Home Recipes Meal Types Dinner
Updated: Dec. 06, 2023
Home cooks let their creativity shine in the 1930s, when certain foods were hard to come by and money was tight.
1/23
Slow Cooker Mushroom Stuffing
My grandmother created this recipe after my grandfather left the well-drilling business and invested all their money in a mushroom farm. The farm was a success and saw the family through the Great Depression. —Eric Cooper, Durham, North Carolina
2/23
Sausage Potato Supper
One Saturday night a few years ago, I came up with this dish on the spur of the moment. It was dinnertime, and I had to use what I had on hand. It's been a hit with my family ever since. —Nancy Russell, Englewood, Colorado
3/23
Hot Dog Pie
A co-worker who loves hot dogs shared this recipe with me. Baked in a purchased pastry shell, the pie is easy to assemble and is on the table in just 30 minutes. —Amy Bullis, Henryville, Pennsylvania. Also, try out this unusual water pie that has gotten a lot of attention on social media recently.
4/23
Corned Beef Stir-Fry
The celery seed really comes through in this colorful combination of carrots, cabbage and corned beef. A woman at church shared the recipe with me. My husband and son love its subtle sweetness. —Alesah Padgett, Franklin, Georgia
5/23
Dandelion Salad
This is one my favorite salads and it is so healthy for you! Guests will be surprised at how wonderful it tastes. —Frances Sheridan Goulart, Weston, Connecticut
6/23
Ham, Bean and Potato Soup
When I was a cook in a restaurant years ago, this was our best-selling soup. One taste and your family will agree it's a winner!
7/23
Country Fish Chowder
You'll think you're on Cape Cod when you taste this thick, wholesome chowder made from a recipe I've treasured for many years. It's one of my husband's favorites. He likes it more and more because over the years I've "customized" the basic recipe by including ingredients he enjoys. —Linda Lazaroff, Hebron, Connecticut
8/23
Meat and Potato Patties
During World War II, when meat was rationed and had to be purchased with tokens, this recipe went a long way in feeding a family. To this day, I still reach for it whenever I want something different from regular hamburgers. By the way, children really like these (just as I did when I was a child!).— Gladys Klein, Burlington Wisconsin
9/23
Crunchy Tuna Salad with Tomatoes
On a hot summer day, there's nothing more refreshing than this salad. I grow a few tomato plants in my garden and the fresh-picked taste makes the dish even more of a treat. —Diane Selich, Vassar, Michigan
10/23
Hearty Leek and Potato Soup
This thick, flavorful soup is a winner in our home and makes a nice starter dish. —Rachel Taylor, Springfield, Tennessee
11/23
Truly Tasty Turnips with Greens
These savory greens are a hit at every church dinner I take them to. Adjust the seasonings as you please to make this recipe your own. —Amy Inman, Hiddenite, North Carolina
12/23
13/23
Creamy Chipped Beef Fondue
My mother often served fondue on Christmas Eve and I've since followed in that tradition. It's nice to offer a hearty appetizer that requires very little work.—Beth Fox, Lawrence, Kansas
14/23
Egg Drop Soup
We often start our stir-fry meals with this fast egg drop soup recipe— it cooks in just minutes flat. There are many versions of the recipe, but we like the easy addition of cornstarch to thicken the soup and give it a rich, golden color. I got the recipe from my grandma’s old cookbook. —Amy Beth Corlew-Sherlock, Lapeer, Michigan
15/23
Comforting Potato Casserole
After enjoying this creamy, snazzed-up potato casserole at a wedding dinner, my daughters and I asked the caterer to share the recipe. Because it can be made ahead, it's a great recipe for busy cooks. —Darlis Wilfer, West Bend, Wisconsin
16/23
Spaghetti with Bacon
As children, we always requested this dish for our birthday dinners. Our mother got the recipe from her grandmother. Now I pass on our tasty tradition. —Ruth Keogh, North St. Paul, Minnesota
17/23
Hearty Navy Bean Soup
My family loves navy bean soup! Beans were a commodity you did not survive without in the '30s. This excellent navy beans and ham soup is a real family favorite of ours and I make it often. —Mildred Lewis, Temple, Texas
18/23
Spiedis
This is our favorite cookout dish, and it's very good served with a salad. This recipe originated here in my hometown in the 1930s. Our meat preference for speidis is venison, but we use chicken and beef when it's not available. —Gertrude Skinner, Binghamton, New York
19/23
Italian Cabbage Soup
After doing yardwork on a windy day, we love to come in for a light but hearty soup like this one. It's brimming with cabbage, veggies and white beans. Pass the oven-warmed bread! —Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa
20/23
Diner Corned Beef Hash
I created my hash to taste like a dish from a northern Arizona restaurant we always loved. We round it out with eggs and toast made from homemade bread. —Denise Chelpka, Phoenix, Arizona
21/23
Stovetop Goulash
I created this recipe after trying goulash at a local restaurant. The blend of spices gives it fabulous flavor, and it’s so easy to make on a weeknight! —Karen Schelert, Portland, Oregon
22/23
23/23
Lima Bean Soup
A yearly Lima Bean Festival in nearby West Cape May honors the many growers there and showcases different recipes using their crops. This comforting chowder was a contest winner at the festival several years ago. —Kathleen Olsack, North Cape May, New Jersey
Originally Published: June 17, 2019
Author
Emily Racette Parulski
As a senior editor, Emily manages Taste of Home’s newsletter and promotions team and edits digital content. She has been writing and editing food and lifestyle content professionally for more than a decade. When she’s not working, Emily can be found in her kitchen baking something sweet or enjoying a scoop of frozen custard somewhere in Milwauk...
