Hey, my mom used to make that!

1956 Hamburger Upside-Down Bake

Here's a twist on shephard's pie. Instead of mashed potato, this 1956 recipe uses corn bread.

Hamburger Upside-Down Bake

1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder (optional)
1 bottle Del Monte Catsup
1 can (12-oz.) Del Monte Brand Golden Whole Kernal Corn
1 pkg. (approx. 8 oz.) corn muffin mix

In a 10-inch skillet with oven-proof or removable handle, combine first 4 ingredients with 1/2 cup of the catsup. (Be sure to use 10-inch skillet, or cornbread layer will be too thick.) Break meat apart with fork; fry until just brown. Push meat back around edge of skillet; spread undrained corn in center. Mix muffin batter as directed on package; pour evenly over meat and corn. Bake in hot oven (425˚F) 20 to 25 min. or until muffin layer is done. Remove from oven, let stand 5 min., and turn out upside down on warm serving plate. Heat rest of catsup and serve as sauce. Serves 4 to 6. 

 Click here for another retro upside-down bake.

Via saltycotton

Retro Recipe: Soup-er Sloppy Joes

You can't go wrong with Sloppy Joes. Unless you try to eat them like a hamburger. Then all the Sloppy goodness falls out onto the plate. Or your lap.

I like to put Sloppy Joes on half of a toasted bun and eat them with a knife and fork. Much neater. And because you don't fill up on bread, you can have seconds.

I know, I'm a genius.

Here are Campbell's 1989 recipes for Sloppy Joes.

Golden Joe

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup
1 tbsp. ketchup
dash pepper
hamburger buns, split and toasted 

Conventional: In skillet, cook beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is tender; stir to separate meat. Spoon off fat. Stir in soup, ketchup and pepper. Heat; stir occasionally. Serve on buns. Top with sliced green pepper, sliced onion and chopped tomato if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Microwave: In 1 1/2 qt. microwave-safe casserole, crumble beef; add onion. Cover; microwave on HIGH 5 min. or until beef is no longer pink, stirring once during cooking to break up meat. Spoon off fat. Stir in soup, ketchup and pepper. Cover; microwave on HIGH 3 min. or until hot, stirring once during cooking.

Mushroom Joe
Substitute 1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup and 1 tbsp. prepared mustard for Golden Mushroom Soop and ketchup.

Cheddar Joe
Substitute 1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup/Sauce for Golden Mushroom Soup and add 1/4 chopped dill pickle. Serve topped with sliced tomato and pickle slices.

Zesty Joe
Substitute 1/4 cup chopped green pepper and 1 tbsp. chili powder for chopped onion. Also substitute 1 can Campbell's Zesty Tomato Soup/Sauce and 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce for Golden Mushroom Soup and ketchup. 

Click here to see a 1955 recipe for Vienna Beef Sandwiches.

Retro Recipe: Souped-up Meatloaf

The beauty of this 1979 recipe is that it calls for shaping the meatloaf by hand rather than using a loaf pan. The result is a moist meatloaf with a crispy crust.

1 envelope Lipton Onion or Beef Flavor Mushroom Soup Mix

2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
2 eggs
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup catsup 

Preheat oven to 350˚. In large bowl, combine all the ingredients. In large shallow baking pan, shape into a loaf. Bake 1 hour or until done. If desired, garnish with parsley and serve with potatoes and sliced carrots. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

It's me again. I make a very similar meatloaf, the difference is that I use onion soup mix and a packet of tomato Cup-a-Soup instead of "catsup." It's dee-lish but probably really high in sodium.

Click here for another retro meatloaf recipe.

Retro Dinner: 7-Layer Casserole

Pretty much the only work involved in making this one-dish meal is chopping onion and pepper, and opening some cans. It does require a total of one and a half hours of baking time, so it's probably not a good option for dinner after a long workday.

This recipe is from the 1950s.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Then layer these ingredients in a 2-qt. baking dish with a tight-fitting lid:

• 1 cup rice, uncooked
• 1 cup canned whole kernel corn, drained
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour 1 8-oz. can Hunt's Tomato Sauce and 1/2 can water over first two layers.
• 1/2 cup each finely chopped onion and green pepper
• 3/4 lb. uncooked ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper
• Pour second can of Hunt's Tomato Sauce and 1/4 can of water over everything
• Cover with four strips of bacon that have been cut in half

Cover the dish and bake at 350˚F for 1 hour. Uncover and bake about 30 more minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Click here for another one-dish meal recipe from the 1950s.

Via Kitchen Historic

Retro Hors D'Oeuvres: Meatball Yummies

If you'd rather not refer to these as Meatball Yummies, I totally understand. Especially if you plan on serving them to grownups. Instead, I suggest you call them Retro Cocktail Meatballs. You're welcome.

Here's how you make Meatball Yummies.

1 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp. Prime Choice Steak Sauce
2 tbsp. oil
1/3 cup Prime Choice
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter or margarine

Combine beef, bread crumbs, egg and 2 tbsp. Prime Choice. Mix and shape into 1-inch meatballs. Brown in oil in skillet. Drain fat from skillet. Combine 1/3 cup Prime Choice, brown sugar and butter with meatballs in skillet. Simmer covered for 15 minutes or until done. Makes about 2 dozen meatballs. 

Click here to see a 1989 appetizer recipe.

Via Shelf Life Taste Test

Make your own retro fast food, 1955 recipe

Here's the recipe for Vienna Beef Sandwiches.

For the barbeque sauce, blend together and simmer 30 min. 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup catsup, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. dry mustard, 2 tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp. minced onion, a dash each of Tabasco sauce, freshly ground pepper and garlic powder.

Toast two small loaves of French bread and cut lengthwise slices from the tops. Hollow out centers. Heat contents of two 8-oz. cans of Vienna sausages in the barbeque sauce and fill the loaves. Replace the tops.

Cut 6 Kraft DeLuxe Slices of pasteurized process American cheese in half diagonally and place 6 overlapping triangles on each sandwich top. Place in moderate, 350˚ oven until the cheese melts. 4 servings.

Click here for my favorite retro fast food recipe.

Via Gatochy

These retro hamburgers don't crumble

When I was a kid, Carnation ran TV commercials where they suggested one add evaporated milk to meat loaf. This  hamburger recipe promotes the same principle.

Here's the retro recipe for Carnation Bar-B-Burgers.

1/3 cup (small can) undiluted Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 egg
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup fine cracker crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely shopped green pepper

Blend all ingredients until well mixed. Form into 6 patties and broil 5 - 7 minutes on each side (or to your family's taste).

Click here for a retro recipe for veggie burgers. 

Celebrate Oktoberfest with these two retro recipes from Campbell's

Considering these German recipes come from a Campbell's soup ad, they're surprisingly sophisticated, though not complicated.

Here are close-ups of the recipes for Beef Rouladen and Kartoffelsuppe from the above 1980 ad. Click images to enlarge.

Click here for another beef 'soup-er supper.'

Retro-sneaky Roll-in-One Meatloaf

Won't the kids be surprised when they find where you've hidden the green beans.

Here's the retro recipe for Roll-in-One Meatloaf.

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Tomato Soup
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 egg, slighly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1 package (9 ounces) frozen cut green beans, cooked, well drained

Combine 1/2 cup soup with all ingredients except beans. Mix well. On waxed paper, pat into a 12x9-inch piece. Spread beans to within 1 inch of all edges; pat into meat. With aid of waxed paper, roll meat tightly, jelly-roll fashion, starting at long edge. Seal ends; use waxed paper to transfer to baking dish. Bake at 350˚F. for 40 minutes. Spoon off fat. Pour remaining soup over loaf. Bake 10 minutes longer. Makes 6 servings.

 Click here for a retro meatloaf recipe that's make on the stovetop.

Via Shelf Life Taste Test

Retro barbecue baste

 

Here's a 1961 recipe for A.1. Butter Baste for hamburgers, steak, hot dogs, chicken and pork.

1/2 cup A.1. Steak Sauce
1 cup butter or margarine
4 oz. tomato sauce (optional)

Over low heat, melt butter in saucepan, add A.1. Steak Sauce. (If you prefer a tomato flavor, add 4 oz. tomato sauce.) Stir until blended. Keep warm. Brush on grilling hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, chicken or pork. Baste frequently as meat cooks.

Click here to see another idea for grilling hot dogs.