Many people have bad impressions of vintage cooking, seeing photos of jellied salads, mayo-rich puddings, or unusually presented hors d'oeuvres. However, where there's a number of questionable vintage recipes, there are a ton of other recipes that are worth trying, even today. Specifically, during the 1950s, cooks and companies published an array of delicious recipes suitable for the home table, from delicious cakes to budget-friendly mains. The boomer years were a time of post-war economic prosperity, that came along with new food concoctions and recipes for the entire family.
10 Cold Water Cake
Similar to the water pie, adding plain water to cake may sound like a disaster, but don't count out this Depression-era recipe yet! Those who tried this recipe claimed the cake came out dense and similar to a crumble cake variety. As its name suggests, a cold water cake is a cake that's made with eggs, butter (or shortening), sugar, and water. The chilled water is a replacement for milk, possibly an expensive ingredient during times of scarcity. Luckily, many claim the cake is more delicious than it sounds.
9 Lemon Meringue Pie
Like many pie varieties, lemon meringue pies are timeless because they are still enjoyed today. Zesty tart and superb lemon dessert recipes are a dime a dozen in today's foodie climate, which is undoubtedly tasty. However, why not take a step back into the 1950s and try this "magic" lemon meringue pie by Borden's Eagle Brand? This recipe can make a delicious meringue pie for the entire family using sweetened condensed milk.
8 Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
Some of the best recipes are passed down from generation to generation, like these old-fashioned peanut butter cookies on Taste of Home. Though this recipe was recorded in 1942, peanut butter cookies go way longer. In fact, the first peanut butter recipe was published in 1910 in the cookbook, How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption. These peanut butter-rich cookies were a way to promote peanut crops by Alabama's Tuskegee Institute!
7 Cream Of Spinach Soup
Tired of cream of chicken soup? Ditch the cans this week and try making a batch of vintage cream of spinach soup! This refreshing soup combines handfuls of spinach with fresh onion, milk, chicken broth, and egg yolk to create a creamy dish. Plus, this meat-free dish is budget-friendly and made using inexpensive ingredients. Don't forget to serve this soup alongside fresh bread rolls or a salad.
6 Caesar Salad
Contrary to popular belief, Caesar salad was not named after Julius Caesar. Instead, it was named after Caesar Cardini, an Italian restauranteur who invented the world-famous salad in the early 20th century. Today, Caesar salad remains one of the most popular dishes and dressings. Though making a Caesar salad using store-bought dressing is easy, a heavenly (and vintage) variety can easily be made at home! For next week's dinner, try this Caesar salad variation from 1953's A Picture Treasury of Good Cooking.
5 Steak Diane Sauce
Bring back the flavors of the 20th century with this easy recipe for steak diane sauce. An iconic dish in vintage cooking, steak diane is made by pan-frying steak, smothered with a creamy sauce made with pan juices and other flavorful ingredients. Similar to steak au poivre, steak diane may sound fancy, but is deliciously simple!
4 Hawaiian Turkey Curry
It's a tad unconventional, but lovers of the unique and unusual may want to try this Hawaiian turkey curry, published in 1958 by the Tested Recipe Institute. Reposted by Vintage Recipe Cards, this curry relies on a creamy base of coconut milk and butter (or margarine, which is slowly simmered with curry powder, turkey stock, pineapple chunks, and diced cook turkey. The recipe also informs cooks to serve the curry with a bed of rice alongside sides of raisins, coconut shreds, peanuts, or chutneys.
3 Chicken Fricasse (Broad Noodles)
Defined as "inexpensive" and "filling", this chicken fricassee recipe from 1951 by Goodman & Sons Inc still holds today. Made with inexpensive ingredients like celery, ginger, flour, and egg noodles, shredded chicken can be added to the mix for a budget-friendly dinner. Plus, cooks can make it pretty and garnish the dish with inexpensive herbs like parsley!
2 Magic Lemon Pie
This vintage recipe dates back to 1952! A simple pie that serves six people can be easily made using a cup of beet sugar (i.e., granulated sugar), three eggs, flour, milk, and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. Though it's not necessarily a lemon meringue pie, this easy-peasy recipe makes for a quick and easy dessert. To make it easier, cooks can use a storebought pie crust (though the recipe card has tips for making flaky pie dough at home)!
1 Corn Flake Crumb Oven-Fried Chicken
Vintage recipe lovers looking for tasty weeknight meals should give this corn flake crumb chicken a try. Using crushed cornflakes, this retro recipe creates crunchy chicken without the need for excessive oils or a frying pan. Baked to golden perfection in an oven, this crunchy chicken goes great with a side salad or a bed of rice!
