9 Hearty And Easy Old-Fashioned Recipes Your Grandmother Would Definitely Approve Of

Did you have any special family recipes that you grew to love while growing up? Cooking can often be a family affair for those that spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Coming together to enjoy a meal with the whole family is how every event is celebrated. There is definitely a food culture that dictates that every milestone needs to be celebrated with a copious amount of food. While there are all these packaged foods available in grocery stores that are so much more convenient to prepare after a busy day, there is nothing like our grandparents’ recipes that takes us back to when life was simple, joyous and happy. It’s never too late to bring these recipes back, after all, they’re not as complicated as they seemed to be! 

Here are 9 old-fashioned recipes that your grandmother, and the whole family would definitely give a thumbs up to: 

CORN CHOWDER

Corn is one of America’s most popular vegetables. It can be enjoyed on the cob and mixed with a number of side dishes, but it’s not very common to be the star ingredient of soup. Here is one great example that tastes really delicious. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 celery stalk 
• 1 chopped red pepper
• 2 cans cream-style corn 
• 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken 
• 1 can evaporated milk 
• 1 tsp. chicken bouillon 
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled 

Ingredients:

1. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the onion, celery and red pepper. Cook for about six minutes or until the vegetables become tender. 
3. Stir in the corn, chicken, milk, bouillon and pepper. 
4. Stir occasionally while bringing it to a boil. 
5. Top everything with crumbled bacon and serve hot. 

POTATO SOUP

This old-fashioned dish is simple enough to make at home with a complex taste of different textures and flavours, perfect for a chilly evening. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/4 cup butter
• 4 cups chopped potatoes
• 1 grated carrot 
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dried dill weed
• 3 cups whole milk 
• 2 tsp. hooped parsley
• 1/4 cup potato flakes 

Instructions:

1. Brown the onions in butter in a large saucepan.
2. Add the potatoes, carrots, water, dill weed, salt and pepper to the mixture. 
3. Cook everything on low heat for 45 minutes of until potatoes become creamy. 
4. Add the milk and parsley and continue storing until everything is completely mixed. 
5. Stir potato flakes and serve hot. 

SALISBURY STEAK 

This recipe has been popular since the 1900’s and is still a staple meal in most homes because it’s incredibly easy to make. Even with its hearty taste, it’s made with very simple ingredients. Here is how you make it: 

Ingredients: 

• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 large beaten egg
• 2 tsp. chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups sliced bottom mushrooms

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix 1/4 cup of soup with the ground beef, bread crumbs, chopped onion, egg, parsley, garlic powder and pepper.
2. Press mixture into small burger patties. 
3. Heat a skillet medium heat and spray some oil on it. 
4. Cook the patties until they are slightly browned on both sides. 
5. Mix the remaining soup, milk and chopped mushrooms in the skillet. 
6. Add back the patties, turn down the heat and cover it to simmer altogether for the next 20 minutes. make sure to turn the patties once in a while. 
7. Add parsley on top and serve. 

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

This old-fashioned dish will definitely take you back to your childhood. By using a handful of the simplest and freshest ingredients, a meal can be made to please the whole family. This recipe was taken from Gonna Want Seconds. 

Ingredients: 

Meatballs: 

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup uncooked white rice 
• 1/4 cup ketchup 
• 1/3 cup chopped onions
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Sauce

• 2 cans of condensed cream of tomato soup
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 cup water 

Instructions: 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and mix it together by hand. 
2. Roll the mixture into 20 meatballs about an inch and a half diameter in size. 
3. In another bowl, mix the ingredients of the sauce together. 
4. In a skillet, pour the sauce and the meatballs together and bring it to a boil in medium heat. 
5. After 10 minutes, turn down the heat to a simmer and leave it for 15 minutes with the pan covered. 
6. Turn the meatballs over occasionally and leave it boiling for another 20 minutes until they’re cooked completely. 

OLD FASHIONED BISCUITS

Ain’t nothing better than fresh biscuits to accompany a home cooked meal. Most often though, we never make them ourselves thinking the recipe is a bit too complicated to make on a weekday. This old fashioned recipe is definitely something grandma might make, and really simple to put together. No matter what occasion it might be, this recipe will surely be a family favorite. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 2/3 cups milk
• 1 beaten egg

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. 
3. Add in the shortening until the texture becomes like coarse crumbs. 
4. Add milk and stir. 
5. When the mixture becomes dough-like, knead it 8 to 10 times on a floured surface. 
6. Pat the dough into a 10 x 4 inch rectangle
7. Cut the rectangle into 10 equal squares.
8. Transfer the equal pats into a baking sheet one inch apart from the other and brush the tops with butter. 
9. Bake for ten minutes or until they turn golden brown. 
10. Serve fresh and hot! 

SOUTHERN PIMIENTO CHEESE

This dish can be the perfect snack to serve your kids during the summer, football games and picnics. It’s the perfect old-fashioned side dish that will surely be a hit for the whole family. 

Ingredients: 

• 16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese 
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 4. oz bottled pimiento in oil 
• Half a jalapeño pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 large minced garlic
• Red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions: 

1. Grate the sharp cheddar and cube the cream cheese. 
2. Combine all ingredients except the mayonnaise in a stand mixer. 
3. Mix everything together and slowly add the mayonnaise and adjust amount depending on how creamy you want the dip to be. 
4. Control the heat of the dip by adjusting the jalapeño pepper and red pepper flakes.
5. Serve with crackers and enjoy! 

DUTCH BABY PANCAKES 

These delicious pancakes would be perfect to serve for breakfast, brunch or anytime of the day. This old-fashioned recipe is quite simple to make and most importantly, tastes better than any pancake mix you can purchase out there. 

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs 
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar 
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter 
• 2 cups fresh berries of your choice 
• 1 1/4 tsp. of ground cinnamon
• 2/3 tbsp. whole milk 
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees 
2. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs until they are frothy and light. 
4. While beating, add in milk, flour, salt and the remaining cinnamon until it becomes a thin batter. 
5. Heat a 10-inch oven safe skillet and melt the butter in it. 
6. Pour your batter on the skillet once the butter is melted and put it in the oven for 20 minutes. 
7. While waiting, combine the half the cinnamon sugar mixture to the berries. 
8. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar once the pancake is out of the oven and add the berries on top. 

BAKED ALASKA

When reminiscing about old-fashioned desserts, Baked Alaska would definitely be in the Top 5. This is a layered dessert that has ice cream, sponge cake and meringue on top, so what is not to like? Start making this and your family will go over the top crazy over it! 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups of crushed graham crackers
• 1/4 cup & 6 tsbp. white sugar 
• 1/4 cup softened butter 
• 4 cups vanilla ice cream 
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp. salt 
• 1 tsp. almond extract

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Mix the one cup of graham crackers, sugar and butter in a bowl. Set aside 1/3 cup of graham cracker for topping later on.
3. Press the graham mixture on a nine-inch pie plate and bake for 10 minutes. 
4. After baking, chill the pie crust in the freezer.
5. Put the vanilla ice cream on top of the crust and return it to the freezer.
6. Beat the egg whites until they are frothy and add the salt and almond extract.
7. Slowly add sugar tot he mixture and continue beating until it turns glossy, like a meringue.
8. Spread the meringue mixture over the ice cream layer and sprinkle the remaining graham crumbs on top.

CLASSIC ICE BOX CAKE 

Everyone loves to eat cake, but not everyone has the time to make a cake completely from scratch. If that’s the case, then this Ice box cake is perfect for you. Adapted from The Daily Meal, this recipe doesn’t require any cooking and you can keep it in the fridge for the next family meal. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• 1 box chocolate wafer cookies 
• 2 tbsp. sugar 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla with a whisk or electric beater until it has soft peaks.
2. Create wafter cookie stacks or levels and top with the whipped cream after every completed stack.
3. Add another stack of cookies and top with whipped cream. Repeat the layering process until the ingredients are done.
4. Cover the cake with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Cut and serve!

 

 

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