Though this recipe didn’t technically come from the good old days, preparing recipes found in or on food packaging is definitely a vintage experience. This delight from the back of Knorr Chicken Flavor Pasta Sides a few years ago employs some old-style cooking skills and will generate a fitting number of dishes to wash. And […]
Hamburger & Potato Hotdish
Simple, mellow and mild, this charmingly basic lunch or dinner dish fills the house with classic Grandma’s House aromas as it bakes in the oven. It’s enjoyable with no seasonings at all, or it can be a blank slate for a wide variety of flavor enhancements: salt and pepper, Lawry’s seasoning, Mexican, or even Asian. […]
Tasty Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff goes by many recipes, but this one delivers a very satisfying meal while sticking to the basics. You’ll need: 2 lb. lean sirloin beef, cut into cubes1 large onion, finely chopped1 No. ¼ can mushrooms, drained and finely chopped (that’s a 3 or 4 oz. can)5 Tbsp. butter1 Picnic size can condensed mushroom […]
Seven Layer Dinner
This elaborate but simple assemblage is classic Fifties basic: several seemingly unrelated ingredients out of the refrigerator and pantry, layered casually into a casserole dish to yield a dish that works. And wow, is it filling. The recipe works well with green pepper as well. You’ll need: 1 cup uncooked rice1 No. ½ can whole […]
Scalloped Potatoes with Ham and Cheese
This version of the classic vintage potato dish utilizes a fun technique: preheating milk and butter together in a double boiler and pouring the hot mixture into the remaining ingredients. The presence of flour with the other ingredients creates the white sauce right in the casserole dish. You’ll need: ¾ lb. cooked ham, thinly sliced […]
Sausage and Noodles Casserole
This visually appealing recipe would make for a challenging home economics assignment with its numerous cooking steps using several different cooking methods from boiling to sauteing and roasting. Yet, in true vintage American form, its use of mundane ingredients with little added seasoning nonetheless yields a surprisingly rich, flavorful dish. You’ll need: 6 oz. pasta […]
Dinnertime Hamburger Casserole
Dinnertime! Fond memories of hearing those words and running into the dining room to be greeted by a comforting aroma of savory goodness in the oven will have you feeling like a kid again in no time. You’ll need: 1 lb. hamburgerButter (see instructions)1 picnic size can condensed tomato soup (that’s a 10¾ oz. can)2 […]
Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin
Adapted from a pastor’s wife’s recipe appearing in the 1969 collection of Assemblies of God Women’s Recipes, this fills the house with a delightful aroma of this dish that is as delicious as it is simple. You’ll need: 2 cups cubed ham2 potatoes, medium or large, thinly sliced½ cup grated cheddar or American cheese1 picnic […]
Italian Meat Sauce, 1939
One common characteristic of vintage recipes is less reliance on herbs and spices and more reliance on the natural flavors of the foods ingredients themselves. And the results can be amazing. I adjusted the recipe to account for the fact that today’s tomato puree is considerably less watery than it was 80 and 90 years […]
Bavarian Pot Roast
This recipe from an actual home economics text will bring back those hands-on school memories! Brought to me by Christian Light Publishing, this uncomplicated recipe that nonetheless relies on lots of measuring of ingredients will delight you whether you prepare it as a sauce or as an entree or main course. You’ll need: 1 boneless […]