Most Beloved Recipes In Southern Living History
Since our first issue, we've been the South's recipe box, and these are our dog-eared, grease-splattered, much-loved favorites. From the 1960s to the 2000s, we've pulled some of the tried and true classic recipes we love and still make often. You'll recognize many of them, from Thanksgiving favorites like Tee's Corn Pudding, to the Hummingbird Cake we're still known for. Much like fashion, some dishes go in and out of popularity, but like a good black dress or cable knit sweater, some vintage recipes, like these, are always in style.
Molded Cranberry Salad
We'll admit it: We wouldn't want to revisit many of the congealed salads we published in the sixties, but rediscovering this jewel of a recipe was like finding a timeless dress at a vintage store.
Brennan's Bananas Foster
HECTOR M. SANCHEZ
Flambéed desserts were a must-have tableside sensation both at restaurants and at home. This recipe we ran from Brennan's in New Orleans is just as delicious as it was when they invented it more than 60 years ago.
Crispy Cheese Wafers
Southern hosts have long relied on cheese wafers to keep their party guests satiated.
Hummingbird Cake
Thanks to Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina, this pineapple-banana spice cake with cream cheese frosting became one of our most requested recipes. We still stand by Mrs. Wiggins' original, indulgent creation.
Cocktail Meatballs
HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ
In the canon of Southern party appetizers, Cocktail Meatballs hold a special place. This may be, in part, because they are a model of ground-beef perfection and simplicity. Now of course we love the ones our mamas made—the ones with chili sauce and grape jelly— but this recipe is the one we always get out when company comes over.
Get ready to mix the sweet, the tart, and the unexpected with ground beef because that is what this recipe does. It takes brown sugar, horseradish, lemon juice, and a whole lot more, and tosses it all together to make a perfect Cocktail Meatball. What that really means is you have a cocktail-fork temptation that could grace every Southern party table or tray. So get ready to party, and enjoy making these delicious cocktail meatballs. Now where is that bottle of wine—for the recipe?
Quiche Lorraine
Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page
Fast and fancy, a quiche was featured in nearly every issue of the seventies, but none was more popular than Quiche Lorraine. Our favorite version, of course, uses bacon.
Chicken-Spaghetti Casserole
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Casseroles are where you can see Southern ingenuity at its best, and the eighties had no shortage of inventive ideas. This particular Southern standard gave us all the warm and fuzzy memories we were craving.
Healthy Turkey Lasagna
Our favorite recipe from the original Cooking Light column, this lightened-up lasagna tastes every bit as flavorful as the traditional version.
Freezer Coleslaw
HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ
Freezer coleslaws repeated throughout our eighties issues, and we can see why. This sweet and tangy slaw is perfect for pulled pork and hot dogs. Plus, it stays cold and crunchy longer.
Chewy Peanut Bars
We weren't exactly excited to test our old microwave column recipes again, but these chocolate-peanut blondies truly surprised us.
Tex-Mex Deviled Eggs
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Matthew Gleason
The South's iconic appetizer fuses with the nineties' obsession with Tex-Mex.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
This ultra-moist pound cake received our Test Kitchen's highest rating. It can be dressed up for any occasion: Fresh berries and a dollop or two of whipped cream do the trick.
Tee's Corn Pudding
The ultimate creamed corn, this in-demand recipe has run in our magazine more than 10 times after its debut in 1995. We like to add chopped fresh chives on top.
Sweet Tea-Brined Fried Chicken
Sweet tea has become an iconic Southern flavor for pound cakes, ice cream, and even fried chicken. In this recipe, we brined pieces of chicken in the elixir before frying to impart subtle sweetness and moisture.
Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
The new appreciation for whiskey goes beyond drinking and finds its way into sauces, braises, and especially desserts. Now bourbon and pecan pie fit together like peanut butter and jelly or Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
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Read the original article on Southern Living.