Nothing beats grandmas cooking - here's 12 timeless recipes your family will love (2024)

It’s always fun to try out new recipes- but that doesn’t mean we don’t still long for the old flavors of grandma’s homestyle cookin’ every now and again (or all of the time).

The truth is, there will always be something about the way that granny made things that made them taste extra special.

While nothing can replace the hearty helping of her love in any dish, there are some classic recipes floating around out there that can help you come pretty close to nailing down those tasty flavors.

Here are 12 timeless recipes that everyone in your family will be sure to love!

1. Salisbury Steak

This is not going to taste like the frozen TV dinner variety. This recipe dates back to the early 1900s and still tastes just as amazing today – and it’s a lot easier to make than you might think.

You’ll need:

• 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 lb of ground beef
• ⅓ a cup of dry breadcrumbs
• ½ a cup of chopped onions
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tsp. chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ¼ cup of milk
• 1½ cups of sliced mushrooms

1. Combine ground beef, ¼ of the soup, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, garlic powder, and pepper in large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly, then press into small patties.
3. Spray skillet with cooking oil and brown patties on each side over medium-high heat
4. Remove from skillet, drain fat
5. Add in rest of soup, milk, and mushrooms, mix well
6. Return patties, reduce heat, cover, and allow to cook 20 minutes turning patties occasionally
7. When done, add parsley and serve!

2. Corn Chowder

You can’t go wrong with America’s favorite staple vegetable, second only to maybe potatoes.

You’ll need:

• 2 Tblsp. butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 1 sweet red pepper, chopped
• 2 cans cream-style corn
• 1½ cups chopped chicken, cooked
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. Melt butter over med-high heat
2. Add onion, celery, and red pepper, cook until tender ~6-8 minutes
3. Stir in corn, chicken, milk, bouillon, and pepper- cook til heated through, stirring occasionally (just don’t boil)
4. Top with crumbled bacon and serve!

3. Southern Johnny Cakes

Also known as Journey cakes this simple cornmeal flatbread is easy to make and mouthwatering each and every time.

You’ll need:

• ½ cup of self-rising flour (or ½ cup flour sifted together with ½ tsp. of baking soda)
• ½ cup self-rising cornmeal
• 2 tsp. sugar
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup of water
• 2 Tblsp. melted fat (like bacon grease or butter)

1. Mix all of your dry ingredients in a large-sized bowl
2. Gradually add buttermilk first, then your egg
3. Add water and fat and mix thoroughly until a thick soup-like batter forms
4. Grease a skillet or griddle and heat on med-high
5. Fry batter in 2 Tblsp.-sized dollops until they start to bubble, then flip as you would a pancake to finish
6. Strain on paper towels and serve!

4. Twice-baked potato casserole

You’ll need:

• 8 washed and dried potatoes
• 2 Tblsp. of Olive Oil
• 1 Tblsp salt
• ¾ lbs of thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• ¾ cups of mayo
• ¾ cups of sour cream
• 5 or six sliced green onions
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400℉.
2. Rub potatoes with salt and oil and place on baking sheet.
3. Bake 45-60 minutes, flipping halfway through (if soft when poked with a fork, they’re done).
4. Cool 15 minutes, reduce oven temp. to 350℉.
5. Cut potatoes into small chunks and put in large bowl.
6. Add mayo and sour cream, mix well.
7. Set aside ⅓ cup of cheese, 3 Tblsp. of bacon, and 2 Tblsp. of green onion. Then, stir in remaining ingredients.
8. Spoon into greased baking dish and sprinkle with bacon, onion, and cheddar.
9. Cover the dish and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the lid or foil and bake another 10 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, sprinkle with green onions, and serve!

5. Depression-era chocolate cake recipe

The lack of a need for butter, milk, or eggs made this recipe a Godsend for dessert lovers during the depression-era, and it’s still just as lovely and easy to make today as it was back then!

you’ll need:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 6 Tblsp. cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• 2 Tblsp. coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tblsp. coffee
• 2 cups of room-temperature water
• 2 Tblsp. apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 375℉, grease and flour two 9″ cake rounds
2. Combine flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and ginger in large bowl- mix well
3. Add melted butter, oil, vanilla, and water and stir into a batter
4. Add coffee and apple cider vinegar and mix thoroughly to break up any lumps
5. Pour batter into pans and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean
6. Serve and enjoy!

6. Amish Scrapple

Never heard of Amish Scrapple before? Well, you probably aren’t alone. But, you’re about to be one of the countless people who’ll continue craving it for years to come once you try out the recipe from Mr. Food.

You’ll need:

• ½ lb ground pork breakfast sausage
• 1¾ cups of chicken broth
• 1¾ cups of milk
• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 1 tsp. ground poultry seasoning
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 Tblsp. of butter

1. Grease a small loaf pan
2. Cook sausage in a skillet over med-high heat for 5-7 minutes, drain fat
3. Add broth and milk and bring to a boil
4. Stir in the remainder of all your ingredients except for the butter and cook until it thickens
5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
6. After 10 minutes, pour mixture into greased loaf pan and let cool
7. Refrigerate for 2 hours, then turn out on a cutting board and cut into 1″ pieces
8. Melt butter in the skillet and fry each slice for 8-10 minutes per side
9. Keep fat drippings, and add 1-2 Tblsp. of flour with 2 cups of milk to make a delicious gravy (optional)
10. Serve and enjoy!

7. Old-fashioned Biscuits

Need we say more? These biscuits are quick and easy to make, and are a perfect side for EVERYTHING!!!

You’ll need:

• 2 cups of flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• ⅓ cup of shortening
• ⅔ cups of milk
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 450℉
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl
3. Cut in shortening until mixture has texture of coarse bread crumbs
4. Add in milk and stir until mixture is just moistened
5. Turn dough out on floured surface, knead it 8-10 times. Then, pat into 10″ x 4″ rectangle
6. Cut dough into 10 squares
7. Place each square 1″ apart on baking sheet and brush with butter
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and serve!

8. Hot Milk Cake

Though it might not sound that amazing, this incredibly simple recipe was a favorite amongst those living through the depression. And once you try it, you’ll know exactly why.

You’ll need:

• ½ a cup of butter
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 cups of flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. of salt
• powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325℉, move the rack to middle of oven, and grease a bundt pan
2. Melt butter over low heat in saucepan, stir in milk and vanilla until small bubbles form around edges
3. Use whisk on electric mixer to combine eggs and sugar on med-high for five minutes
4. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl
5. Once sugar and egg mix has tripled in volume, gradually add hot milk while mixing on low speed
6. Pour half your dry ingredients in and mix thoroughly. Add in the rest and mix until everything is combined
7. Pour batter into bundt pan and bake for 1 hour, checking at 55 minutes to make sure it’s not overcooking
8. Remove cake from oven and let cool 10 minutes before turning out onto wire wrack to cool completely
9. Dust with powdered sugar, serve, and enjoy!

9. Apricot Chicken

While we’re used to pairing chicken with all sorts of sweet and fruity ingredients, Apricot chicken is one of those golden recipes hidden in the trove of yesteryear. The light, citrusy flavor of the apricot brings out a whole new side to your delicious chicken. This recipe was inspired by Sweet Simple and Savory and it’s 100% worth the try!

You’ll need:

• 1 lb of chicken tenders
• ½ a cup of sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ cup of melted butter
• 1½ cups of plain breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of coconut flakes
• ¼ cup of apricot preserves
• 1 Tblsp. of honey
• 3 Tblsp. of Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp. of salt
• ½ tsp. of paprika
• ½ Tblsp. of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 425℉ and grease a 13 x 9″ baking sheet
2. Mix condensed milk with dijon mustard in one bowl, set aside
3. In a second bowl, mix breadcrumbs, coconut flakes, salt, and paprika
4. Dip chicken tenders in milk batter, then dredge in breadcrumb mix. Roll until all sides are coated
5. Place breaded strips on baking sheet and drizzle with butter
6. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes
7. While chicken is baking, mix preserves, honey, vinegar, and rest of Dijon in another bowl
8. After 20 minutes, flip chicken and glaze with apricot mix.
9. Bake 15 minutes longer, serve and enjoy!

10. Popovers

If you’ve never had the pleasure of indulging in one of these light, fluffy, and super tasty desserts, get ready to treat your tastebuds to something beautiful. Popovers used to be one of the most popular dessert foods, and they’re still just as good today. Try this crave-worthy 4-ingredient recipe adapted from My Recipes.

You’ll need:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 Tblsp. of butter
• ½ tsp. of salt

1. Preheat over to 450℉ and beat eggs with mixer until light and fluffy
2. Gradually add in flour and milk, alternating between each a little at a time. Begin and end with flour, beating between each addition
3. Mix in butter and salt
4. Heat a greased muffin tin in 450℉ oven for 3 minutes. Remove pan and reduce heat to 425℉
5. Scoop batter into muffin cavities filling each ⅔ full
6. Bake at 425℉ for 20 minutes
7. Reduce heat once more to 350℉, bake 20 minutes more and serve!

11. Tasty and classic Ice Box Cake

This is an age-old recipe for the lazy (or busy) cook. It doesn’t require much cooking…or even much effort. But the beautiful way it turns out and the delicious flavors make you feel like you’re eating a cake that was slaved over all day. This recipe was adapted from The Daily Meal.

You’ll need:

• ½ a pint of heavy cream
• 1 box of chocolate wafer cookies
• 2 Tblsp. of sugar
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract

1. Beat cream, sugar, and vanilla with an electric whisk until soft peaks form
2. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and add a layer of cookies to bottom
3. Add a layer of whipped topping, then another layer of cookies. Repeat process until there’s just 1″ of space from the top
4. Cover cake with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight (or for 8 – 12 hours)
5. Once cold enough, dig in and serve!

12. Southern Pimento Cheese

You may or may not have had pimento cheese before. But, unless you made it at home, you haven’t had it at its best! This Southern Pimento Cheese adapted from 11 Magnolia Lane is sure to change ALL of that!

You’ll need:

• 16 oz. of extra sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
• 4 oz. of cream cheese
• 4 oz. of pimento with oil
• ½ a jalapeno
• ½ a cup of mayo
• ¼ tsp. each of onion powder and black pepper
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• a pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Grate cheddar and cube cream cheese
2. Combine all ingredients into stand mixer with paddle attachment
3. Mix all the ingredients together, adding in mayo a little at a time until you reach a creamy consistency to your liking
4. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. If you’re not a fan of spicy foods, leave out the jalpeno and pepper flakes
5. After all is mixed and is the texture you’re looking for, serve with crackers and veggies and enjoy!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Article Sources:

HomeHacks

Mr. Food

A Cultivated Nest

Reader’s Digest

To learn more read our Editorial Standards.