What are your favorite recipes? Do you have any family cooking secrets that have been passed down through the generations?
Grandmas are masters of their crafts. They’ve had decades to cultivate their styles and iron out their recipes.
Today, we have quite the treat for you right out of Grandma’s kitchen. In fact, we’ve gathered some of Grandma’s greatest hits!
Check out 15 of Grandma’s glorious recipes, from corn chowder to Amish scrapple.
Don’t know what those are? Well, let’s find out.
1. Salisbury steak
Ever tried Salisbury steak? We’re not talking about the frozen kind. An authentic Salisbury steak will make you salivate. The recipe dates back at least a hundred years! Fortunately, the ingredients are savory and simple.
- 1/2 pound of ground pork breakfast sausage
- 1 3/4 cups of chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cups of milk 1 cup of cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon of ground poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 3 tablespoons of butter
So how do we make a savory Salisbury steak?
Start by mixing a quarter cup of mushroom soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, onions, egg, fresh parsley, garlic powder, and pepper. A large bowl should suffice.
After mixing, press the result into small patties. Then, bring a skillet to medium-high heat and cook the patties until they’re brown. Proceed to drain the fat before mixing the rest of the soup, milk, and mushrooms in the same skillet.
Then, add the patties and turn the heat down. Cover the food and cook for 20 minutes. Remember to turn the patties on occasion. Add parsley and serve when ready!
2. Amish scrapple
So what exactly is Amish scrapple? Well, it’s somewhat of a combination of sausage, biscuits, and gravy. Fortunately, it’s incredibly easy to make. You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1/2 pound of ground pork breakfast sausage
- 1 3/4 cups of chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cups of milk
- 1 cup of cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon of ground poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 3 tablespoons of butter
To prepare the famous Amish scrabble, get your skillet to medium-high heat and add your sausage. Cook for about 6 minutes and then drain any excess.
Next, add broth and milk before getting everything to a boil. Stir in the remainder of the ingredients except for the butter. Cook until the product thickens. Lower the heat and cover the food for about 10 minutes.
When it’s ready, add the mix to a loaf pan and let it cool. Next, refrigerate it for two hours. Finally, melt your butter on a skillet and add sliced chunks of the product onto the skillet for another eight to ten minutes.
3. Potato Soup
A potato soup is awesome for both its simplicity and flavor! Plus, you don’t really need many ingredients at all.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups of diced onions
- 1/4 cup of butter
- 4 cups of diced potatoes
- 1 grated carrot
- 2 cups of water 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dried dillweed
- 3 cups of milk
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup of potato flakes
To prepare a nice potato soup, use a large saucepan to brown your onions in butter. Throw in the potatoes, carrot, water, salt, pepper, and dillweed on top.
Cook the ingredients on low heat until the potatoes turn creamy (for about 45 minutes). Stir the milk and parsley until everything’s heated. Then, stir in potato flakes and get ready to serve this delicious dish!
4. Southern Johnny Cakes
Who doesn’t like pancakes? Well, Southern Johnny cakes date back to the Great Depression! They’re essentially fried cornbread in the form of a pancake. Plus, they’re super easy to make!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of self-rising white cornmeal
- 1/2 cup of self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1/3 cup of buttermilk
- 1 egg 1/3 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of melted fat or bacon grease butter
To prepare Southern Johny cakes, mix all your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly add the buttermilk then mix in an egg.
Next, add water and fat before stirring everything up into a thick soup. Then, heat your skillet to medium-high and grease it with butter before frying two tablespoons of the batter. Cook to your liking, dry, and serve!
5. Corn chowder
Corn’s one of America’s historically most important crops. Corn’s so versatile! You can eat it off the cop or as the basis of an amazing soup. Corn chowder – not clam chowder – can be made with ease for cheap.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of butter 1 onion
- 1 chopped celery stalk
- 1 chopped sweet red pepper
- chopped 2 cans of cream-style corn
- 1 1/2 cups of chopped chicken
- cooked 1 can of evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon granules
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
To prepare this treat, heat some butter in a pan. Add onion, celery, and red pepper and cook for about seven minutes. Stir in the corn, chicken, milk, bouillon, and pepper, making sure to heat everything. Then, throw on some crumbled bacon and you’re good to go!
6. Old-fashioned biscuits
Biscuits, in all their simplicity, are a tasty treat. They’re so simple to make! The old-fashioned ones are the best, of course. Grandma’s been perfecting her recipe for decades.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of flour
- 3 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/3 cup of shortening
- 2/3 cup of milk
- 1 egg, beaten
So how do we prepare these amazing biscuits? Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl before cutting the shortening into you have coarse crumbs.
Then, add milk and stir until the mixture moistens. When ready, put the dough onto a floured surface and kneed up to 10 times. Pat the product into a 10 by 4-inch rectangle and then cut the rectangle into 10 squares.
Add the squares to a baking sheet and brush each with butter. Bake everything for another 10 minutes and serve!
7. Hot milk cake
The Great Depression was the worst. Just ask your grandparents. Chefs and cooks had to get creative with their recipes, stretching meals out as long as resources could offer. Enter the hot milk cake. It’s retained popularity in a variety of locales across the country due to its simplicity and tastiness.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 1 cup of milk
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups of sugar
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt powdered sugar
To create this tasty treat, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a Bundt cake pan and then melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir some milk and vanilla until bubbles form around the pan. Using an electric mixer and whisk, throw in eggs and sugar for five minutes.
Sift the flour with some baking powder and salt in a side bowl. When the eggs and sugar have tripled in volume, add some hot milk mix on low heat. Proceed to add the dry ingredients and mix.
Next, take the batter in the Bundt pan and bake for an hour. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before bringing it out to cool completely. Add powdered sugar and you’re good to go. Enjoy!
8. Depression-era chocolate cake
As shown, the Great Depression led to a variety of cooking innovations. This chocolate cake doesn’t cost much to make, and it’s darn delicious. Plus, it doesn’t even use butter, milk, or eggs.
- 3 cups of flour
- 2 cups of cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- 6 tablespoons of cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 12 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of coffee
- 2 cups of room temperature water
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
To make the cake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two cake rounds. Then, combine sugar, flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and ginger in a bowl and stir. Add the melted coconut oil to some vanilla and lukewarm water and stir.
Go on to add coffee and apple cider vinegar and stir to remove any lumps. Pour this batter into the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes. Feel free to add frosting!
9. Twice baked potato casserole
A powerful potato dish can change your food world! The processing of cooking this recipe twice makes a world of difference. We’re going to show you how to make this cheap treat!
Ingredients:
- 8 potatoes
- washed and dried 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of salt 3/4 pound of bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups of shredded cheddar
- 3/4 cup of mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup of sour cream
- 5-6 green onions
- sliced salt pepper
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub the potatoes in olive oil and salt and proceed to put them on a baking sheet. Bake for up to 60 minutes and flip halfway through. They’re ready when they’re soft to the touch of a fork.
Next, cool them for 15 minutes before turning your oven down to 350 degrees. Cut the potatoes into small chunks and put them in a bowl. Add mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir the rest of your ingredients together, but set aside a third cup of cheese, three tablespoons of bacon, and two tablespoons of sliced green onions.
Add everything to a greased baking dish and add the ingredients you set aside. Cover the dish in foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10. Top it with green onions when it’s done. It’s time to serve this amazing dish!
10. Ham and bean soup
Ham and bean soup is a classic, featuring simple ingredients. Everything you need is likely already in your pantry or refrigerator! This one’s sure to please the entire family!
Ingredients:
- 1 can of navy or cannellini beans
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 4 cups of water
- 1-2 pound ham hock or ham bone
- 1-2 pound ham shank 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks of celery, sliced
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon of dry mustard
- 1-2 teaspoons of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 3 bay leaves
- 4-6 bacon strips hot sauce (optional)
- chopped parsley or cilantro (optional)
- cornbread (optional)
Heat two tablespoons of oil and another two of butter in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Add carrots, onions, and celery. Cook until tender.
Then, add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add all else except the beans and bring to a boil. Lower the temperature and simmer for an hour, stirring throughout. Add the beans and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat again and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally.
Next, take the meat off the bones and add it to the stockpot. When ready, take out the bacon strips and bay leaves and top with cilantro, parsley, or even hot sauce!
11. Dutch baby pancakes
Have you ever had a Dutch baby pancake? The old recipe books are full of delicious marvels. They’re one of the best brunch treats you’ll ever try! Watch out because the kids are going to love this one!
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2 cups of fresh berries
- 1 1/4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 2/3 tablespoon of whole milk
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
Begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs for three to five minutes until they turn frothy and light. Add and beat some milk, flour, salt, and the rest of the cinnamon in order to make a thin batter.
Proceed to put a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat and melt butter in it. Take the skillet off the heat and pour the batter, before adding it all to the oven for 20 minutes. In the meantime, add some cinnamon sugar to the berries and stir in a separate bowl.
When ready, remove the pancake and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add the berries for perfection!
12. Popovers
Popovers are some of the greatest forgotten dishes! They’re like a cross between a muffin and quiche. And they’re absolutely incredible! Fortunately, you won’t need much to make these tasty treats.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
First, beat the eggs with a mixer until they’re light and fluffy before adding flour and milk. Start and end with the flour. Stir in butter and salt next. Then, heat a greased muffin tin in the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for three minutes.
When ready, scoop the batter into the muffin tins. Make sure they’re each two-thirds full. Bake the product at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Then, turn the heat down to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes. Bon appétit!
13. Amish bread
The Amish are known for old-fashioned, handmade goods ranging from quilts to foods. They make a dynamite bread that’s sure to take your tastebuds for a spin!
Ingredients:
- 5-7 cups of flour
- 1 package of active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup of white sugar
- 2 1/2 cups of warm water
- 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
- 2 tablespoons of shortening
First, dissolve the yeast in half a cup of warm water and set it aside. Next, heat a pan on the stove and add two cups of water along with sugar, salt, and shortening. Heat the mixture until the mixture’s warm, the sugar’s dissolved, and the shortening’s melted.
Add the dissolved yeast to the mixture. Add three cups of flour gradually, mixing with a spoon until the mixture forms a ball of dough. Then, spread the flour on a cutting board and knead the dough. Proceed to grease the bowl and add the dough. Make sure to flip so that both sides are greased.
Let it rise for three hours. When rising, punch the product down with your hand and cut the dough in half. Next, grease two bread pans and add the dough to the pans, letting it rise for another hour and a half.
Finally, bake the loaves in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes! Next, enjoy the amazing result!
14. Baked Alaska
If we’re talking classics, we simply have to mention Baked Alaska. For the uninitiated, Baked Alaska is a layered dessert that includes ice cream, sponge cake, and meringue. It’s easy to prepare and will surely please your guests!
- 1 1/3 cups of graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup of white sugar (plus 6 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup of softened butter
- 4 cups of vanilla ice cream
- 3 egg whites 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of almond extract
To prepare this tasty treat, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter to a bowl. Keep three tablespoons of the crumbs aside for later.
Press the rest of the crumbs down into a nine-inch pie plate and bake the pie at 375 degrees for 10 minutes before cooling in the freezer. Next, fill the pie shell with vanilla ice cream and add it back to the freezer.
Then, beat the egg whites until they’re frothy before adding salt and almond extract. Slowly add sugar and keep beating until the mixture turns stiff and glossy.
Spread the meringue over the ice cream and sprinkle the leftover crumbs atop. Finally, put the pie under the broiler at 500 degrees for two minutes. Now, you have some amazing Bake Alaska!
15. Sour cream donuts
Grandma’s full of surprises, including sour cream donuts. These old-time sour cream donuts may sound weird, but they’re oh so delicious! We’re sure you’ll love them!
Donut ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups of cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup of sour cream canola oil
Glaze ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups of sifted powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup of hot water
To prepare the sour cream donuts, sift some cake flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl. Then, use a stand mixer and paddle to beat the butter and sugar until they’re of a sandy texture.
Add egg yolks and mix until the result is light and thick. Next, put your dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Ultimately, add flour and sour cream. Mix the product until the dough’s sticky before covering it all in plastic and chilling for an hour.
Then, roll the dough on a floured surface until it’s around half an inch thick. Use the donut cutter until everything’s been used. Proceed to pour about two inches of oil into a deep pot. Using a frying thermometer, heat the oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, fry the donuts for two minutes on each side. Drain the result with paper towels.
To make the glaze, mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Dunk the donuts in the glaze on each side before adding them on a wire rack to dry. Give it about 20 minutes and you’re good to go!
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