This collection of quiche, carrot cake and cheese logs should prove that ’70s food is so worth making today.
Let’s go in order:
1.Dilly Cheese Ball
The whole family devours this herby cheese spread—even my son, the chef. Serve it with your favorite crackers. —Jane Vince, London, Ontario
4.Cheese and Fresh Herb Quiche
With herbs from the garden to use, I created a quiche with basil, parsley and dill along with feta, Swiss, Gruyere and mozzarella. Goat cheese is also yummy. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California..
5.Bacon-Wrapped Spam Bites
These sweet and savory bites use Spam—a favorite ingredient in Hawaii—in a fun new way. Bet you can’t stop at just one! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
6.Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A pleasingly moist cake, this treat is the one I requested that my mom make each year for my birthday. It’s dotted with sweet carrots and a hint of cinnamon. The fluffy buttery frosting is scrumptious with chopped walnuts stirred in. One piece of this homemade carrot cake is never enough—better than all the other carrot cakes recipes I’ve tried!—Kim Orr, West Grove, Pennsylvania
7.Polynesian Kabobs
With their explosion of flavors and textures, these kabobs make a quick, satisfying entree. —Chris Anderson, Morton, Illinois.
8.Oyster Cheese Appetizer Log
When you say “holiday tradition” around our house, this appetizer comes to mind immediately. Every winter, I make lots of cheese logs and freeze them for when I’m expecting company or need to take food to someone’s home. The blend of smoked oysters, chili powder, nuts and cream cheese tastes good-even people who don’t like oysters may enjoy this interesting appetizer. —William Tracy, Jerseyville, Illinois
9.Strawberry Banana Crepes
My family often has company over for breakfast or brunch, and these light fruit-topped crepes are our favorite. The sweet sensations are as fast to make as they are fabulous. You can cook the crepes the night before, refrigerate them with waxed paper in between, then fill and top them in the morning. —Shelly Soule Las Vegas, Nevada
10.Grandmother’s Orange Salad
This orange salad dessert is slightly sweet and tangy, too. It adds beautiful color to any meal and appeals to all ages! —Ann Eastman, Santa Monica, California
11.Hawaiian Meatballs
Talk about one easy dish that creates an amazing sweet and sour sauce! You can serve over rice for more of a dinner-like option, but I also like to offer them as an appetizer simply served with toothpicks. —Julie Schiefer, Nappanee, Indiana
12.Overnight Layered Lettuce Salad
This classic is a family favorite from a church cookbook I’ve had for 40 years. The bacon adds a fabulous crunch. —Mary Brehm, Cape Coral, Florida
13. Green Flop Jell-O
Get ready for fluffy lemon-lime goodness. My family calls it “flop Jell-O” because most of the time a clear gelatin layer that tastes like lemon-lime soda falls to the bottom of the dish. Try it with any flavor gelatin! —Michelle Gauer, Spicer, Minnesota
14.Sweet Macaroni Salad
A sweet out-of-the-ordinary dressing makes this macaroni salad special. My aunt gave me the recipe and it has become one of my favorites. I occasionally leave out the green pepper if I know that people don’t like it, and it still tastes great. —Idalee Scholz, Cocoa Beach, Florida
15.Cornbread-Topped Frijoles
My family often requests this economical slow-cooker favorite. It’s loaded with fresh southwestern flavors. One batch makes several servings—but it never lasts long at our house! —Suzanne Caldwell, Artesia, New Mexico
17.Pina Colada Grilled Pineapple
During a cookout with friends, I forgot about dessert. I had a fresh pineapple and coconut, so I improvised. Now I grill pineapple at every cookout. —Josee Lanzi, New Port Richey, Florida
18.Old English Trifle
Loaded with cake cubes and fruit, an old English trifle is always welcome at a holiday dinner. The creamy, homemade custard is well worth the effort. —Nancy O’Connor, Glen Ridge, New Jersey
19.Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet
This is the ultimate simple and fulfilling dinner that uses items I typically have in my cupboard. It’s so easy to prepare and cooking all in one skillet makes it a snap for clean up. —Juli Meyers, Hinesville, Georgia
20.Chicken Aloha
This chicken is a welcome way to cook a quick, delicious meal. —Beth Corbin, Sarasota, Florida
21.Skillet Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
For a change of pace, you can substitute fresh or frozen peach slices for the pineapple in this old-fashioned recipe. —Bernardine Melton, Paola, Kansas
22.Homemade Alfredo Sauce
When I found out I had celiac disease and couldn’t have fettuccine Alfredo, I was determined to figure out a way to re-create it. I mix this homemade alfredo sauce with gluten-free multigrain pasta, but you can use any style of pasta. —Jackie Charlesworth Stiff, Frederick, Colorado
23.Wagon Wheel Pasta Salad
Summertime gatherings aren’t complete without a refreshing pasta salad. This tasty version features a mayonnaise and picante dressing. It may become one of your favorite side dishes for tacos, too! —Kathryn Donahey, Oil City, Pennsylvania
24.Pumpkin Bread
I keep my freezer stocked for our harvest crew with home-baked goodies like this deliciously spicy, easy pumpkin bread recipe. —Joyce Jackson, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia
25.Ambrosia Salad
During last-minute menu planning, I often include this classic ambrosia salad recipe because I keep the ingredients on hand. —Judi Bringegar, Liberty, North Carolina
26.Cheesy Cheddar Broccoli Casserole
People who don’t even usually like broccoli casserole beg me to make this comforting broccoli cheese casserole recipe. It’s similar to a classic green bean casserole, but the melted cheese just puts it over the top. —Elaine Hubbard, Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania
27.Garden-Fresh Chef Salad
For much of the year, I can use my garden’s produce when I make this cool salad. In spring, the salad mix and radishes come from my crop. In summer, I use the tomatoes, cabbage and carrots. What a good feeling! —Evelyn Gubernath, Bucyrus, Ohio
28.Spicy Goulash
Ground cumin, chili powder and a can of Mexican diced tomatoes jazz up my goulash recipe. Even the elbow macaroni is prepared in the slow cooker. —Melissa Polk, West Lafayette, Indiana
29.Classic Beef Wellingtons
Perfect for holidays, this beef Wellington recipe is also impressively easy. Find ready-made puff pastry sheets in the frozen food section. —Kerry Dingwall, Ponte Vedra, Florida
30. Best Ever Fresh Strawberry Pie
Next time you get a pint or two of perfectly ripe strawberries, make my favorite pie. It combines fresh berries and a lemony cream cheese layer. If you’re in a hurry, use a pre-made pie shell. —Janet Leach, Granger, Washington