(Photos courtesy of Pinterest)

How-To: 4 Easy Retro Recipes

By Kyle Jane Heskett

I love the culture of the 1960s and 1970s, and for this retro inspired Marked Ministry issue, I have found some fun recipes from that time, thanks to the help of my mom. There were some crazy recipes back then, like Ritz cracker apple pie (seriously, it was very popular). But there are several that deserve a spotlight. Try some of these at home! I’m anxious to see if they still stand the test of time.

Appetizer

OLD-FASHIONED ONION DIP

* Before onion dip mixes, this dish was made with just two ingredients.

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium onion
• 8 oz. of cream cheese

Directions: 

Let the cream cheese sit out in a bowl until softened. Using a cheese grader, shave the onion in to small pieces over the cream cheese and mix. That’s it! Serve with your favorite chips.

Dinner

MEATLOAF

* This was a staple dish for families in America during the 1960s. My mom told me they had it every week. This recipe is courtesy of uexpress.com

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• Pepper to taste
• Salt, if desired
• 4 strips bacon, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, combine all ingredients except bacon. Shape into a loaf; place in 9-by-5-inch pan. Arrange bacon strips on top of meat mixture, if desired. Bake for 60 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

FONDUE

* Fondue was a popular party dish. Although there are many variations to this recipe, I’ve chosen one from food.com with a few variations.  You don’t even need a special fondue pot!

Ingredients

• 4 oz of milk or broth as a base
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 6 oz of cheddar cheese
• Pepper
• Mustard powder
• Worschester sauce
• Bread

Directions:

Using a standard pot, start with 4 oz of base (milk or broth). Add garlic and 3 shakes of mustard powder. Stir. Add small amount of cheddar cheese and mix thoroughly (using whipping motion until cheese is melted). Add five turns of pepper grinder and add three to four shakes of Worcestershire sauce. Fold in pepper & Worcestershire sauce. Remove mixing fork and dip in bread.

Dessert

ICE BOX CAKE

* This may be one of the easiest desserts a person can make. There are many variations, but most are made with whip cream and wafers. It became popular in the United States after World War I due to people using pre-made ingredients. It was still widely popular in the 1960s. This recipe is courtesy of SouthernLiving.com.

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups whipping cream, chilled
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9-oz.) package Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers

Directions:

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap or mist with cooking spray to aid in release. Whip cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks in a chilled bowl. Spread a thin layer of cream along the bottom and up the sides of a loaf pan. Spread the cookies with cream to form stacks of 9 to 11 cookies, depending on the width of the pan. Turn the stack on its side and place crosswise in the pan. Repeat to make two more stacks, which should fill the pan. Cover the stacks with the rest of the cream.

Cover and refrigerate until deeply chilled, at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Turn cake out onto a platter and remove plastic wrap, if used. Smooth any dislodged cream and place in freezer for 30 minutes or until firm enough to slice. Slice while frozen, but let stand a few minutes to return to lightly chilled before serving.