Recipes My Mom Got From Her Mom (That Still Show Up at Every Family Party)

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There’s something about old fashioned recipes that just stick—they’re the kind my mom got from her mom, and they’ve been a go-to in our family ever since. These are the kinds of dishes that show up at every get-together and somehow always hit the mark. I pulled together a bunch of favorites in this post, from starters to mains to desserts, all with that same familiar feel we grew up with.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

 

Cheesy, herby sausage stuffed into mushrooms and baked until golden. These were always the first to disappear at family parties and grandma’s game nights.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Grandma’s Old Fashioned Stuffing

Made with day-old French bread and fresh sage, this stuffing recipe holds all the Sunday dinner memories. It’s the one that always made the holiday table feel complete.
Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Old Fashioned Stuffing Recipe

Sweet and Sour Meatball

Made with pantry staples, these meatballs are sweet, tangy, and so easy. They’re the kind of party food your aunt always brought to potlucks in a slow cooker.
Get the Recipe: Sweet And Sour Meatball Recipe

Salisbury Steak

Smothered in rich mushroom gravy, this Salisbury steak tastes like something you’d find on a 1960s dinner plate. It’s classic, hearty, and still hits the spot today.
Get the Recipe: Salisbury Steak Recipe

Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumpling

Just like grandma’s, this homemade chicken and dumpling dish brings comfort with buttery, soft dumplings. It’s the kind of recipe passed down through generations and made with love.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumpling Recipe

Arm Roast

Braised low and slow with red wine, garlic, and herbs, this roast falls apart with a fork. It’s Sunday dinner done the old-fashioned way, just how grandma made it.
Get the Recipe: Arm Roast Recipe

Funeral Potatoes

Creamy, cheesy, and packed with onion flavor, these funeral potatoes are pure comfort. It’s the kind of dish every family had a version of—and this one might be the best.
Get the Recipe: Funeral Potatoes Recipe

Crock Pot Hamburger Soup

A humble soup with ground beef and vegetables that tastes like home in every bite. This slow-cooked favorite feels like something that’s been simmering on the stove for decades.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Hamburger Soup Recipe

Stuffed Peppers

These sweet and savory stuffed peppers come loaded with pork, beef, and rice in tomato sauce. It’s a filling dinner that’s stood the test of time.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Made from scratch but easy to throw together, this cheesy casserole is weeknight comfort. The kind of dish your mom pulled from the oven when everyone needed seconds.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Savory and simple, this tuna salad sandwich is packed with fresh ingredients. It’s the same quick lunch mom made with a side of chips and a tall glass of lemonade.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Salad Sandwich

Chicken Corn Chowder

Creamy and full of vegetables, this chowder is stick-to-your-ribs comfort. It’s the kind of soup your grandma made on chilly nights with whatever she had in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe

Grandma’s Cucumber Salad

Cool, crunchy, and refreshing, this cucumber salad was a summer staple at every family BBQ. Simple, fresh, and always served from a big glass bowl.
Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Cucumber Salad

Pommes Frites

Crispy, salty, and golden, these homemade French fries are old-school snack perfection. Just potatoes and oil—no shortcuts, just the way mom used to make them.
Get the Recipe: Pommes Frites Recipe

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Corn tortillas, cheese, and a creamy homemade sauce make this a throw-it-together casserole classic. It’s comfort food that tastes like it’s been on the family table for years.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

With just four ingredients, this sticky glaze makes any ham holiday-ready. It’s been a go-to for Sunday dinners and Easter feasts for as long as you can remember.
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Ham Glaze Recipe

Breakfast Pigs In a Blanket

Sausage wrapped in French toast hits that savory-sweet balance that always felt like a special treat. It’s weekend breakfast the way mom used to do it.
Get the Recipe: Breakfast Pigs In a Blanket Recipe

English Pea Salad

This pea salad is creamy, salty, and tangy with bacon and blue cheese. It’s the retro side that always showed up at church lunches and family cookouts.
Get the Recipe: Easy English Pea Salad

Scalloped Potatoes

Layers of creamy, cheesy potatoes baked to perfection—just like grandma’s. This was the dish that showed up next to every baked ham or Sunday roast.
Get the Recipe: Scalloped Potatoes

Doctored Up Baked Beans

With brown sugar, bacon, and molasses, these baked beans taste like a backyard picnic from the ’70s. Always made in a big casserole dish and always gone fast.
Get the Recipe: Doctored Up Baked Beans

Turkey A La King

Creamy turkey in sauce over toast or biscuits is retro comfort at its finest. It’s a clever use of leftovers that never stopped feeling like a treat.
Get the Recipe: Turkey a la King Recipe

Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes

This rich beef stew with potatoes is slow-simmered and deeply flavorful. It’s the recipe your grandma swore by, and it still warms you up from the inside out.
Get the Recipe: Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes

Traditional Fire Cider

This spicy tonic is something your great-grandma probably kept in the cupboard. Boosting immunity the old way, one homemade batch at a time.
Get the Recipe: Traditional Fire Cider Recipe

Cheese Danish

Drizzled with icing and made with a simple dough, this cheese danish brings back Saturday morning memories. Sweet, creamy, and straight from the family recipe box.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheese Danish

Sausage Hash Brown Casserole

Creamy and cheesy with smoked sausage, this crockpot hashbrown casserole is an easy comfort dish. It’s one of those stick-to-your-ribs meals you remember from family potlucks.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Hash Brown Casserole

Baked Spaghetti Casserole

A meaty marinara, four cheeses, and spaghetti noodles baked into one cozy dish. It’s the kind of dinner mom made on school nights when everyone needed seconds.
Get the Recipe: Baked Spaghetti Casserole

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

These creamy sour cream chicken enchiladas are rich and satisfying. The kind of recipe that’s easy, loved by everyone, and never left off the handwritten family meal plan.
Get the Recipe: Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Quiche Lorraine

With egg custard, Swiss cheese, and bacon in a flaky crust, this quiche is a timeless favorite. It’s the kind of recipe mom made when company was coming.
Get the Recipe: Quiche Lorraine

Navy Bean Soup with Ham

Loaded with navy beans, ham, and veggies, this soup makes the most of leftovers. It’s a cozy meal you’d find simmering on the back burner in grandma’s kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Navy Bean Soup with Ham

Dinner Rolls

Soft, light, and perfectly fluffy, these dinner rolls were always made from scratch. The smell of them baking meant a holiday meal or Sunday roast was on the way.
Get the Recipe: Dinner Rolls

Eggnog Pie

This eggnog pie is smooth, sweet, and easy to prep. It’s the classic dessert that always made an appearance during the holidays—no baking required.
Get the Recipe: Eggnog Pie

English Muffin

These homemade English muffins are soft, chewy, and full of nooks and crannies. A little more work than store-bought, but your mom knew they were worth it.
Get the Recipe: English Muffin Recipe

Sloppy Joe Recipe

This sweet and savory sloppy joe recipe comes together in under 20 minutes. It’s quick, satisfying, and has been filling sandwich buns for generations.
Get the Recipe: Sloppy Joe Recipe

Tuna Patties

Tuna patties with sweet red pepper are crisp outside and flavorful inside. These were a weeknight favorite when mom needed dinner fast and made it from a can.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Patties Recipe

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

With buttery homemade biscuits and creamy sausage gravy, this breakfast defines comfort. A Southern classic that was often made from scratch and served with hot coffee.
Get the Recipe: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie

Creamy filling tucked between two flaky pie crusts makes this pot pie a family favorite. It’s old-school comfort food made just like grandma used to do it.
Get the Recipe: Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Baked Beans with Ground Beef

These baked beans are hearty and meaty, filled with ground beef and rich seasoning. It’s a crowd-sized side dish perfect for cookouts or passed down picnic traditions.
Get the Recipe: The Best Baked Beans with Ground Beef

Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Crisp

Tangy rhubarb and a crumbly oat topping make this old-fashioned crisp shine. It’s one of those summer desserts that always came out when the garden was full.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Crisp Recipe

Boeuf Bourguignon (French Beef Stew)

This French beef stew is rich, slow-simmered, and classic. It’s a dish your mom made when she wanted something fancy but still full of heart
Get the Recipe: Boeuf Bourguignon (French Beef Stew)

Simple Vanilla Bundt Cake

Moist and lightly sweet, this vanilla Bundt cake is a versatile favorite. Serve it with berries or a dusting of sugar—just like grandma did after Sunday supper.
Get the Recipe: Simple Vanilla Bundt Cake

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Creamy, spiced, and rooted in tradition, this sweet potato pie is Southern comfort on a plate. A holiday dessert your mom always made from scratch.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Classic Borscht Soup Recipe

This beet-based soup is vibrant and full of flavor, with roots that run deep. It’s a heritage recipe that tastes just like home for many families.
Get the Recipe: Classic Borscht Soup Recipe

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

No rolling, no cutting—just simple, tender biscuits the way grandma made them. They’re light, golden, and best served warm with butter or jam.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

With caramelized pineapple on top and cake mix underneath, this vintage dessert is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It’s the same one grandma made and served straight from the pan.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Minestrone Soup

Loaded with vegetables and pantry staples, this minestrone is hearty and reliable. It’s the kind of soup that filled big pots and bigger bowls at dinnertime.
Get the Recipe: The Best Minestrone Soup

Classic Reuben Sandwich Recipe

Stacked with corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese, this Reuben sandwich is quick, crisp, and satisfying. A deli-style classic that mom could always whip up at home.
Get the Recipe: Classic Reuben Sandwich Recipe

Classic Baked Ziti

Baked with sausage, tomato sauce, and plenty of cheese, this ziti is warm and familiar. A weeknight staple that always made it to the dinner table by 6.
Get the Recipe: Classic Baked Ziti

Old-Fashioned Angel Food Cake With Lemon Curd

Light as air and topped with tangy lemon curd, this cake is a retro dessert dream. It’s the kind of treat mom made for birthdays and spring get-togethers.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Angel Food Cake With Lemon Curd

Classic Macaroni Salad With Cheese

This macaroni salad with cheese is creamy, cool, and perfect for gatherings. It’s a nostalgic potluck dish your mom brought in a big plastic bowl every summer.
Get the Recipe: Classic Macaroni Salad With Cheese

Eggs Benedict Casserole

This easy Eggs Benedict Casserole can be prepared the night before and is always popular at brunch gatherings. All the flavor, with less work!
Get the Recipe: Eggs Benedict Casserole

Classic Basil Pesto

This classic basil pesto is made with just six ingredients: fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, olive oil, and salt. It’s simple, vibrant, and perfect for summer meals.
Get the Recipe: Classic Basil Pesto Recipe

Easy Homemade Gyro Meat

With this easy Gyro Meat recipe, you’ll be enjoying homemade gyros at home that taste even better than what you get when eating out!
Get the Recipe: Easy Homemade Gyro Meat Recipe