Can You Fill in the Missing Ingredient From These Common Recipes?

Chocolate chip cookies wouldn't be the same without chocolate chips. Other variations include adding in nuts and M&Ms.

Limes are essential to a key lime pie. It's what gives the pie a tangy burst of flavor.

It would be quite difficult to bake bread without yeast. Other variations of homemade bread includes chocolate chip bread and banana nut bread.

A quintessential pot roast recipe calls for beef, potatoes, onions and carrots. This recipe can also easily be prepared in a slow cooker.

Peppers give fajitas a crunchy bite, as well as a southwest flavor. You can use green, yellow or red bell peppers for fajitas.

Ground sausage is used to add heartiness to biscuits and gravy. Milk and flour are used to make the gravy, which can be seasoned with salt and pepper.

Grits would be nothing without hominy grits, the main star of this recipe. Variations of this recipe includes seasonings and even savory proteins like shrimp.

Cheese is essential for any mac and cheese recipe. Some variations call for cheddar, while others include parmesan, brie and gouda.

Lump crab meat is best for traditional crab cakes, which are held together with bread crumbs, mayo and eggs. These can also be seasoned with salt, pepper and Old Bay for flavor.

You can use either a can of minced clams or clams in their shells for a clam chowder soup. Other variations include milk and/or heavy cream.

Chicken gives heartiness to a classic chicken noodle soup recipe. You can also add in herbs like parsley and bay leaves for depth.

Tortillas are not just used for tacos, but for enchiladas as well. You wrap a protein of your choice in a tortilla, then top it with enchilada sauce and cheese and bake it for a hearty meal.

Chocolate is one of the layers in a classic s'mores recipe. These are great for roasting over a campfire as well.

You can't have buffalo wings without enjoying the hot sauce that is smothered over them. These can either be fried or baked to perfection.

A BLT actually stands for "bacon, lettuce, tomato." This is a classic sandwich for a quick snack or a dinner meal.

Apples are great for baking a homemade apple pie. Granny smith apples are best used for baking.

A classic chili recipe calls for beans, a can or two of diced tomatoes, beef and a plethora of hearty seasonings. Some regions also serve chili on top of spaghetti noodles as well.

You can't make a pizza without a pizza crust, which you can either make yourself or buy pre-made from a store. You can also top a pizza with ingredients like bacon, pineapple, and anchovies.

Burgers are an iconic American staple and can be made with ground beef, burger buns and vegetable toppings of your choice. Some people even put fried eggs and ghost peppers on their burgers!

Nachos are made with a base of tortilla chips, which are piled with ingredients like ground beef, onions, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and cheese. These are usually baked, so the cheese melts over the nachos.

Onions are used to add a soft crunch to a philly cheesesteak sandwich, as well as spicy bite of onion flavor. These are usually grilled as well.

A classic American staple, hot dogs are very simple to make and budget-friendly as well. These can be topped with ketchup, mustard, relish and a variety of other toppings.

Great for a quick snack, bananas are a staple for a classic banana bread recipe. Variations also include adding in nuts and chocolate chips.

Sauerkraut adds a soft crunch to any type of sandwich, most notably the reuben sandwich. This is considered to be of American origin.

Though the ingredients list of a gumbo recipe is long, no bowl of gumbo would be the same without Cajun seasoning. This type of seasoning is essential in Southern cuisine and adds a bit of spice as well.

Celery is used to add a soft bite to a classic jambalaya recipe. This is usually added in first to soften it, and to remove the bitter flavor.

Without flour, the pancake batter would be too wet and messy to cook evenly. Other variations include adding in pumpkin spice and chocolate chips.

Caesar dressing can be used for a variety of salads, but is best used for a classic caesar salad. The dressing can also be made from scratch, or bought pre-made from a store.

You'll want to use a type of oil with a high smoking point for fried chicken, such as peanut oil. You can also enhance the taste and texture of fried chicken by brining it first.

You can use a wide variety of fruits for a cobbler recipe, such as blueberries or peaches. These are also baked to a golden perfection.

A country fried steak is a steak that is fried to a golden brown color. Cube steaks are traditionally used for this.

You can't make mashed potatoes with the potatoes themselves. Russet potatoes and Yukon gold are best used for this classic side dish.

A pumpkin pie calls for pumpkin puree, which adds that sweet pumpkin flavor. Pumpkin pies are also prepared in many grocery stores during the fall months.

Breadcrumbs are used to bind the wet ingredients together, which would be the eggs and the ground beef (as well as a sauce like ketchup, if you're using it). The meatloaf is then baked in an oven and should be soft and moist in texture.

Butter gives a grilled cheese sandwich a nice golden crust. It's also used to add a buttery flavor to the bread.

Maize is used to manufacture cornmeal, which is then used to make a classic cornbread recipe. This can also be sweetened with sugar.

French toast needs several "wet" ingredients for the bread to soak in, such as eggs and milk. In some cases, bourbon is also used to add flavor.

Spaghetti and meatballs are a hearty, comforting dish that requires three simple ingredients: meatballs, sauce and spaghetti noodles. You can also add parsley and parmesan cheese on top for extra flavor.

Lasagna noodles are used to hold all of the layers together in a lasagna meal. Other variations use various kinds of cheese and seasoning.

Canned tuna is best for tuna sandwiches, which is enhanced by lemon juice and mayo. You can also add in salt, pepper and even curry powder for extra flavor.