Don't tell anyone, but when I cook I use...

[LoftyNotions]

Chemicals...

[JTravel]

Ground Dried Mushrooms.....never heard of it.....a brand or photo of package Please.

[Beebs]

Knorr beef and chicken bouillon cubes.

[BadRabbit]

Ground Dried Mushrooms.....never heard of it.....a brand or photo of package Please.

You can just put dried porcini's in a spice grinder but they are also available from The Spice House.

http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/mushrooms-porcini-extra-aa-whole-and-powder

[GlorifiedRice]

Nestles NIDO whole dried milk makes fabuloso smoothies...Almost like a milkshake

[Moopheus]

"Better than Bouillon" brand base.

I've always appreciated the honesty of this brand name.

[pogophiles]

"Better than Bouillon" brand base.

This. There is always a jar of the chicken flavor in my refrigerator...

[drago]

Bovril. A squeeze here and there, and everything is just more beefy...

[GlorifiedRice]

Okay how long can Better Than Boullion keep opened in my fridge.

I end up using a spoonful and 3 weeks later toss it out cause it is a

"liquid"

[christine007]

A trick my nephew taught me, I always put a Tblsp. of Brown sugar in my meatloaf.

It gives it a "Ham" taste that's very pleasing.

[taetopia]

Lawry's Seasoned Salt.

A funny thing happened: We were in a diner and someone at our table said they had the "best home fries ever." I took a taste and said, "Tastes like Lawry's Seasoned Salt," which was used liberally in my home growing up. The waitress told me I had a great sense of taste (I guessed the secret ingredient!). I forgot how good that stuff can be when used appropriately. It has been given new life in my kitchen.

[EllenC]

Ground Dried Mushrooms.....never heard of it.....a brand or photo of package Please.

I buy dried wild mushrooms from Costco. Then I grind them in the coffee grinder I use for spices. I throw them in a LOT of stuff - homemade hamburgers, meat loaf, gravies, sauces, pretty much anything that needs that extra flavor.

[JTravel]

Thanks, youv'e given me new ideas.

[Will]

Nutritional yeast... a little 1970s granola, but a good way to add a savory element and cheesy flavor to non-dairy or vegan dishes without cheese. I rarely use it when cooking for guests, but I will occasionally sneak it in.

[heidih]

Knorr chicken or beef stock powder.

The chicken for me - BIG ( 1 kg) jar in the cupboard - sometimes it is just the thing to bring it all together

[heidih]

Ground Dried Mushrooms. I also use garlic powder and onion powder. And I use eel sauce anytime someone else would use steak sauce or bbq sauce - say in homemade hamburgers or meatloaf. Don't tell my daughter. The idea of eating eel sauce makes her want to hurl.

Eel sauce? sounds quite interesting. Brand name or source?

[heidih]

I have been known to be the gravy lady for a number of women who are petrified about the Thanksgiving turkey gravy. I make turkey stock ahead of time with roasted wings and necks, but I finish it with....Campbells Golden Mushroom soup and a touch of sour cream or cream. No threat of clumping on reheat and it adds some depth. I have never tasted this stuff in any other application. The ladies have no clue - they are just happy that their families are happy and that the stress level is way low.

[Beebs]

Lawry's Seasoned Salt.

A funny thing happened: We were in a diner and someone at our table said they had the "best home fries ever." I took a taste and said, "Tastes like Lawry's Seasoned Salt," which was used liberally in my home growing up. The waitress told me I had a great sense of taste (I guessed the secret ingredient!). I forgot how good that stuff can be when used appropriately. It has been given new life in my kitchen.

This reminds me of the Hy's Seasoning Salt that I keep for seasoning steak, meatloaf, chili and chicken.

[Joe Blowe]

The Almighty Vegeta.

[nonblonde007]

Better Than Bouillon is my "secret ingredient" in many things. I've kept mine in the fridge for several weeks (never lasts much longer than that), but I always use a clean spoon for every dip so as to introduce no contaminates. I will also sneak anchovies into many dishes to give it a little umami.

[robirdstx]

Lawry's Seasoned Salt.

This has been a staple in our kitchen for all of my life. I like to sprinkle it on cottage cheese and its great to sprinkle on chicken thighs prior to putting them on the grill.

And, btw, welcome to eG!

[OliverB]

I'm not "ashamed" to use anything I think will work, from seasoning mixes to ketchup and anything in between. Sometimes a squirt of Heinz is just what rounds out a tomato sauce, even if it's one made from glorious freshly picked still warm from the sun batch. In the end, it's just tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, a couple spices.

Balsamic or rice vinegar go in many things as well.

Smoked paprika, mostly for the smoky taste.

My favorite salad right now is raw kale (just the curly parts) and broccoli tops with a sauce made of about 1/2 thousand island, 1/4 olive oil and 1/4 balsamic vinegar.

I never use campbell soups, but that's pretty much only because I did not grow up around them and have no idea which one can be use in what way. I'd use them in no time if I'd think they'd work, but I rarely make things with thick sauces or gravy.

Reading about pure MSG makes me want to run out and get some of that as well, I know no shame in the kitchen

I don't run a fine dining restaurant, what ever works will be used (and fine dining restaurants probably use all kinds of shortcuts as well, why not?).

Of course within reason, I'd not use some cheap crap on a $30 steak,

[GlorifiedRice]

Get MSG at the Asian mkt. It comes in pretty glass jars that are refillable

[_john]

eel sauce:

roast eel heads and spines until they are golden brown and cripy. it a pot combine real mirin and soy sauce (and when I say soy sauce I mean for example kikkoman koikuchi shoyu) in a ratio of 1:1. Add the roasted eel parts and reduce to half the volume on a low simmer strain, chill, and refrigerate.

This is for real "eel sauce". The sauce that is used when roasting eels. To make what is known in America as eel sauce you can thicken this recipe with cornstarch slurry at the end of the simmering.

[Peter the eater]

Interesting comments.

Many talk about sneaking in some added savoriness with some form of umami hit.

I don't tell when I add refined white sugar or white vinegar.