The old-fashioned way is always the BEST way.

By a show of hands, who here really likes chicken and dumplings? I bet there isn’t one hand left on the keyboard. I love to eat this kind of meal because it is hearty, wholesome, and ever so filling. My grandma used to make a tremendous chicken and dumplings casserole that always brought everyone together at the dinner table. We would sit around the table eating, laughing, and joking. What a great memory! Even today, when we’re having one of our yearly family reunions, we talk about grandma and her unbelievable cooking skills. 

This dish always comes up! You won’t believe this but this recipe for chicken and dumplings is very easy to make. You just toss your ingredients into your favorite baking dish and bake it all in the hot oven.

Soon, you’ll have a wonderful meal fit for royalty on your dinner table. This is a real stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal and you won’t be left hungry. It’s easy to make for a large crowd, too – just double the ingredients and you’ll have plenty for seconds. In fact, I would do that even for a smaller group of people – that way you’ll have enough for thirds, too!

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Quick Tip: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, use self-rising flour. I DO NOT recommend using margarine, low-fat or fat-free items as this will change the texture and taste of the dish.

As kids, we all have our favorite food. Growing up in a family of really good cooks, my favorites varied from family to family. Whenever relatives visited us, they used to bring the food that they cooked the best. I used to love Aunt Beth’s desserts, Aunt Carmen’s casseroles, and of course my Mom’s cooking. Until now, I still think of it that way so my favorites still remained the same. I still ask for Aunt Beth’s pie whenever she called that she would visit. I still request for Aunt Carmen to make me one of her casseroles whenever she comes and visits.

Whenever food was the topic, I couldn’t help but think of Grandma. I have to say sorry to my mother and my aunts if they happen to read this, but Grandma’s still the best. No one could compare to the dishes that she used to make for all of us. She was a bit stern, yes, most especially when it came to food. She always wanted us to eat only meals with the freshest ingredients. When she let us watch her, we always had to keep quiet, listen, and watch attentively. She made the most delicious food. Even her experiments all tasted great. This recipe from Southern Bite reminds me of those times when we fought over who got to taste her dishes first. It’s a meal full of nothing but goodness that will probably remind you a bit of your yesterdays.

Photo and recipe courtesy of the Southern Bite.

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Quick Tip: You may require a few more cups of broth. Baking this will cause most of the moisture to absorb, so make sure that you’ve got enough liquid in there. You don’t want dry dressing.

Grandmother loved to explore a lot of cuisines, which is why the ones she passed to the next generation are combinations of flavors around the world. When we celebrate New Year’s, our feast table is a melting pot of all the delicious food around the world. There’s always seafood paella, a type of pasta, roasted pork, beef stew, salad, a chocolate-based dessert, and sushi (my favorite). Along with the dishes came the beliefs. For example, you shouldn’t cook anything with chicken because chickens fly and that means your fortune might fly away. Or you should place sticky food on your table for luck to stick on you like rice-based food. One of the traditional meal that never fails to be included in our table is the Hoppin John. It symbolizes prosperity and money.

These stories are passed on to the next generation. Just last New Year’s, my niece was a bit sad because her favorite cousins weren’t able to come. My cousin, her aunt, was sick and couldn’t really take the journey. My niece was quiet the whole night. She only brightened up when she heard the story about the Hoppin John. Later that night, when everyone was enjoying the meal, she was heard wishing from her bowl of soup. She wished for my cousin to get well so we can finally see them again. It wasn’t what the Hoppin John is really all about, but well, it was a touching gesture.

Recipe courtesy of the Southern Lady Cooks. Image courtesy of Vegan Food That Doesn’t Suck.

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Quick Tip: Serve with cornbread or over rice.

When I first heard of paella, I asked Mom if she could make one. For the first time, she said she couldn’t. It was one of her regrets—not learning the recipe from Grandma. She said that Grandma made the best paella, which she learned from my Grandpa’s mother. My Great grandfather was pure Spanish so his wife made sure she was able to cook a version of his favorite home dish. However, Spanish cuisine didn’t have a big influence in our household so we rarely ever got to try Spanish dishes. Paella was just like a fairytale for me until we finally ate at this Spanish restaurant and my parents ordered a small pan. Unfortunately, I didn’t like it. It had a lot of taste going on in one single dish and they were fighting inside my mouth for dominance. It was overwhelming.

I have long since tried to find a version that would cater to my taste because Mom had kept insisting that I would love it if it was my Grandma’s paella that I tasted first. With her words ringing in my ears, I was patient. After days of scouring for the right recipe, this one emerged. I’m pretty quite sure this was the closest I could get to my Grandma’s mystery paella.

Photo courtesy of BBC Good Food. Recipe courtesy of Mr. Food.

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Quick Tip: If you’re a seafood lover, you can add squid for more of that seafood flavor.

Well-kept family recipe secrets are the ones that can be cooked without the need of modern equipment. These are the ones that were made in the kitchen a long time ago and are still being made today; probably with simple tweaking, but still the same recipe. My grandmother was able to pass a few of her recipes down to my mother and her sisters. They own have their “grandma’s recipe” specialties that they bring to get togethers just to honor our grandmother. One of my favorites is the cream cheese chicken that the youngest of my aunts specialized in.

It was a comfort dish that everyone loved in their family. My mom and her sisters all had their favorites from grandma’s recipes, but this one was something that they all agreed upon. There’s chicken cooked with creamy white sauce—it was the perfect way to cross the bridges between people’s taste buds. This dish that I found while I was scouring the internet with chicken recipes reminds me of that dish of my grandma. There are a few differences in the ingredients, but when I tried it, it tasted the same. It has that modern twist to it, but that homey taste didn’t vanish. It’s still there, always reminding you of home.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Food.com.

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Quick Tip: Top with crumbled bacon and more cheese if you prefer.

Cheesy Shrimp and Grits are a true southern meal. I remember eating them at Sunday brunches after church. There are many variations of this delightful dish but this is one of my favorites.

Rich creamy grits and spicy shrimp make a very flavorful combination. Mix in some cheese and top it off with salty crisp bacon and you’re sure to impress your guests.

Recipe and photo courtesy  My Recipes.

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Quick Tip: Use 2 ¾ cups of broth and ¼ cup of whipping cream for extra rich grits.

It really doesn’t matter what time of year it is; I always enjoy a steaming hot bowl of souped simmered in the slow cooker all day. Seriously, it could be 90 degrees outside, and I can be found sipping on soup. I’m weird. But hey, at least I’m fed well and so is my family 🙂

You’re going to want to give this butternut squash soup a shot. It’s like sipping on the essence of Thanksgiving dinner. I think this soup tastes a lot like warm, sweet potato casserole. There are hints of nutmeg in this soup that give it a nostalgic flair. You’re going to want to try this the next time you get your Crock Pot out.

Recipe courtesy of Skinny Taste.

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Quick Tip: Top individual bowls with a sprinkle of cinnamon for an additional kick of flavor.