50 Years of Southern Recipes

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Photo: Hector M Sanchez

Since our first issue, we've been the South's recipe box, and these are our dog-eared, grease-splattered, much-loved favorites

01 of 18

Molded Cranberry Salad (60s)

Molded Cranberry Salad (60s)
Hector Sanchez

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.

Recipe: Molded Cranberry Salad

02 of 18

Brennan's Bananas Foster (60s)

Beef Burgundy Stew (60s)

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.

Recipe: Brennan's Bananas Foster

03 of 18

Beef Burgundy Stew (60s)

Beef Burgundy Stew (60s)

The Vice President for the Southern division of Sears, Roebuck, and Co. sent us this recipe after a trip to France.

Recipe: Beef Burgundy Stew

04 of 18

Cheese Snappy Wafers (60s)

Cheese Snappy Wafers
Hector M. Sanchez

Southern hostesses have long relied on cheese wafers to keep their party guests satiated.

Recipe: Cheese Snappy Wafers

05 of 18

Hummingbird Cake (70s)

Hummingbird Cake (70s)

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.

Recipe: Hummingbird Cake

06 of 18

Cocktail Meatballs (70s)

Cocktail Meatballs (70s)

Recipe: Cocktail Meatballs

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?

07 of 18

Quiche Lorraine (70s)

Quiche Lorraine (70s)
Southern Living

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.

Recipe: Quiche Lorraine

08 of 18

Chicken with Cashews (70s)

Quiche Lorraine
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Our Test Kitchen staffers declared that this Chinese-inspired recipe from 1979 beats any take-out meal.

Recipe: Chicken with Cashews

09 of 18

Chicken-Spaghetti Casserole (80s)

Chicken-Spaghetti Casserole (80s)
Southern Living

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.

Recipe: Chicken-Spaghetti Casserole

10 of 18

Healthy Turkey Lasagna (80s)

Healthy Turkey Lasagna
Southern Living

Our favorite recipe from the Cooking Light column, this lightened-up lasagna tastes every bit as flavorful as the traditional version.

Recipe: Healthy Turkey Lasagna

11 of 18

Freezer Coleslaw (80s)

Freezer Coleslaw (80s)

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.

Recipe: Freezer Coleslaw

12 of 18

Chewy Peanut Bars (80s)

Chewy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars
Hector Manuel Sanchez

We weren't exactly excited to test our old microwave column recipes again, but these chocolate-peanut blondies truly surprised us.

Recipe: Chewy Peanut Bars Recipe

13 of 18

Tex-Mex Deviled Eggs (90s)

Tex-Mex Deviled Eggs (90s)
Hector Manuel Sanchez

The South's iconic appetizer fuses with the nineties' obsession with Tex-Mex.

Recipe: Tex-Mex Deviled Eggs

14 of 18

Cream Cheese Pound Cake (90s)

Cream Cheese Pound Cake (90s)

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.

Recipe: Cream Cheese Pound Cake

15 of 18

Tee's Corn Pudding (90s)

Tee's Corn Pudding (90s)
Hector Manuel Sanchez

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.

Recipe: Tee's Corn Pudding

16 of 18

Sweet Tea-Brined Chicken (00s)

Sweet Tea-Brined Chicken (00s)

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 grilling to impart subtle sweetness and moisture.

Recipe: Sweet Tea-Brined Chicken

17 of 18

Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie (00s)

Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie (00s)
Hector M Sanchez

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.

Recipe: Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie

18 of 18

Gulf Coast Seafood Stew (00s)

Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie
Hector Sanchez

Hurricane Katrina and a subsequent oil spill off the coast of Louisiana renewed appreciation for our region's seafood. This stew shows off its incomparable flavors, colors, and beauty.

Recipe: Gulf Coast Seafood Stew

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles