Celebrate the flavors of classic recipes from the previous generations with these old-fashioned vintage recipes.

Barbecue Cocktail Franks

Serves 4-6 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup minced onion
• 1 pound cocktail franks
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon dry mustard
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a small casserole dish with some cooking spray or melted butter.
2. Heat the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan or skillet.
3. Add the onion and stir cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent.
4. Mix in the seasonings, sugar, ketchup, and vinegar; stir-cook for 1 minute.
5. Place the franks in the casserole dish and top with the prepared sauce to coat evenly.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Serve warm with toothpicks.

 

Aunt Maddie’s Cream of Tomato Soup

Serves 6 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4–5 cups tomatoes
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 pint beef broth
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅓ cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Crackers for serving
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Shredded cheese for serving
• Crackers for serving

Directions

1. Parboil the tomatoes in a large cooking pot with 2 cups of hot water for 1 minute.
2. Let cool, then remove the seeds and skin.
3. Add the tomatoes and the tomato water to a large cooking pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the baking soda and stir until the mixture boils again.
5. Mix in the milk, butter, and beef broth; boil the mixture again. Season with some salt and pepper.
6. Mix in the tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
7. To serve, top soup with some shredded cheese if desired. Serve with crackers if desired.

 

1960s Maple-Glazed Baked Ham

Serves 18–20 | Prep and Resting time 30 minutes | Cooking time 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• ¾ cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 boneless ham, fully cooked, about 8–10 pound
• Whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple flavoring

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Add the ham, fat side up, to a shallow roasting pan. Insert a thermometer in the ham.
3. Bake until the thermometer reads 130°F, about 2½–3 hours.
4. Remove the ham from the oven, remove the thermometer, and finally remove the ham rind.
5. Make diamond-shaped cuts in the ham fat and place a clove in each diamond shape.
6. In order to glaze, increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
7. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl.
8. Spread half the glaze over the ham; bake for 10 minutes.
9. Spread remaining glaze and bake for 10 more minutes.
10. Serve warm.

 

Lamb Stew with Dumplings

Serves 6–8 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 20–30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2½ pounds boneless lamb, cut into 2-inch cubes
• Water or beef stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 8 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup diced celery
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1½ teaspoons celery salt

Dumplings

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ cups sifted flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons shortening or melted butter
• ¾ cup milk

Directions

1. Heat the butter in a large cooking pot over medium heat.
2. Add the lamb and stir-cook until evenly brown.
3. Add the salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and enough water (or beef stock) to cover the lamb. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer the mixture over low heat for about 1–1½ hours until the meat is tender.
5. While the lamb is cooking, prepare the dumplings. In a bowl mix the baking powder, flour, and salt. Add the shortening (or butter) and milk. Mix until just combine and the dough holds together. Do not overmix for fluffier dumplings.
6. Add the celery salt and vegetables to the lamb and simmer for 10 more minutes. Season to taste.
7. Drop large spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture one at a time into the lamb stew.
8. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cover with lid or foil and simmer for 10 more minutes.
9. Serve the stew warm.

 

Whoopie Pies

Serves 8 | Prep. time 30 minutes | Cooking time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup packed brown sugar

Filling

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups marshmallow cream
• 1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two baking sheets with cooking spray or melted butter.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium-large bowl.
3. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl.
4. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a third bowl until the sugar dissolves.
5. Add the eggs and combine well.
6. Alternately add the buttermilk and flour mixture in batches, mixing continuously until you get a smooth mixture.
7. Place ¼-cup mounds of the mixture on the baking sheets, keeping a 2-inch interval between them.
8. Bake both sheets simultaneously, one above the other, for about 12 minutes or until the tops of the pies are puffed, switching the top and bottom sheets halfway through.
9. Let cool completely.
10. Prepare the filling by whisking the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl for 2–3 minutes.
11. Arrange half of the prepared cakes, spread the filling over them, and top with the remaining cakes.

 

 

All of these recipes and more are found in Louise Davidson’s book Vintage Recipes Vol. 2: Timeless and Memorable Old-Fashioned Recipes from Our Grandmothers! Click here or on the cover to get your copy now!

To print or download the recipes, click here.