25 Vintage Recipes Just Like Grandma Used to Make

April 29, 2020

Go back in time with these vintage recipes featuring classics your grandma grew up with. Whether you’re looking for an easy appetizer, main dish or dessert, we take a vintage recipe and put a fun, modern twist on it like stuffing chicken salad in avocados or making an everything bagel flavored cheese ball. Recipes like Macaroni Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing and Lemon Icebox Pie with Coconut Graham Cracker Crust are delicious, filling and the perfect nostalgic bite.

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1 of 25

Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole

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Usually made by layering creamy chicken and tortillas (lasagna-style), this classic Tex-Mex chicken casserole gets speedier for an easy weeknight dinner when we mix everything together in a skillet, then pop the whole pan under the broiler to make the cheese topping gooey. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2019

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2 of 25

Pear-Pecan Cheese Ball

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Sweet pear, salty Cheddar cheese and crunchy nuts make this healthy cheese ball recipe an alluring holiday treat. Serve with an array of crudités and crisp party crackers. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2015

3 of 25

Macaroni Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

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Give classic pasta salad a fresher, more flavorful spin. This fast pasta dish calls for avocado to replace some of the mayonnaise, which makes it extra creamy. Whole-wheat elbow macaroni and fresh vegetables lighten up this healthy pasta salad that you'll be making all summer long. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2018

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4 of 25

Spiralized Zucchini & Summer Squash Casserole

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If you don't have a spiralizer to make this healthy zucchini noodle casserole (aka zoodles), use a vegetable peeler to make long thin strips of the squash and zucchini, stopping when you reach the seedy center. Just a few minutes under the broiler gives these ricotta-and-basil-filled nests a light golden top. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2017

5 of 25

Classic Deviled Eggs

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We love the taste of dill relish in the filling of this deviled egg recipe, but if you like a sweeter deviled egg‚ opt for sweet relish instead. Our secret to healthy, creamy deviled eggs with fewer calories is to swap out half the full-fat mayo for nonfat Greek yogurt. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2015

6 of 25

Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions

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Thanks to fresh green beans, an easy homemade cream sauce and crispy onion topping, this green bean casserole recipe is healthier and more delicious than traditional recipes that use canned soup, beans and onions. Plus, the slow cooker saves you time cooking at the stove. Make sure to use fresh green beans, as frozen green beans will become mushy. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2017

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7 of 25

Salisbury Steak with Sweet Paprika Sauce

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In this easy steak recipe made with ground beef, Salisbury steaks are matched with a creamy paprika and roasted red pepper sauce. We like to serve the Salisbury steaks with whole-wheat egg noodles and a mixed green salad. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2014

8 of 25

Chocolate-Fudge Pudding Cake

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When you have a craving for a comforting dessert, try this pudding cake, which forms its own rich-tasting sauce as it bakes. The coffee flavor is subtle, but it adds complex depth to the cake's flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Fall 2004

9 of 25

Creamy Cheese Fondue

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Green apples, broccoli florets and veggie sticks are the perfect dippers for this decadent cheese fondue. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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10 of 25

Old-Fashioned Meatloaf

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Mushrooms, garlic and oats sneak some extra nutrients into this hearty and easy meatloaf. Serve with sweet potatoes and your favorite green vegetables for a super-satisfying comfort food dinner. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

11 of 25

Cucumber Cups with Deviled Ham Salad

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Swap crostini for cucumber cups to hold ham salad in this easy appetizer recipe. Bring these healthy, crunchy bites to your next potluck or serve them at brunch and watch them disappear. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2016

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Chicken Potpie with Biscuits

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In this lightened-up recipe for chicken potpie, creamy chicken stew is topped with flaky biscuits for quintessential comfort food. Our recipe for chicken potpie takes advantage of convenient frozen mixed vegetables to keep it quick. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2012

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13 of 25

Sloppy Joe Casserole

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Like sloppy Joes? Then you'll love this sloppy Joe casserole recipe. This kid-friendly dinner has the classic sloppy Joe flavors kids love, while parents will like all the veggies that are packed in to make it a healthy meal. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

14 of 25

Upside-Down Cinnamon-Pecan Coffee Cake

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Layering the ingredients in this coffee cake recipe right into the pan lets you skip the steps of making the batter and the nut topping separately. To make this healthy one-bowl dessert so it can be served like pull-apart rolls, dollop 16 equal portions of batter over the nuts. If you don't want to fuss with that, dollop the batter on top however you like. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2016

15 of 25

Classic Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

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This easy-to-make shrimp sauce is the only recipe you need for a shrimp cocktail appetizer that will be devoured every time. Our tried-and-true sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2017

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16 of 25

Chicken Salad-Stuffed Avocados

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Looking for a clean, packable lunch for work? This healthy homemade chicken salad served inside an avocado instead of with bread is just the ticket. Plus, this recipe makes enough for ready-made lunches for the week! If you have leftover cooked chicken on hand, skip Step 1 and use about 2 1/2 cups shredded chicken in Step 2. Source: EatingWell.com, April 2017

17 of 25

Everything Bagel Cheese Ball

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This is not your grandma's cheese ball. It has all the flavor of an everything bagel without all the carbs and with just 3 ingredients! Want to emphasize the bagel taste? Serve it with bagel chips and some raw veggies for dipping to keep things healthy. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2018

18 of 25

Spiced Apple Bread Pudding

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This silky apple dessert recipe--a spiced apple bread pudding made with apple cider in place of the usual custard--gets a double hit of apple flavor from both the cider and plenty of sliced tart apples. Mace, the lacy red spice that coats the nutmeg fruit, adds a particularly lovely floral note, but you can substitute nutmeg if you don't have any mace on hand. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2013

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19 of 25

Southern Macaroni Salad

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Bring this quintessential Southern macaroni salad, made with whole-wheat macaroni, celery, peas and ham, to your next picnic or barbecue. It's the perfect salad to feed a crowd! Source: EatingWell.com, April 2020

20 of 25

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

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This one-pan chicken-and-broccoli recipe comes out of the oven all browned, cheesy and bubbling like a casserole, but is really prepared more like a skillet meal on the stovetop. Serve with a crunchy green salad. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

21 of 25

Spinach & Tuna Noodle Casserole

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Homemade mushroom sauce kicks the can of soup out of the picture in this veggie-centric, healthy riff on a classic tuna-noodle casserole recipe. Serve with steamed green beans. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2015

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22 of 25

Coffee-Streusel Bundt Cake

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Can you really have too much of a good thing when it comes to the combination of coffee and cake? Here, we've created a lighter but still moist and rich Bundt cake, added a ribbon of hazelnut-coffee streusel inside and a drizzle of coffee glaze on top. To say it tastes great with a good cup of coffee is an understatement. Recipe by Joyce Hendley for EatingWell. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2011

23 of 25

Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball

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Blanketed in chopped nuts and zesty chives, this cheese ball is festive enough for even the most discerning party guests. Serve with sturdy crackers or toasted baguette slices for easy spreading. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019

24 of 25

Lemon Icebox Pie with Coconut-Graham Cracker Crust

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Light and delicious, this easy old-fashioned lemon icebox pie takes dessert up a notch thanks to coconut in the crust, which boosts both flavor and texture. For the brightest hit of citrus use fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Look for graham crackers made with 100% whole-wheat flour to get the most fiber. Seeing graham flour on the label? Good news--that's coarsely ground whole-wheat. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2019

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25 of 25

Chicken Tetrazzini

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This retro dish will please kids and adults alike. Source: EatingWell Magazine, October 1997

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