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I have a lot of fond 80s food related childhood memories. We didn’t eat out very often. I had the occasional McDonalds when my grandparents took me out as a treat. The first time I was inside a Taco Bell, I was 14 or 15 years old and only because I happened to go with a friend. Sometimes, my family would go out to Pizza Hut, but that was mostly from my Pizza Hut Book It rewards from school. We ate out so rarely that I can still distinctly remember my father taking me to Arthur Treacher’s for Fish n Chips when I was around 8 years old. It’s the only time I ever went there.
My mom used a Crockpot slow cooker (doubled as a grill) at least once a week for classic meals like beef stew, chili, chicken and pot roast. We ate a lot of big family meals and always ate together at the dinner table. My dad was an avid hunter and fisherman, so there were those meals, too. sigh. My mom was a great cook, but sometimes she used some convenience foods on busy nights or if she was sick. She bought frozen dinners, so I could make myself food sometimes, too. This changed by the mid-eighties as she went back to cooking healthier meals and processed foods were nearly banned from our home.
Looking back, there were some 80s food recipes that were popular with most families. Many are still popular now.
Here’s a few food brands I remember (most are still around) and recipes that I remember, too. Some I will share an older classic recipe and a more modern version. I hope this helps anyone looking for 80’s theme party recipes, too.
I make these occasionally and to get my kids to eat them, I call them Crabby Patties. My mom made them when I was a kid using a McCormick season packet or a can of Manwich sauce for convenience and I was happy to have them for dinner and would often request them after Lent because I was desperate for meat. Lent was incredibly difficult for me. Let’s just say that I still can’t eat fish or seafood.
mustard, brown sugar, gochujang, beans, salt and pepper and simmer for a few minutes. –Traditional Sloppy Joe’s recipe and photo by Closet Cooking.
Spoon a generous amount of hot Sloppy Joe’s on each chip. Top with cheese and a pickle on each chip.
Bake for 2-3 minutes under the broiler or until the potato chips just start to brown and the cheese is melted. –Sloppy Joe Nachos Recipe and photo by Mrs. Schwartz’s Kitchen
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cut the biscuit dough into quarters and press to cover the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Place the ground beef into a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring to crumble, until no longer pink. Add the onion and bell pepper about halfway through,
cooking and stirring until tender. Drain off excess grease and stir in the sloppy Joe sauce. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the
biscuits and spread to cover evenly. Bake in the preheated oven until the biscuits are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven
and sprinkle the cheese on top. Return to the oven until the cheese has melted, about 10 more minutes. —Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe and Photo by Allrecipes
I loved this and looked forward to it when our whole family would have get-togethers. Some people made chipped beef, others made it with a sour cream recipe or spinach or artichoke. Our family used Knorr Vegetable Mix to make dip and we usually used Pumpernickel or Rye bread. But we would always have other breads and various crackers served with it. Now tons of foods such as soup, stew, chili, eggs and various pasta dishes are served in bread bowls. And there are a lot of new ideas to use various foods other than bread as the “bowl”. For example, peppers, egg plant, pumpkins (and various squashes), tomatoes, mushrooms, potatoes, cucumber, biscuits, etc. And that’s not including dessert bowls. haha But hey, how about taking the Sloppy Joe recipe from above and putting it into a bread bowl and topping with melted cheese?
If you like a little bit of a bite stir in some horseradish. Fill bread bowl or glass dish with dip mixture
Serve with reserved bread cubes and place around bowl for dipping. — Hot Chipped Beef Dip Recipe and Photo by Just 2 Sisters
Serve with crackers and reserved bread cubes. Yield: 4 cups. –Bacon Cheese Dip Recipe and Photo by Nicole Marcotte, BC
I’ll admit, I still make this. I mix things up by using different pasta such as bow ties, mini shells, or tortellini. Sometimes I’ll turn it into an Antipasto, Caesar or Bacon Ranch salad, too. When making the recipe below, you can add cheese, broccoli and carrots, etc.
In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill and serve. Rotini pasta may be replaced with any other favorite pasta shape.
Add cream cheese and garlic to potatoes; stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in parsley. Scoop over meatloaves. Serve with gravy. –Meatloaf Recipe and Photo by Kraft.
Sadly this specific kit has been discontinued, but there are still many products available to make pizza at home even if you don’t make the dough from complete scratch. You can buy boxed mixes, frozen dough, pizza shells, etc. I’ve decided to share a pizza dough recipe for this one since convenience options don’t require much instruction.
In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, add warm water and yeast. Sprinkle sugar over top and allow to sit for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture begins to puff. Add the oil and the room temperature water. Whisk gently to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, combine salt, flour, and water mixture. When dough begins to form a ball, remove paddle attachment and replace with dough hook. With mixing speed on low, knead dough for 2-3 minutes or until a ball begins to form and the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Remove dough from bowl and place in a large well-greased bowl (I prefer using olive oil, but you can also use Pam). Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours. You can also do a “quick-rise” method and stick the bowl in an oven that has been heated to 200 degrees and then TURNED OFF (that way it’s nice and warm in there, but please make sure your oven is actually off before sticking the dough inside). Let it rise for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the pizza sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until needed.
To deflate dough, punch with fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two or three balls (depending on how big and how many pizzas you want to make… I make 2). Form into pizza shells to fit the size of your pan (or refrigerate the other dough for up to 48 hours. Place on a lightly greased pan (or one that has been dusted with flour or cornmeal).
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush the olive oil over the entire top of the pizza dough. Spread an even layer of pizza sauce over the pizza, leaving about ¾”-1″ of dough around edges for the crust. Top with the grated parmesan cheese, then the mozzarella. Place the pepperoni slices on then bake for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, allow to cool for 10 minutes before topping with basil or oregano (to prevent discoloration and wilting). Slice and serve immediately.
-The dough and sauce for this recipe are for three 13″ pizzas or two 15″ pizzas. The toppings however, are for one 13″ pizza. I usually make two or three different kinds of pizzas using the same dough and sauce but change the toppings.–Homemade Pizza Recipe and Photo by Life Made Simple Bakes
Anyone else like me that hated when the frozen pot pie only had a crust on the top and not the bottom?
In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook 4 to 5 minutes.
Sprinkle flour on top of onion mixture. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and half-and-half.
Add cream cheese, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon so that it melts and blends into the sauce. Cook until
Unroll piecrusts and use a rolling pin to roll them slightly thinner. You want to be able to cut 4 circles out of
each pie crust. Use a bowl that’s approximately 5 inches across to cut a total of 8 circles. Roll the scraps together and cut 2
more circles. Place filling(as much as you can and still be able to fold over the dough and seal it) on one side of a circle of
In a small bowl, whisk together egg white and milk. Use your finger or a small pastry brush to wet the edges of
the dough with egg wash so that they will stick together. Fold dough over, pressing to seal edges. Crimp around
Place in oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Makes 10 Turnovers–Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers Recipe and Photo by Spicy Southern Chicken
In a bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix by hand, gently and form into 4 equal patties. Heat the butter in a large skillet and cook the beef patties, on medium heat for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add an additional tablespoon of butter to the pan along with the mushrooms and cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until slightly browned. Move the mushrooms to the sides of the pan and add the flour to the center. Slowly whisk in the beef stock, making sure to scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper and return the beef patties to the pan. Continue to cook on medium low heat for an additional 10 minutes for the sauce to thicken and the beef patties to cook through. Finish by stirring in the final tablespoon of butter and the parsley. Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes. Makes 4 servings. –Salisbury Steak Recipe and Photo by Hungry Couple NYC
This dip was everywhere. It was so popular that often times, there would be more than one at a potluck or party. It’s still a crowd pleaser. Not much has changed through the years with this classic dip other than offering individual servings.
Spread the refried beans out in an even layer in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Layer the guacamole in an even layer on top of the beans, followed
Serve immediately with chips for dipping. Or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. –7 Layer Dip Recipe and Photo by Gimme Some Oven
Put the chicken wings in a large bowl, pour flour mixture on wings and toss until they are evenly coated.
When you are ready to cook wings, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray it generously with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread wings out on cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Turn wings over and bake for another 20 minutes.
Put butter, garlic powder, pepper and hot sauce in a bowl and microwave until butter is melted. Then stir until it is well blended.
I liked Rice-a-roni. My mom rarely made it (always homemade white rice daily), but my grandma did sometimes. I have made it, but don’t buy it often because much like my mom, I make my own rice using a rice cooker.
Cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed. –Homemade Rice a Roni Recipe and Photo by Plain Chicken
I like Ambrosia salad. I used to just call it fluff or fruit salad. I still sometimes make a version of this with canned mandarin oranges and pineapple with orange jello and Cool Whip. It tastes like a Creamsicle. Some recipes have grapes or nuts, others don’t. Some use yogurt, others use sour cream or even pudding. Waldorf Salad was popular, too.
Add apple to a large bowl and toss in lemon juice to keep from browning. Add the pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, coconut, and marshmallows and toss to combine.
Stir in Greek yogurt, gently tossing to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled.
Notes After a day or so of sitting in the fridge, liquid from the fruit may pool at the bottom. If eating the leftovers, I like to gently pour some of this off before eating. –Ambrosia Salad Recipe and Photo by Tastes Better from Scratch
Sometimes lil smokies were used instead. Sometimes they were in BBQ sauce other times in a grape jelly and chili sauce. But always with fancy toothpicks.
I love these served as an appetizer or served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. The first version doesn’t have sour cream which is a bit weird to me. So I’m including one that does have sour cream, too.
You can make meatballs and put them in the same sauce as the cocktail weiners recipe I shared, too. Or make porcupine meatballs.
To make the meatballs: Heat the butter, in a skillet, over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, allspice, salt, and white pepper, for about 5 minutes, or until garlic and onions are soft.
(Using dried minced onions will take less take to cook) Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce to the mixture, and bring to a simmer.
Dump the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Pour the hot skillet mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir together. Add the beef, pork, 1 egg and 1 egg white to the bowl, and mix
until combined. Spray a sheet pan to grease, and roll the meat into 1 inch balls, and place on a baking sheet.
Cover your sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate the meatballs for about an hour. (We skipped the chilling step and had no problems.)
To make the gravy: Melt the butter in a skillet and add the flour. Cook for a few minutes while whisking. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, bring to a simmer.
Finally, add the heavy cream and the cooked meatballs. Let simmer, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve with good quality noodles and garnish with parsley. –Swedish Meatball Recipe and Photo by Jam Hands
Melt the butter in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Stir in the grated onion and cook until translucent and softened, 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Place the pieces of bread in a large bowl and mix with the milk. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes for the bread to absorb all of the milk.
Once the bread has soaked up the milk put the bread in a food processor and pulse until it has been completely broken up.
Stir the cooled onions into the milk bread mixture. Add the eggs, ground pork and beef, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cardamom.
Use your hands to form the meatballs about an inch-thick and place them on a plate or sheet pan. This recipe should make between 40 and 50 meatballs
Heat 6 Tbsp of butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat. When the butter is melted and foamy, start adding some meatballs to the pan.
Working in batches as to not crowd the pan, slowly brown the meatballs on all sides. Handle the meatballs gently so they do not break apart as you turn them.
Once the meatballs have browned on all sides, remove them from the pan and set aside. You do not need to cook the meatballs all the way through
Once you have removed the meatballs from the pan, keep the remaining butter in the pan. You’ll use this butter to make the sauce.
If the butter in the pan has become burnt through the browning of the meatballs, remove and discard it, and add 6 Tbsp of fresh butter to the pan.
To make the sauce, first make the roux. Heat the butter in the pan on medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour. Stir until smooth. Continue to stir,
allowing the flour mixture to cook, several minutes, until the roux is the color of coffee-with-cream.
When the roux has cooked to a lovely shade of light brown, slowly add the stock to the roux, stirring as you add the stock. The stock will sputter
at first and the roux may seize up, but keep adding the stock slowly and keep stirring. Eventually the sauce will loosen and become silky.
Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce and lower the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish to serve. Stir in the sour cream. Either stir the jelly into the sauce or serve it on the side. –Swedish Meatballs Recipe and Photo by Simply Recipes
Deviled eggs are one of those foods that I’m extremely cautious over trying anywhere outside of my family. It’s frightening what some people can do to an egg. While I’m open to variations on deviled eggs (such as adding bacon), I prefer mine simple because that’s how my family always made them. I make my deviled eggs about the same way that I make my egg salad with the exception of sprinkling Paprika on top. I’ll pipe the yolk mixture if I have time, but it doesn’t bother me to have it just spooned into the egg halves.
Hard boil, cool, and peel eggs. Cut eggs in half lengthwise and carefully remove the yolks. Place yolks in a bowl. Mash with a fork.
Add mayonnaise, yellow mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Continue mixing and mashing with a fork until smooth and creamy.
Spoon yolk mixture back into the egg white shells. Sprinkle with paprika for a garnish. Store in an airtight container or on a plate wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. –Class Deviled Eggs Recipe and Photo by Dessert Now Dinner Later
Shell the eggs and halve them lengthwise. Coarsely chop half the egg whites and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the remaining white and all of the yolks to a food processor along with
the mayo and mustard. Process until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and blend with the chopped egg whites. Season with salt and pepper.
Can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.–Deviled Egg Spread Recipe and Photo by Cutting Edge of Ordinary
For a quick fix, I would sometimes request Hormel canned chili or Mccormick’s powder mix packet chili. My mom’s chili was awesome. We had chili dogs, chili fries, baked potato with chili, chili over pasta (chili mac), chili on nachos or with corn chips. Our family loved chili. haha. No con carne. Oh please no. I like my chili pretty plain. I like my chili with ground beef, onion, kidney and pinto beans, tomato sauce and diced and onion. Then bring on the sour cream and cheese. Love it with crusty bread, but I’ll take saltine crackers. But there are all kinds of chili recipes. Some have quinoa, pumpkin, or beer, etc. Clearly not everyone is as dull as I am about chili.
In a heavy bottomed pot, add the oil and heat over medium heat. add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 min. add the garlic, stirring everything together to not burn the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. add the minced bell peppers and saute for another 2-4 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
Add the ground turkey to the pot and cook through until almost cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. dump all of the spices over the meat and quickly stir it all in. let the spices cook onto the meat for 1-2 minutes. add the dr pepper, tomato paste, and knorr stocksee note. stir until the tub of stock and paste have dissolved. add the pinto beans, and tomatoes and turn the heat down to a simmer. simmer for 30-all day. the longer it simmers the better the flavor. mine simmered for 2 hours on a very low heat. Serve with cool sour cream, grated cheese, green onions, and chips.
Notes: Knorr homestyle stock is a concentrated tub of stock that is very small and gel like. if you cannot find the tub just skip it as it is quite different than a liquid stock. –Dr. Pepper and Chocolate Chili Recipe and Photo by Oh Sweet Basil
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Store the seasoning mix in an air-tight container for up to one year.
For use in chili, use about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the above mixture in a recipe that calls for one packet of chili seasoning; adjust to your taste.
To turn this into taco seasoning, omit the sugar in the recipe above. When making tacos using one pound of ground beef, start with 2 tablespoons plus
1 cup of water of the seasoning mix, bring to a simmer and allow sauce to thicken. Adjust seasonings to taste. Modify the mixture into
blackening seasoning by leaving out the chili powder and crushed red pepper flakes; add in 1 Tbs. granulated sugar and 1 tsp. ground thyme. –Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix Recipe and Photo by Bake Your Day
I loved chicken fried steak. I would get cravings and ask my mom to buy me the Banquet’s version. Oh my. It was quick and easy, but the absolute worse to look at. But as a kid, I was just happy to make something myself. Thankfully there are plenty of chicken fried steak recipes.
Pound the steaks to about 1/4 inch thickness. Place 2 cups flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in buttermilk, egg, hot pepper sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in flour, then in batter, and again in flour. Pat flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
Heat shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring gravy to a simmer. Cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve. –Chicken Fried Steak Recipe and Photo by Kitch Me
I remember everything chicken , shrimp and fish was blackened. It’s kind of funny. As a kid, it looked burnt and with all the cajun spices, I was begging for PLAIN chicken. People were even blackening their turkeys. I was in fear for the holidays! Would it be a Cajun holiday?
Mix all ingredients well. This seasoning is fantastic when used on not only fish, but chicken and steak as well. Dip the meats in melted butter and then into this mix before cooking. –Blackened Seasoning Blend Recipe and Photo by Food.com
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes until it is smoking hot.
Place the chicken in the hot pan, and cook for 1 minute. Turn, and cook 1 minute on other side. Place the breasts on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes. –Blackened Chicken Recipe and Photo by Kitch Me
I love potato skins. But I have to admit I prefer making baked potatoes with fixin’s because it’s faster. Potato skins take work. But they are definitely worth the time if you have it. I can’t apologize for all of the following potato skin recipes. it’s a must-have party food item and ya gotta have options. How about Sweet Potato Skins?
Use a spoon to scoop out white middles of each remaining slice, leaving about 1/4″ thickness in each.
Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions. –TGIF Potato Skins Copycat Recipe and Photo by Cincy Shopper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Salt and pepper liberally and shake the pan a little to coat them with oil. Roast for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Then set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted water, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside in a colander.
Using the same pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once melted whisk in the flour and cook the roux (butter-flour mixture) for 1 minute. Then whisk in the milk and add the sour cream and 8 oz cream cheese. Bring to a simmer and whisk until the mixture is thick and smooth.
Add 1 lb shredded cheddar and whisk until smooth. Then add a dash or two of cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the cooked macaroni, 2/3 cup crumbled bacon, and 2/3 cup green onions into the cheese sauce. Stir to coat.
For the potato skins recipe: Preheat the oven to Broil. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. carefully scoop of most of the flesh, leaving just a little potato attached to the skin. Reserve the crumbled potato flesh.
Brush the potato skins with oil. With the remaining 2 oz. of cream cheese, place a scant 1/2 tsp dollop of cream cheese in each potato skin.
For creamy baked mac and cheese, place the baked mac and cheese in the oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, watch carefully. You want the cheese to melt and the tops to toast, but not burn.
For more a traditional “firm” baked mac and cheese recipe, turn the oven to 400 degrees, and bake for 20 minutes until the tops are golden.
Once out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining green onions and bacon over the top and serve warm. –Potato Skins Mac and Cheese Recipe and Photo by A Spicy Perspective
Pre-heat oven to 400°. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Wash potatoes and then cut the ends of the potatoes off and discard. Next cut the rest of the potatoes into approximately 1/2 inch slices.
Brush both sides and edges of the potatoes with butter and sprinkle with salt. Place on the foil covered pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn potatoes onto the opposite side after about 15 minutes, to brown the other side.
When potatoes are done, top with cheese, bacon and green onions. Continue baking for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese in nice and bubbly.
These also taste great topped with a little sour cream. Enjoy! –Easy Potato Skins Recipe and Photo by I Heart Nap Time
Combine mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, parsley and ¼ tsp. black pepper. Stir until all ingredients are uniformly mixed.
Add 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat. Add Vidalia onions to skillet. Add ½ Tbsp. course sea salt and 1/4 Tbsp. black pepper. Cook for approximately 10 minutes until onions begin to look translucent and slightly caramelized. Turn heat to high, add ½ cup Marsala wine and cook for approximately 5 minutes until all of the wine has been absorbed by the onions and the onions are caramelized. Add the remaining ¼ cup Marsala wine to deglaze the skillet to finish.
Add 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet or griddle set on high heat. Once oil starts to slightly smoke, add Steak-umm® Sliced Steaks. Cook 2 to 3 minutes while utilizing a metal spatula to break up the steaks. Finish with Worcestershire sauce.
Fill a medium-sized saucepan halfway with water and set to simmer. Once simmering, place a smaller saucepan inside the simmering medium saucepan. Add the Havarti cheese and carefully stir until completely melted and smooth in consistency.
Spread 1 Tbsp. aioli over the bottom of a halved potato roll. Top with Steak-umm® Sliced Steak, Marsala onions and cheese. Cover with potato roll top and enjoy. 18 servings –Steak-umm SLiders Recipe and Photo by Steve Harvey
{Note: the original recipe also included 1/2 teaspoon of ground fennel, which was intended to lend some sausage flavor without actually adding sausage. I didn’t have any on hand,
Add the oil to a 12-inch nonstick skillet and set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring continuously, for about 3 minutes,
or until the mixture is a deep rust color. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, or just until fragrant. Mix in the chopped
tomatoes and the reserved juice. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then continue cooking until it has thickened and reduced to a thick paste. This will take about
10 minutes, and when it’s done, you should have about 1 cup. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.
Meanwhile, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a fine mesh sieve, dust about half of the cornstarch onto the parchment.
Add the cheese and the basil to the chilled tomato mixture and stir to combine. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. To assemble: Place the wonton wraps
on a plate and cover with a damp towel (this will prevent them from drying out). Fill a small bowl with water and set on your work surface. Working with a few wrappers
at a time, lay them on your work surface. Add 1 teaspoon of filling to the center of each wrapper. Dip your finger in the water, and moisten the edges of one of the wrappers.
Gently press your fingers on either side of the filling to work out any air, then press the edges to seal completely. This is optional but the sides will be a bit long,
so feel free to trim them down (I did). Transfer to the prepared baking sheet (seam side down). Repeat the sealing process with the other wrappers then continue to
fill and seal using the remaining filling and wrappers. (Note: place additional sheets of parchment dusted with the remaining cornstarch between layers of pizza rolls on the baking sheet.)
Once you’ve assembled all of the rolls, cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer for at least 30-60 minutes (until they are firm) or up to 1 month.
Meanwhile, set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Top the rack with a layer of paper towels. Add enough vegetable oil to a pot to measure about 1 1/2 inches deep – you can
do this in a large Dutch oven or a smaller pot but just be aware that you should fry fewer rolls at a time in the smaller pot so as not to overcrowd and drop the oil temperature
too much. Set the pot over medium to medium-high heat and heat the oil until it measures 375 F on a candy thermometer. Add the pizza rolls (how many depends on how
big a pot you used) and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring and flipping them over a few times so both sides brown evenly. Try to maintain the oil temperature between
350 and 375 F – adjust the heat under the pot as necessary. Use a spider strainer to transfer the pizza to the wire rack you prepared earlier to allow any excess oil to drain.
Return the oil to 375 F before frying the next batch of rolls. Continue until they’ve all been fried.
The rolls will be very hot when they come out of the oil so let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Serve as is or with marinara sauce for dipping. Makes 5-6 dozen –Homemade Pizza Rolls Recipe and Photo by Traceys Culinary Adventure
Pizza in the morning, Pizza in the evenin’, Pizza at suppertime! When pizza’s on a bagel, You can eat pizza anytime!
Preheat oven to 400. Place bagels face up on a baking sheet. Spread with pizza sauce. Arrange five to seven slices of pepperoni on each, covering the bagel hole with one slice.
Top each with ham, bacon and cheese. Bake at 400 for 12-14 minutes or until cheese is melted. –Homemade Pizza Bagels Recipe and Photo by Kevin and Amanda
1 large loaf French or Italian bread (see note above), about 18 inches long and 4 inches wide, split half lengthwise and crosswise
Adjust oven rack to upper position and preheat oven to 425°F. Heat butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted.
Add garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
Place bread cut-side-up on a clean work surface. Using a rimmed baking sheet, press down on bread evenly until compressed to about 2/3rds of its original height.
Place bread on top of rimmed baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush half of garlic/butter/oil mixture evenly over cut surfaces of bread, making sure to get plenty
Add tomatoes to remaining garlic/butter/oil mixture in pan, stir to combine, increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rich and reduced, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
While sauce cooks, spread 1/4 of mozzarella evenly over surface of bread and transfer to oven. Cook until cheese is barely melted, about 8 minutes.
Spread sauce evenly over bread, then spread remaining mozzarella on top of sauce. Transfer to oven and bake until cheese is melted and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmigiano-reggiano, remaining parsley/basil, and remaining tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.
Many families in the 80’s used Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup for their Beef Stroganoff. or some made Hamburger Helper. You can use ground beef or meatballs in your stroganoff.
Serve stroganoff over cooked noodles. –Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe and Photo by Reasons to Skip the Housework
Cook egg noodles al dente in boiling salted water according to package instructions. (For optimal timing, I recommend actually adding the egg noodles to the boiling water at the same time that the beef broth is added to the stroganoff.)
Meanwhile, as your pasta water is coming to a boil, melt the butter in a large saute pan** over medium-high heat. Add the steak in a single layer, seasoned with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, and let it cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes to get a good sear. Flip the steak, and cook on the other side until browned, about another 3 minutes. Then remove steak from pan with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a separate plate. Set aside.
(**If your pan is not big enough to fit all of the steak in a single layer, then add just 1 Tbsp. of butter to the pan and cook half of the steak. Then repeat with a second batch.**)
Return pan to heat and add the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Once it has melted, add the onions and saute for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms, and stir to combine. Continue sauteing for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked and the onions are soft. Add the white wine, and deglaze the pan by using your cooking spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture cook down for an additional 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the beef broth, worcestershire sauce and flour until smooth. Pour the beef broth mixture into the pan, and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then stir in the Greek yogurt (or sour cream) until combined, and then stir the cooked steak back in. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve over the egg noodles, garnished with parsley if desired. –30 Minute Beef Stroganoff Recipe and Photo by Gimme Some Oven
slice onions in half, and thinly slice each half into half moons (this may seem like alot but they cook down)
in a bowl, mix beef, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper together using a 1/3 measuring cup, form meat into 8 balls and set aside,( using measuring cup ensures equal sized burgers)
Take cheese slice and fold it in half and then half again. Place cheese in middle of one patty, and then cover with another patty, like a sandwich
Pick up sandwiched Patties and pinch around edges to seal tightly, to ensure no cheese oozes out during cooking.
While burgers are grilling, butter buns and lightly toast. Let burgers rest for 5 to 10 mins after cooking !!!
Place burgers on buns, top with onions, mushrooms, and sour cream–Stroganoff Burgers Recipe and Photo by Vavra
“Pick me up” dessert which typically has coffee (some have alcohol, too) as an ingredient. I love it. There are a lot of variations. Here’s a recipe for classic Tiramisu, but very easy to make because it’s a slab.
4. On the bottom of a 9 by 9 pan (or a trifle dish) place a single layer of pound cake, trimming to fit.
10. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, the longer this sits…the better! –Lazy Baker’s Tiramisu Recipe and Photo by Nellie Bellie
Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Pour one cup of heavy cream into a small saucepan, and place the pan over medium heat. Bring the cream to a simmer, heating it until bubbles appear along the sides of the pan, but it is not yet boiling.
Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and allow it to sit and soften for a minute. After a minute, whisk the cream and chocolate together until the chocolate is smooth, shiny and melted. Press a layer of cling wrap over the top and refrigerate the chocolate briefly until it thickens to the consistency of soft peanut butter.
While the chocolate is chilling, prepare the mascarpone mixture. Place the egg yolks and sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the yolks and sugar together on medium-high speed until they are very thick and pale, about 2-3 minutes. When you stop the mixer and lift up the whisk, the yolks should slowly drip from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
Add the mascarpone cheese, salt, and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-low until the cheese is incorporated and the mixture is free of lumps. Don’t overbeat, or beat too quickly, since mascarpone is prone to breaking if it’s overworked!
Transfer the mascarpone cheese to another bowl, and in the same mixing bowl—no need to clean it—place the remaining ¾ cup heavy cream. Whip the cream to firm peaks, then gently fold it into the cheese in several batches.
To assemble the tiramisus, spread a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of six 10-oz dishes or cups. Working one at a time, dip a ladyfinger quickly in the hot chocolate so that it is submerged, then place it in the serving dish. You may need to break the cookies into several pieces to make them fit into an even layer in the dishes. Repeat until all of the dishes have a first layer of soaked lady fingers.
Spoon a thick layer of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers—you may find that it’s easier to put the cream into a pastry bag with a round tip, or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Once all of the tiramisus have a layer of mascarpone, spoon a thin layer of chocolate on top. Repeat the layers, adding more ladyfingers, mascarpone, and chocolate, until you reach the top of your container. Make sure that you end with a layer of mascarpone cheese. Finish the tiramisus with a topping of shaved chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, or a big rosette of whipped cream. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and serve!
Tiramisu keeps very well, and this dessert can be made up to five days ahead of time and kept, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
This recipe can also be made in a 9×13 pan. You will need more lady fingers to make it in a large rectangular pan, but the exact number will depend on the size of the brand you use. To make it in a 9×13 pan, start with a thin chocolate layer, then add dipped ladyfingers, mascarpone, chocolate, lady fingers, and mascarpone, in that order. Top with shredded chocolate or cocoa powder, refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and then serve!
You can substitute hard lady fingers (savoiardi) for the soft ones, if that is what you have available, but you will want to soak them for an extra second or two in the hot chocolate to make sure they soften. –Chocolate Tiramisu Recipe and Photo by Sugar Hero
I used the oatmeal scotchies recipe on the back of the Butterscotch chips bag when I was a kid. I love Blondies, too.
What’s not to love about Mud Pie. Some are frozen. There are many variations with some people calling them silk pies. As a kid, I just used pudding, cool whip and a pre-made crust. If you’re thinking it is just like the dirt cups, you’re right.
Separate out 2 ounces of cookie crumbs and set them aside. In a bowl, stir together the remaining cookie crumbs and butter, and firmly press mixture into the
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, corn starch, and salt. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with a whisk, then add them to the dry ingredients
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla and bring to a low boil over medium heat. When the milk begins to boil, turn off the heat and
temper the egg mixture by adding a little of the hot liquid to the egg mixture at a time, whisking as you go. Once all of the milk has been added, pour
Cook, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Continue to whisk. Once the mixture bubbles, whisk for 2 additional minutes,
When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and reserved cookie crumbs. –Chocolate Mud Pie Recipe and Photo by Serious Eats
Our family used cubed stew beef. Sometimes the meat was marinated in Italian Dressing. Sometimes we made them using chicken or shrimp. It was pretty basic, we used metal skewers and added tomatoes, onions, potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers and mushrooms. I loved them and looked forward to whenever my mom made them. Kabobs are so popular now that there are tons of fruit, candy and dessert kabobs recipes. Basically, these days anything on a stick is popular. It’s like stick is the new toothpick.
Cut the steak into 16 equal pieces if using a thin cut and 8 equal pieces if using a thick cut. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place the steak and mushrooms in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, vinegar, rosemary, and garlic, and stir until the steak and mushrooms are well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil and cook potatoes until just barely fork-tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Add a piece of steak, a potato, another piece of steak, and a mushroom to a skewer. Then add another piece of steak, a potato, another piece of steak, and a mushroom again. Repeat with remaining 3 skewers and ingredients.
Heat a grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grate. Add the kabobs and grill about 5-6 minutes on both sides, flipping every 3 minutes. Sprinkle kabobs with remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and serve immediately.
– Clean the mushrooms before they go in the marinade by wiping any dirt away with a damp paper towel. –Balsamic Rosemary Kabobs Recipe and Photo by Love Grows Wild
Pulled pork is still one of my favorite summer foods. I loved pulled pork sandwiches, but the meat is delicious in tacos, in salad, on pizza, baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, nachos and in mac and cheese, too. Or make shepherd’s pie. Some people like pulled pork sandwiches plain or with cheese. I loved it with cole slaw!
Place pork in slow cooker. Pour root beer over the pork. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours or until it shreds easily with two fork. –Rootbeer Pulled Pork Sandwich Recipe and Photo by Mom on Timeout
I loved shake and bake. Mostly loved it on pork chops, but sometimes we had it on chicken, too. My mom would only make it if I begged, but I did love it and I’d ask my grandmother to make it when I stayed at her house, too.
Store mix, refrigerated, in a tightly covered container. –Homemade Shake and Bake Recipe and Photo by My Organized Chaos
Growing up, I had a lot of stir fry. It’s still one of my favorite foods. I’m partial to using beef, but chicken is delicious, too. I’m not a seafood fan, but wow does the shrimp dish look good.
In another bowl combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and sesame oil together, stir in the cornstarch, mixing until smooth.
In a large skilled heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium high heat Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they’re cooked through, about 1 minute, Remove the shrimp from the skillet.
Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the skillet, add the vegetables, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until the vegetables
Remove from heat & serve immediately over hot cooked rice. –Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe and Photo by Grocery Budget 101
Very popular dressing when I was a kid. I loved it. But I haven’t made or bought this type of dressing in years.
Blend on high for at least 1 minute, or until the onion is fully chopped up and emulsified into the dressing.
Add the poppy seeds and pulse a few times until incorporated into the dressing. Refrigerate. –Homemade Poppyseed Dressing Recipe and Photo by the kitchen mccabe
Place all ingredients except for the poppyseeds in a blender and blend until smooth. Add poppyseeds to blended dressing. Pour in a air-tight jar or seal-able container and shake it up.
Keep refrigerated. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before using. This will allow the coconut oil to become less solid. Shake and pour. Dressing will keep for up to two weeks.
Makes about 1 cup of dressing. –Copycat Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Dressing Recipe and Photo by Skinny Mom
My mom used Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix for years. I LOVED it. I loved the little decanter. I loved mixing it. I was an Italian Dressing girl. The problem is as soon as I discovered Ranch Dressing, I never looked back. Now I mostly use it for pasta salad and the occasional recipe requires it. I still love it, but love other dressings more. I remember dressings that started to become more popular such as Bleu Cheese, Caesar, Thousand Island, Ranch, etc. etc. But whenever I have Italian Dressing, I remember being quite young and I always picture my mom and I in the kitchen together making salad.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons of your mix. Store in the fridge. –Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe and Photo by A Southern Mom
My mom made stuffed peppers often. I wasn’t a huge fan of it, but I didn’t hate it either. I think it was just too much bell pepper to rice mixture for me as a kid.
Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and use a spoon to remove seeds and veins as much as possible. Dice up the usable parts of the bell pepper tops and one medium onion.
In a clean pan, saute onions and peppers until onions are translucent and soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for 4-5 more minutes.
Combine Rotel Diced Tomatoes, ground beef and sausage mixture, onion and pepper mixture, and rice in a a large bowl.
Drizzle olive oil inside the bell peppers and season with salt and pepper. Stuff peppers with mixture and place in a greased 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the tops of the peppers and cover with foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and then remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. The cheese should be nice and bubbly! –Stuffed Peppers Recipe and Photo by Mom on Timeout
Soak the clams in cold water for about 30 minutes. Discard any that don’t close when gently tapped. Put the clams in a pot and boil for about 5 minutes or until they are all opened. Discard any that don’t open. Let them cool slightly.
Separate the clam shells in half and scoop out the clam meat. Chop the clams. Spread the rock salt out on a sheet pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, cook the pancetta until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain. Add the butter to the same skillet and add the shallots and garlic and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add in the wine and deglaze the pan. Cook until most of the liquid is gone. Remove from the heat and stir in the pancetta, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon juice and clams.
Spoon the filling into the clam shells. Drizzle them with olive oil. Cook them for about 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt and the filling is hot. –Clams Casino Recipe and Photo by Bacon Butter Cheese and Garlic
If you want, you can use clams casino stuffing for mushrooms. I’m pretty picky about my stuffed mushrooms. I love them so much and some people make them just wrong. You know what I’m saying. Some are just soggy and gross. I am not a fan of the kind with cream cheese. Just saying. But there are tons of good recipes out there. I miss when everyone was making stuffed mushrooms. Since marriage, I have to say Life is too short to stuff a mushroom. Ha! Here’s hoping you have the time.
In a medium skillet, add oil and heat to medium-low, saute onion, mushroom stems and sun-dried tomatoes until tender, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and continue to saute one additional minute. Add spinach and saute just until wilted. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients but only 3 tablespoons of parmesan, stir to combine.
Stuff mushrooms with mixture, place on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with remaining tablespoon parmesan, and heat until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. *Mushrooms are very hot coming out of the oven so be sure to cool a few minutes before serving. This appetizer is yummy warm or cold.
Note: The mushrooms may release liquid, so when removing from the cookie sheet lightly dap with a paper towel before serving. Stuffed mushrooms are a perfect dinner party appetizer.–Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe and Photo by Skinny Ms
I ate a lot of pasta in the 80’s. While I’m more of an Alfredo fan, everyone seemed to be eating pasta primavera and pasta carbonara.
In a large pot, saute onion, garlic, zucchini, asparagus, red pepper, yellow pepper and carrots in butter over medium heat until veggies start to soften, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in chicken stock and let mixture turn into a thick sauce. Add in spices, seasonings and cream. Stir to incorporate and reduce heat to low to keep warm.
In another large pot, bring water to boil and salt water generously. Cook fresh pasta until al dente and drain. Pour immediately into pot of sauce, sprinkle over parmesan cheese and toss. If need be, add in a little pasta water to get sauce to desired thickness. Serve immediately. –Pasta Primavera Recipe and Photo by Lauren’s Latest
Love risotto and don’t make it often enough. I love how it’s rich and creamy. I’m very particular about my risotto. I don’t like when its overcooked at all. It HAS to be al dente and there can’t be too much liquid.
shallots and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in arborio rice just until it is coated in the
butter. Do not brown. Pour in wine and cook until wine absorbs. Pour one ladle of hot broth over the
rice and stir consistently until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat process, one ladle at a time, until all
Stir in asparagus and mushrooms. Serve immediately. –Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto Recipe and Photo by Life Ambrosia
I’ve had this with all types of pasta (elbows, penne, rigatoni, tortellini, ravioli, etc) Love them all. Delicious with sausage or chicken. The sauce can be time-consuming. But it’s worth it.
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (If you are sensitive to heat, just use a pinch and adjust at the end. The 1/2 teaspoon makes for a seriously spicy sauce.)
Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof sauté pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano (if using) and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half, about 5 to 7 minutes more.
Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve. (Save the strained juice. I stuck mine in the freezer. It can be used for future sauce-making days as well as for homemade bloody Mary mix, etc. Maybe you have more thoughts for repurposing this strained juice? Would love to hear.) Put on an apron and crush the tomatoes into the pan with your hands — careful hear…you might make a mess all over your oven. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. (Note: Ina adds 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to her pasta water. I did this, too, and found it really seasons the pasta nicely. There is no need to save pasta cooking liquid in this recipe, but if there were, I think the 2 tablespoons would be a little too much — the reserved liquid would be too salty. Just something to keep in mind.) Drain and set aside.
Place the tomato mixture in a blender or food processor and purée in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Place potholders or dishtowels around the handles of your pot to prevent burning your hands in the next step.(Note: I puréed a handful of basil with the sauce at this step and didn’t add anymore fresh herbs.) Return sauce to the pan.
Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (if using) and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency — start with a quarter cup; taste; add more as necessary. Add salt (if necessary) and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in a generous handful of grated cheese. Serve with an additional sprinkle of cheese and a sprinkle of fresh oregano (if using) on each plate. –Photo by Alexandra Cooks
Placed in clear plastic or paper cups, small mason jars, small clay pots. So popular that Jell-o created their own product.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch round pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper.
In a small-medium sized bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sugar. Carefully whisk them together.
Measure out 1/2 cup buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients. Mix well and until everything is completely incorporated.
If your batter isn’t as pink as you want it at this point, add some more food coloring one teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired shade of pink.
Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready. If not, put the cake back in the oven for a couple of minutes.
Once the cake is cool, cut it into small squares or slices and transfer them to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
In one bowl, mix the instant vanilla pudding with 2 cups of milk. Whisk it until completely combined and let it sit in the fridge.
In another bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
Check the bowl of pudding in the fridge. It should be thicker now. Add it to the cream cheese/butter mixture and mix until combined.
I wanted the pudding to be a light pink color, so I added a small amount of pink food coloring, about 1/2 teaspoon. If you want it to be pinker than that, you can always add more.
Transfer the Oreos to a large Ziploc bag, and then put that bag in another Ziploc bag. There are several ways you can crush the Oreos from here. I used the end of a wooden spoon. I have also used a hammer and a sharpening steel thing from my mom’s knife set. If you have a food processor or a blender, you could do that as well. Basically, you want the Oreos to be in chuncks, not crumbs. So just keep that in mind.
Depending on the size of the cups you use, this will make 5-7 cups. I ended up using 5, but afterward I decided that the servings were a little too big (which totally wasn’t a problem, by the way), so next time I might use slightly smaller cups.
So if you want to start out with five cups just to be sure, and you still have some ingredients left over after that, you can make a couple more.
Then a layer of pudding. I transferred the pudding to a piping bag, cut off the tip, and piped the pudding into the cups.
Then a layer of pudding. Then cake. Then pudding. Then Oreos. If you’re cups are smaller, you might not need to do this many layers. Just add the layers until the cups are about 3/4 full. –Pink Velvet Dirt Cups Recipe and Photo by The Collegiate Baker
Many poke cakes incorporate either Jello gelatin or Jello pudding. There are just so many poke cake recipes, I had a hard time picking only a couple.
Use the bottom of a wooden spoon to evenly poke holes throughout the baked cake (approximately 20-25 holes).
Note: the lemon curd can make this a bit tart– which I like. But if you are at all concerned about the cake being TOO “lemon-y,” ease up when pouring the lemon curd and don’t use the whole batch.
Microwave ingredients for up to 10 minutes. REMOVE AND STIR after every minute. Once mixture begins to thicken, you can discontinue heating. It generally takes mine 6-8 minutes to look just right.
Line a smaller bowl with a zip top bag (use a high quality brand so it doesn’t melt). Pour the lemon curd into the zip top bag and seal it up.
Fill the bowl with ice water and place the bag of lemon curd in the ice bath. Place the bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Curd will be thickened and chilled once removed and ready to serve. –Better than Lemons Poke Cake Recipe and Photo by Something Swanky
Definitely a favorite for many people. Here’s a Classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake. And one recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes. And two more delicious alternatives.
Pour evenly into a 13″ x 9″ pan. In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, Greek yogurt, water and coconut extract
Beat for 2 minutes. Arrange the pineapple slices in an even layer on the bottom of the pan and push into the brown sugar
mixture. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice and in the whole created where four pineapples meet.
Pour cake batter on top and spread it evenly. Bake for 40-45 min. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 min
Run a knife around the edges and place your plate on top of the pan. Flip but leave the pan on top of the plate
so that all the brown sugar can drip down. Serves: 12 –Pina Colada Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe and Photo by Real House Moms
Over medium heat, combine your brown sugar, butter and salt. Cook until sugar has dissolved completely. Add milk and mix well. Continue to cook for 3 minutes. Stir often.
Coat a 9×13 dish with non stick spray. Pour 1/2 of your caramel mixture in the bottom of your baking dish. Add your pineapple chunks.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. All ovens very, so begin checking around 25 minutes.
Before inverting your cake, use the handle of a wooden spoon and poke holes through out your cake. Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce into the wholes.
Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan and then turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan.
Great blog! I still but the Chef Boyardee pizza kits at walmart. My dad always made them in the 80’s and I make them on rare occasions and STILL love them!
I wasn’t alive during the 80’s (I was born in 1993) but it’s my favorite decade currently and I am OBSESSED with it.
I actually got a sno-cone maker for my 7th birthday in the year 2000! Just like the one in the picture.
I remember eating a LOT of frozen pizza in the 90’s growing up…also roast dinners, and shake and bake chicken. I grew up in the Midwest and we have a very…unique taste in food to put it nicely lol.
Thanks so much for all these great ideas. The youth group is having a 80’s night party so I need some food ideas to help them out with (since they weren’t born in the 80’s). I was trying to remember what we used to make then, this was so helpful!
I was between 13 and 16 years old. One of the very few dinners I could prepare myself was a cold pasta salad, sold in a box. There was a white mesh bag with pasta in it. Boil then run under sink. Mix sauce (lots of mayo). PS born 1970. If I were a billionaire, I would find out what this product was and begin production immediately. 2nd would be Keebler tato skins. Thank you for listening ?
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