1. Rice
   Mashed potatoes
2. Macaroni
   Cauliflower florets

A traditional shepherd's pie combines meat and vegetables in a savory broth, all topped off with a healthy serving of mashed potatoes. Nobody said it was a healthful meal, but it certainly is tasty.

1. Chili paste
   Breadcrumbs
2. Yogurt
   Baking powder

All good meatball recipes need some bread product in them. The addition of breadcrumbs helps as a textural element and also provides a type of binding agent to help hold all the other meatball goodness together.

1. Apples
   Cilantro
2. Pickles
   Butter

Of course, you can add just about anything to a grilled cheese sandwich that tickles your fancy, but you won't get that nice crispy, brown crust without a little bit of butter smeared on the outside of the sandwich.

1. Corn chips
   Cherry pie filling
2. Chocolate
   Apples

Once you get that marshmallow warm and gooey, it helps to melt the chocolate bar squished in between two graham cracker pieces. Not camping out anytime soon? You can accomplish a similar s'mores experience with just your microwave!

1. Bell peppers
   Carrots
2. Kidney beans
   Peas

Chili is one of those great one-pot meals that lends itself to a wide variety of ingredients. While regional variations may dictate ingredients, most versions typically have ground beef, tomatoes, beans and a variety of spices.

1. Pepperoni
   BBQ sauce
2. Broccoli
   Ricotta cheese

Layers of meat, sauce, noodles and, finally, ricotta cheese, meld together to make this classic Italian fare. Most recipes also call for extra cheese for sprinkling, but in that case, the mozzarella variety.

1. Edamame
   Carrots
2. Cucumbers
   Tomatoes

Most traditional salsas have a tomato base to which other ingredients can be added. Think outside the box, though, and consider adding pineapple or mango to your tomato starter.

1. Eggs
   Ham
2. Buttermilk
   Sour cream

Even the most basic of recipes for quiche requires eggs! The beautiful thing about quiche recipes, though, is that besides the eggs, you can't pretty much throw in any ingredients of your choosing.

1. Soy sauce
   Mayonnaise
2. Ranch dressing
   Cocktail sauce

In most deviled egg recipes, you scoop out the egg yolk from hardboiled eggs and mix it with amounts of mustard and mayonnaise. After you place it back in the empty egg, hit it with a dash of paprika and you're done.

1. Tahini
   Cheese
2. Avocado
   Eggs

The sky's the limit with hamburgers, but a true cheeseburger requires cheese. Once you've eclipsed this basic burger recipe, you can add a sunny-side-up egg, avocado, bacon, onions, tomatoes ... See where we're going here?

1. Brown sugar
   Corn nuts
2. Cornmeal
   Creamed corn

Cornmeal puts the "corn" in cornbread! This versatile ingredient is ground from dried corn to an almost flour-like consistency and can be used to lend a crumbly texture to homemade cornbread.

1. Tomatillos
   Fish sauce
2. Tortillas
   Queso

Quesadillas can have all kinds of ingredients inside, but a common pairing is chicken and cheese instead of a tortilla. Once you've stuffed it, sear it to get that cheese melty and create a crispy exterior.

1. Dates
   Mozzarella cheese
2. Almonds
   Grenadine

Green beans almondine is a fairly simple side dish that goes great with steak or chicken. The almonds are toasted to add a deeper nutty taste to the greens. Garlic and even shallots are also nice complements.

1. Pecans
   Flour
2. Sugar
   Corn syrup

The missing ingredient — flour — in a basic pancake recipe is the "glue" that holds all of the other ingredients together! Once you've mastered this, you can add fresh berries and whipped cream to the final product. Yum!

1. Baking soda
   Cinnamon
2. Pecans
   Corn syrup

Cinnamon rolls can have a lot of add-ins (like pecans), but you need that cinnamon spice to really give the rolls a kick. Once baked, they can be topped with a homemade icing.

1. Old-fashioned oats
   Ritz crackers
2. Pancake syrup
   Cottage cheese

Overnight oats need the oats! Typically, old-fashioned oats are used to create this jarred treat, which is usually created at night and left in a refrigerator overnight for the next morning. Topped with crunchy granola, it's a perfect ready-to-go breakfast.

1. Sour cream
   Cheese
2. Buttermilk
   Half and half

When you think "au gratin," think cheese because that's what it's loosely interpreted to mean. In French, "au gratin" means "to grate," as in "on top" ... like cheese. Some people also call this recipe scalloped potatoes.

1. Baking soda
   Yeast
2. Sugar
   Butter

Yeast is in every basic pizza dough recipe, functioning as the ingredient that helps the dough to rise. Active dry yeast requires extra steps in the recipe, while instant yeast can be added to a recipe as you go.

1. Carrots
   Raisins
2. Pineapple
   Espresso

A lot of people choose to add things like raisins or other fruits to a carrot cake, but you still need to add the carrots! Finished with a decadent cream cheese frosting, you'll hardly know there are vegetables included.

1. Caramel
   Milk
2. Pancake syrup
   Water

Throw some milk in that recipe and you are golden! Bread pudding is a pretty simple recipe that packs an impressive punch, with an egg mixture, bread and milk to soak it all.

1. Sugar
   Tuna
2. Shrimp
   Buttermilk

If you didn't catch that, "tuna noodle casserole" would just be "noodle casserole" if you forget the tuna! This easy one-pan dish can be thrown together quickly and inexpensively and then baked until bubbly.

1. Baking powder
   Brown sugar
2. Salt
   Chocolate chips

Well, you can't very well have chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips, now can you? Get creative and try different varieties of chocolate chips like milk, dark or white chocolate for a twist on a classic recipe.

1. Garlic
   Pasta
2. Parsley
   Bacon

While we think "bacon" is probably the right answer no matter what the question is, the missing ingredient here is the pasta. Whether you're an elbow macaroni person or a cavatappi person, you can't really go wrong when ooey-gooey cheese is involved.

1. Tomato sauce
   Nutmeg
2. Celery
   Salami

Traditional chicken noodle soup is a combination of chicken and noodles (obviously) and vegetables of your choice, most notably celery and carrots, all swimming in a flavorful chicken broth base.

1. Water
   Club soda
2. Almond milk
   Vodka

A Bloody Mary isn't a party until you add the alcohol ... or so we've heard. Your typical Bloody Mary has vodka, along with tomato juice, horseradish for kick and hot sauce, among other spices. Serve it with ice in a glass and garnish with celery, lime, black pepper, olives or even bacon!

1. Cheddar cheese
   Heavy cream
2. Sour cream
   Cream cheese

Cream cheese, whipped until smooth, is the basis of any good cheesecake, combined with extra ingredients like sugar and butter, of course. Once mixed, it all goes into a graham cracker crust. Yum!

1. Mandarin oranges
   Plantains
2. Bell peppers
   Spinach

You can't have fajitas without that delicious mixture of cooked onions and bell peppers. Experiment with different colors of peppers — red, orange, yellow and green — to slightly alter the taste of your final product.

1. Artichoke
   Asparagus
2. Avocado
   Edamame

You can't have guacamole without avocado! In fact, you can pretty much craft good guacamole with nothing more than ripe avocados and salt. Other additions such as onion, lime and cilantro help deepen the flavor.

1. Worcestershire sauce
   Puff pastry
2. Baking soda
   Vinegar

You can make a pretty good chicken dish with just chicken and some veggies, but it's that glorious puff pastry (or pie dough ... or biscuit) crust that transforms into into an official "pie."

1. Potatoes
   Chickpeas
2. Pinto beans
   Carrots

Chickpeas lend hummus its earthy, bean-like taste and its signature brownish color. But did you know chickpeas also are high in protein and provide a host of vitamins and minerals to a person's diet?

1. Cream cheese
   Beef tenderloin
2. Pepperoni
   Ham

What could be better than a chicken cordon bleu with chicken, ham and melty cheese? There are many recipe variations for this treat, including casserole-based options.

1. Croutons
   Hot dogs
2. Peppers
   Snow peas

After your sirloin has been cooked, it's time to add the peppers and onions. Cook the meat and veggies together so the flavors mingle and then add a thickened sauce for a complete dish.

1. Tortillas
   Sugar
2. Flour
   Cornstarch

If you're making homemade dumplings, you are going to need flour, but there are simpler ways of making dumplings, including using a baking mix or even rolls of pre-made biscuit dough.

1. Rice
   Breadcrumbs
2. Raisins
   Ravioli

In a classic chicken parmesan, the chicken is breaded — typically in breadcrumbs — and then added to tomato sauce, parmesan cheese and pasta of your choice for a hearty Italian meal.

1. Prosciutto
   Ham
2. Ground beef
   Sugar

There are many ways to make a spaghetti bolognese sauce, but one thing's for certain — you need beef! Traditional bolognese is a meat sauce served with cooked spaghetti pasta. Don't forget the cheese!

1. Chives
   Butter
2. Buttermilk
   Eggs

A good garlic bread recipe can be made with or without cheese, although we think it's better with. However, you can't spread that fantastic garlic-y spread on the bread without butter. Some oil will also do, in a pinch.

1. Hot sauce
   Sugar
2. Water
   Cottage cheese

To create a batter for homemade onion rings, you'll need flour, eggs and enough water to make a type of paste to dredge the onions in. Then, drop them in a fryer until crispy.

1. Cornmeal
   Quinoa
2. Polenta
   Arborio rice

The arborio rice, a short-grained, starchy version of the minute rice we all grew up with, is what makes risotto, risotto. The process of cooking it in the broth and white wine softens it, making what is essentially a more "grown-up" macaroni and cheese.

1. Red wine vinegar
   Breadcrumbs
2. Anchovies
   Gelatin

Believe it or not, anchovies are the secret ingredient to a killer Caesar dressing. If fish make you squeamish, you can always try omitting them although it's the anchovies that pack the umami punch.

1. Vanilla
   Cream of tartar
2. Sugar
   Baking soda

Sugar gives heavy whipping cream a dose of sweetness that it needs as an accompaniment to a dessert or fresh berries. You could buy pre-made whipped cream, but with it being so easy to make, why would you?