19 Retro Recipes so You and Mom Can Cook up Some Nostalgia (2024)

1950s: Best Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole — the kind with Campbell's cream of mushroom, canned green beans, and French's fried onions — had its heyday in the '50s, but many of us. still delight in this incredibly low-maintenance dish, with its sinfully creamy, savory goodness. This version adds cheddar cheese to the crunchy fried onion topping. It will take mom back to her high school days by the jukebox!

1950s: Retro Ground Beef Casserole with Biscuits

Lela submitted this old-school recipe. "A retro 50's favorite dish my mom made all the time," she says. Lela offers a few tips: "You can add mashed potatoes to the bottom of the glass pan before baking. To make this a quicker meal, use frozen vegetables. Use your own recipe for biscuits if you prefer."

1950s: Herman Reunion Cheese Ball

Rather than a block of cheese or a bowl of pimento cheese spread, someone in the 1950s had the bright idea to form the cheese into a ball and cover it in a topping, often nuts. Et voila! The perfectly chic party appetizer! "The requests for this family recipe never stop, so here it is for everybody to enjoy," says Ann. "These cheese balls freeze well for months and make wonderful holiday gifts."

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1950s: Creme de Menthe Grasshopper Pie

Creme de menthe grasshopper pie was perhaps a favorite in the 1950s because of how easy it is to whip up this fluffy, minty, boozy, chocolaty frozen sensation. A chocolate cookie crust anchors the pie, which is filled with a creme de menthe, marshmallow creme, and whipping cream mixture with crunchy chocolate cookie crumbles topping it off. Pull this out to remind mom of a favorite childhood treat.

1960s: Chef John's Chicken à la King

This is one of the classic comfort-food dishes, so it makes sense that its popularity surged in the turbulent decade of the '60s. With roasted chicken, sauteed vegetables, and herbs in a creamy roux, Chicken à la King can be enjoyed over pasta, toast, rice, or mashed potatoes. And Chef John's version is easily adaptable. "You can make it thicker or thinner by changing the amount of roux and having a little extra stock on hand," he says.

• Our Top 20 Ultimate Comfort Food Recipes

1960s: Swedish Meatballs (Svenska Kottbullar)

These delightful meatballs hailing from Sweden combine beef and pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, sautéed onions, and a bevy of spices. Once browned and finished in the oven, they are served in a rich brown gravy. Top it all with a generous dollop of sour cream that begins to melt into the dish for meaty morsels in a creamy belly-warming gravy. These are great for parties, so if you're having a potluck to celebrate mom, this is your dish.

1960s: Cheese Fondue

Parties were arranged around the fondue pot in the '60s, so throw a fondue party for Mother's Day! Usually featuring melted chocolate for those with a sweet tooth or melted cheese for those with a savory bent, all manner of bites, from fruits and vegetables to bread and even meats can be dipped in the fondue pot. This cheese fondue recipe marries Swiss and Gruyere with a bit of white wine and a hint of spice, best enjoyed with toasted bread bites.

1970s: Beef Wellington

A beef tenderloin coated in a combination of liver pate, butter, onions, and mushrooms, then wrapped in a puff pastry that is baked to a perfectly beautiful golden-brown. Serve with a drizzle of red wine au jus — and a nice glass of red wine to toast your mother! "This is a very easy recipe that I learned when I was living in England," says Normala. "Note that Beef Wellington should always be served with the center slightly pink. Enjoy!"

• Tips for Making the Best Beef Wellington

1970s: Eggs Benedict

It's hard to imagine a dish as ubiquitous as eggs Benedict being a completely novel idea, but it caught on like wildfire in the 1970s. Fluffy, buttered English muffins, Canadian bacon, and poached eggs are topped with hollandaise in the classic version. But if your mom prefers the vegetarian options of recent years or smoked salmon, then host a Mother's Day brunch featuring the "eggs Bene" of her dreams!

1970s: Chef John's Pasta Primavera

Pasta primavera marries the comfort of pasta with the fresh, light veggies of spring. Mom will love this served up with a crisp white wine for an al fresco meal with the family. "When done right, this is one of the year's great seasonal recipes," says Chef John. "This looks, smells, and tastes like a cool, sunny spring day."

1980s: Sesame Noodle Salad

Cold sesame noodle salads were added to menus across America in the '80s. "I take this to every picnic and everyone loves it! You may also add diced chicken for a variation," says jkmom. Eighties Women loved its light noodles with a mix of crunchy veggies, Asian flavors, and sometimes shrimp, chicken, or even steak.

• See even more Asian pasta salad recipes.

1980s: True Italian Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Treat mom to something as rich and sumptuous as risotto this Mother's Day. "As classically Italian as you can get, this unadulterated risotto is made in the traditional way and simply flavored with porcini mushrooms, white wine, butter and Parmesan cheese," says miche. Serve it with a pork tenderloin and a bright green vegetable for a meal she won't soon forget.

1980s: Potato Skins

The popular potato skins craze of the ;80s inspired all manner of topping variations. Potato skins are like souped-up potato chips. Baked once; hollowed out, filled with everything from cheese, green onions, chunks of meat, or bacon bits; and twice-baked so they form into a melty, crispy treat. Top with or dip into sour cream for the perfect Mother's Day party appetizer!

1990s: Asian Chicken Salad

Chicken, sweet orange slices, fresh lettuces, crunchy dried rice noodles, and sesame seeds with an addictive Asian dressing create a salad that is a crowd favorite. "A very crunchy salad with a tasty sweet Asian-style dressing," says D. "The kids love it too!" It is certainly a healthy addition to your Mother's Day potluck spread!

1990s: Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

No party in the '90s was complete without a baked brie of some stripe. Moms of the 1990s simply couldn't get enough of this dish. Usually served with toast points or crackers, some baked-brie dishes were topped with honey or jam before melting in the oven, while others included nuts or figs in their topping melange. A particularly fancy touch was wrapping your brie wheel in puff pastry before baking, as in this delectable recipe.

• Browse our collection of five-ingredient appetizer recipes.

1990s: Creme Brulee

Creme brulee seems like a tricky or out-of-reach dessert to prepare, but it's really not that hard and the "wow factor" in the eyes of those you'll serve it to coupled with the delight upon tasting this gorgeous dessert will be well worth the effort. A creamy, sweet center topped with a hardened caramelized sugar crust … If your mom has a sweet tooth, this trendy '90s dessert is a surefire hit.

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2000s: Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes

Cupcakes and cake pops burst onto the sweets scene in the 2000s, bringing along with them entire books and bakeries dedicated to the petite cakes, as well as television shows like TLC's Cupcake Wars. At the same time, bacon started trending as the ingredient du jour. It was on everything from candy bars and salads to, yes, cupcakes. Recreate the memories of those cupcake-crazed days with these dark, deeply satisfying cupcakes with a hint of salty tang from crumbled bacon.

• Bake up even more memories with all of these cupcake recipes.

2000s: Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

The South Beach and Atkin's Diet craze of the 2000s lead to a revolution of low-carb foods, even on restaurant menus. Low-carb mashed cauliflower took the place of mashed potatoes, but creative cooks found ways to trick even the sharpest eaters into believing they were eating the real spuds. Make this side dish with mom to accompany low-carb main dishes and recall the carb-phobic era of the 2000s.

• See even more cauliflower recipes.

Quinoa Chicken

After decades of rice pilafs and potato gratins, quinoa slipped onto the scene in 2000s and stole the spotlight from all other grains. Ancient in the world's timeline but new to most American eaters, quinoa remains incredibly popular today, so this quinoa recipe will be welcome for a Mother's Day dinner or just a one-pan weeknight meal.

• See our entire collection of Mother's Day recipes.

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