cookbook was laid out beautifully with gorgeous photos and recipes that are easy to follow. Most are made with ingredients that most well-stocked fridges and pantries already have; a real bonus right now, amirite?

Thank you to Kelly Senyei, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is jam packed with truly unique recipes, each of which looks appetising. The author is creative with her use of ingredients and all the recipes are well set out and easy to follow for novice chefs.

Drool-worthy is the only way to describe this cookbook, packed with recipes that will inspire you to get into the kitchen, stat!!! Despite having had dinner already, I had to grab some late night snacks just to make it through all the mouthwatering recipes (& those drinks, is it too late for alcohol!?!) This cookbook is jam packed with fabulous recipes, each with a twist... honey on pepperoni pizza is one delicious example! I highly recommend this book as a way to take your cooking to an exciting new level.

Big thanks to NetGalley & HMH Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love this recipe book. Kelly has taken the challenge many dream of and has made unique recipes with equally unique ingredients a reality for all to enjoy. The photos are rich in Color and present attractive and appealing dishes. I have learned some new tips to make baking and creating easier and more uniform as well as time saving tips and tricks. There is something for everyone to enjoy. Highly recommend this recipe collection for traditional cooks looking to up their game but not go too overboard.

This book is full of vibrant, mouth-watering pictures that make you want to delve into a recipe. Each recipe has a secret ingredient which I will be using a as a talking point from now on. Who knew you could add strawberries to a certain pasta dish? You'll have to find out which one but It's a unique twist! The essential ingredients at the start of the book are very useful. The kitchen secrets are a revelation - thank you Kelly Senyei for explaining them so thoughtfully; they are truly an epiphany!

4.5 Stars!! Yum! My mouth is watering now that I looked through this book! This book has some really delicious looking recipes! It’s probably NOT a book for very health conscious people or anyone on a diet but for an occasional recipe, this book would be great! Even though most of the recipes had pictures, I do wish that more photos had been in the book. I tried the ‘Berry Breakfast Pastries’ and they. were. Awesome!! They also weren’t difficult to make at all!! I definitely recommend this book. I can’t wait to try the other recipes!
*I received this book at no charge from the publisher and I voluntarily left a review.*

*NetGalley provided me with an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*

This is a great cookbook. I really liked the concept - every good cook has "secret ingredients" or their own little twist they add to each dish and I was interested to see someone write a whole cookbook where they disclose what secret ingredients make their dishes great. My personal faves to use in my own recipes are ginger, coffee, or cumin. And I use almond extract about as often as I use vanilla.

The recipes in this cookbook are split up into seven main categories (Breakfast, Snacks, Soups and Salads, Pastas, Entrees, Sides, Desserts, and Drinks) with introductory sections for "Essential Ingredients, and "My Not-So-Secret Kitchen Secrets" at the beginning of the book. There are full-page pictures of almost all of the dishes/drinks and the recipe sections follow a good natural flow.

This book hit the spot almost immediately. I made it all the way to page 11 (in the Not-So-Secret Kitchen Secrets section of the book) before my mind was blown - WHY have I never thought to proof my bread dough in my clothes dryer?? That's the sign of a truly brilliant thought - once it's pointed out to you it seems so OBVIOUS!

The recipes in this book look and sound delicious - the pictures are gorgeous and the recipes are simple with the "secret ingredient" right up top in a featured spot. I appreciate that the little blurbs before each recipe are succinct and to-the-point. There's a good mix of personal/background info plus nice explanations for what the secret ingredients bring to each recipe. I also really liked when the author included extra tips or tricks at the bottom of certain recipes to make cooking each easier. I also appreciated that some recipes that use ready-made or "shortcut" ingredients (like refrigerated ravioli or boxed cake mix) were included. Let's face it - I'm not always up for making filled pasta from scratch and I bless every cookbook writer who gets that!

So far, I've only tried out the Fish Tacos with the Mango Salsa but it was PERFECTION, especially in this Summer heat. We have always had bottles of tajin sitting on our pantry shelves since I was a toddler and I cannot believe I never thought of using it in TACOS. Anyone who's ever had a mangonada knows that mango plus tajin is a match made in heaven, and that combo in this recipe is INSPIRED. The recipe was clear and easy to follow and the finished dish was so GOOD. We basically inhaled them and wished we had doubled the recipe. I'll definitely be making that dish again before the week is over and I cannot wait to try some more of these recipes in the future!

Some of the secret ingredients featured in these recipes were truly surprising. I never thought of trying fish sauce in Brussels sprouts but the combination sounds appealing - I love adding an unexpected Asian twist to my dishes. Chocolate-covered raisins in oatmeal raisin cookies? BRILLIANT! And some of the secret ingredients were so perfectly apt, I was comforted to see them featured - I swear by adding fresh grated ginger to any sweet potato dish (excellent tangy, slightly spicy complement). I especially loved all the alcoholic secret ingredients (brandy, tequila, Kahlua, etc. impart such excellent, complex flavors that always have dinner guests going "What IS that, I can't quite put my finger on it??")

Speaking of alcohol, the Drinks section was a personal fave of mine in this book. I cannot WAIT to try that Melon Ball Sangria - finally a use for cantaloupe and honeydew I can actually get behind. The recipe for the Boozy Iced Coffee looks absolutely sinful and I'm going to make a batch as soon as I pickup some more sweetened condensed milk. The alcohols chosen for that iced coffee are absolutely perfect and should make for a truly addictive drink.

My one note about this book is that I did find myself wishing that the steps in the recipe I was cooking were numbered as I kept looking away to do things then losing my spot when I went back for the next step. But other than that, I was super happy with the recipes in this cookbook. I am a huge fan and I'm planning on buying a physical copy just as soon as I can. These recipes have inspired me to think about what my "secret ingredients" are and how I can start thinking about using classic ingredients in fresh, new ways.

First off, I love this premise. The idea of a secret ingredient elevating each dish from ordinary to extraordinary in approachable recipes for home cooks is both appealing and exciting. Kind of like joining a special club - I want to know what the secret ingredients are! And I appreciated that the author (Senyei) was upfront about sharing that the secret ingredient premise isn't meant to be gimmicky or just adding unnecessary ingredients into an otherwise perfectly acceptable recipe, because I do think it could appear that way - so I appreciated her disclaimer.

To start, her kitchen hacks were all new to me (proof dough in the dryer?! Who would've thunk it?) which is impressive because I feel like "kitchen hacks" are typically not all that surprising, and there's usually a lot of overlap in "tips and tricks" between different cookbooks. Senyei happily surprised me here!

The recipes themselves varied from classics (e.g. banana bread) to new ideas (e.g. caramel-apple cinnamon rolls) but all are presented with useful tips, tricks, and straightforward directions for home chefs of all skill levels. On a personal note, I'm a huge soup person and I loved that Senyei included a number of soup options because I think soups are sometimes an afterthought in cookbooks. And, true to the name of the book, Senyei has some pretty novel suggestions for how to spice up old favorites. For example, I can't wait for the weather to cool down enough to try her 30-minute mac and cheese where the secret ingredient is PUMPKIN PUREE. Immediate reaction is wut?? But after reading this entire book, I trust her enough to give it a go. Plus, if it really is great, how much fun would it be to share this with friends, have them love it, and then give them the twist that there's pumpkin in it? (same can be said for all her recipes) - adding the element of the secret ingredient just makes cooking so much more fun!

Formatting-wise, I liked that each recipe included a personal note from Senyei, and the secret ingredient was always clearly marked. The steps were always clearly delineated and I think these recipes would definitely fall into the easy-to-follow category. On a final note, the photographs were absolutely lovely. There were a good number, but I'm always a sucker for pics (especially with a cookbook) and could've done with even more!!

This is a fantastic cookbook, one of the best I've read. No gimmicks, easy-to-follow recipes, creative ideas, and beautiful pictures: A true 5/5 cookbook. Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun and beautifully illustrated cook book. Not only do the dishes look so tasty I’m already checking what’s in the cupboard but every one of them has a little unusual twist, strawberry jam in an egg sandwich who knew. I can’t wait to get cooking.

How I love a twist on a recipe - and this book provides plenty of those!

None of the recipes are complicated, and I have already tried a couple with great results. As a fairly adventurous cook myself, I found some of the "secret" ingredients to be ingredients I would have used anyway - but I have many years of cooking experience, so it is unfair to judge the book by that.

The thing I love most about this cookbook is that the vast majority of unusual ingredients are easily sourced in your local supermarket. Many cookbooks that try to be different have you searching the internet to find out what the ingredient is, let alone where to buy it!

If you're looking for a cookbook that's a little different to most, this one could well be the book you're looking for!

The Secret Ingredient Cookbook by Kelly Senyei is a fun cookbook with 125 recipes each containing an unexpected ingredient to elevate the flavor or improve the consistency of the dish. Some are healthy swaps, some are unique pairings, but they are all interesting and Senyei has tested and explained why they improve the recipe.
The book is laid out well, with beautiful photographs and the secret ingredient from each recipe highlighted.

Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for the advance copy.

The Secret Ingredient Cookbook was a nice cookbook with sections that made it easy to find whatever you're in search of, whether it's pasta, breakfast or something else. There was also a few recipes I'd love to try, such as pumpkin waffles with maple whipped cream.

What a great cookbook, well organized, so very easy to read (appropriate font) and follow directions. I cannot wait to put some of the amazing looking recipes in the works.

"The Secret Ingredient Cookbook" by Kelly Senyei is the cookbook every home cook needs if he or she wants to make creative and delicious recipes! Some of the "secret ingredients" may sound unusual and even a little weird at first, but trust me, they work! Some of my absolute favorites that I will make over and over again are the Pumpkin Waffles (made light and crispy by adding ginger ale to the batter), Rotisserie Chicken Tortilla Soup (made with tomatillos instead of boring tomatoes), Crisped and Dipped Chicken Thighs (made amazingly flavorful with orange marmalade), and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (made with chocolate-covered raisins-brilliant!). This cookbook is filled with helpful and drool-worthy photographs. The only negative to this book is that I wished it contained the calorie content of the dishes presented.

I screenshot a number of these recipes to make in the future and the pictures were definitely beautiful and drool worthy. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love the creative use of ingredients in slightly unexpected places. I wish there were some indicators on what is vegan/gluten-free/etc. Maybe this book is meant for a specific group of public who have no diet restrictions. Generally, people have at least the basic food restrictions (vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free). I had a hard time looking at some sections that were just filled with meat recipes.

This is a fun cookbook filled with recipes that sound delicious. It is very heavy on wheat, meat, processed foods and splurge ingredients, so I would personally have to heavily adapt most of them for our family (I cook gluten free and lean towards whole foods, plant based recipes). That said, the photos are gorgeous and Senyei clearly knows how to mix ingredients.

Example recipes: pumpkin in macaroni and cheese, cream cheese in chocolate chip cookies, mayo on garlic cheese bread, honey on pepperoni and hot pepper pizza, tater tots in breakfast quesadillas, cottage cheese in green smoothies, ginger ale in pumpkin waffles, sweetened condensed milk in granola, soy sauce in onion dip, thyme (and bacon fat, bacon and corn syrup, among other things) in caramel corn, orange soda in BBQ meatballs, baking powder in gnocchi with vodka sauce, dill in fettucini alfredo with lobster, rice crispies in chicken tender breading, pimento peppers in a BLT (BLTP), onion soup mix in french onion steak sandwiches, orange juice and zest in dinner rolls, pudding mix in cake, cake mix in cookies, and black pepper in pumpkin chocolate chip snack cake, to offer a sampling.

I have some recipes that are always crowd-pleasers that I make for company or pot lucks because everybody loves them so much but that I don't often make at home because they're quite "junky" -- very high in unhealthy fats, calories, etc. Most of the recipes in this book are those sorts of recipes for me. I also am not the kind of cook who puts cans of pop or powdered soup mix in recipes, but I know a lot of people love those sorts of ingredients. One more consideration is that some of the recipes tend towards pricier ingredients like ribeye, lobster and gourmet cheeses, and many may be a little elaborate for everyday meals for busy families. Others seem very quick to put together, though, especially those that use purchased ingredients like puff pastry or pre-made ravioli.

There are photos for a little over half of the recipes. No nutritional information is provided.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and suspect the recipes would be winners. I may try using some of her general ideas and taste combinations, though I probably won't be trying most of the recipes verbatim.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Oh my goodness, this cookbook is a keeper! I just checked it out today and I was book marking recipes left and right. I honestly can’t even think of the last time I wanted to make this many recipes from one cookbook.

Almost every recipe has a beautiful picture to go with it. And pictures are really important to me in a cookbook. I want to see how delicious something looks before deciding to make it.

The theme of this cookbook is that each recipe has a secret ingredient. There’s one special, unexpected ingredient in each recipe. There might be peanut butter in an appetizer recipe, coconut in a seafood recipe, or cream cheese in a cookie. In other words, it’s not the same secret ingredient in every recipe.

Some of the recipes that caught my eye:
Homemade potato chips with Gorgonzola dip
Pan-fried feta
Thai chicken noodles

I can’t wait to starting cooking from this cookbook.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley and I love it! Thank you!

Fun, unique idea for a cookbook theme! I love adding a secret ingredient to make something just a little bit more special, and the ones in here do not disappoint. There was little to no overlap as to what the specific secret ingredients were, so the entire selection felt fresh and exciting. Despite their "twists" these recipes were all very approachable and realistic for the homecook.

Drooling, really that was my reaction to most of the recipes in this book. I even stopped and had to make the chocolate chip scones because I had a zucchini that needed to be used and man were they delicious!

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.