Sunday Dinner Cafeteria Food

For those yeast rolls, I can highly recommend this recipe. My sister makes a double batch, and bakes at 425 degrees for 12 minutes, or until golden brown, so we have the recipe named as "60 Minute Dinner Rolls". She also often forms these into cloverleaf rolls for the final 15 minute rise, 3 small balls of dough in each cup of a muffin tin.

http://www.breadworld.com/recipes/Beg...

I know its typically for Thanksgiving but Green Bean Casserole comes to mind
https://www.chowhound.com/recipes/gre...

I always use the Joy of Cooking (1975 edition) for creamed spinach. If you don't have access to it, let me know and I'll put up a post paraphrasing the recipe.

Here are several I have collected over the years. I have not made all of these so cannot vouch for them.

Highland Park Cafeteria Squash Casserole
Highland Park Cafeteria, Dallas, TX

2 lbs yellow summer squash, coarsely chopped (about 4 c)
1/2 c onion, finely chopped
4 T melted butter
2 t sugar
1 t Kosher salt
1/2 t pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c cracker crumbs, coarsely crumbled (made from saltines)

Boil water sufficient to cover the squash in a large saucepan. Dump them in and cook till just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix beaten eggs, salt, sugar, and onion and pour over squash; add melted butter and salt and pepper to taste, then 1 c cracker crumbs. Mix gently to combine, then turn into a lightly greased 3 qt casserole. Cover with additional 1/2 c cracker crumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned on top. 8 servings

Highland Park Cafeteria Chopped Spinach Salad with Horseradish
Highland Park Cafeteria, Dallas, TX

1 lb spinach, very thoroughly washed and completely dry
2 T mayonnaise (approximately)
1 t lemon juice
4 T grated horseradish
2 hard boiled eggs
Lettuce leaves for serving

Chop the spinach extremely fine. Add lemon juice then just enough mayonnaise to allow the spinach to be molded into a genteel mound for presentation (see picture); divide into 4 serving portions and place a spinach mound on top of a lettuce leaf, using a large spoon for shaping. Duplicate the shape of the spinach with a 1 T mound of horseradish on the side. Grate or finely chop hard boiled eggs and distribute evenly on top of the salads. Serves 4

Highland Park Cafeteria Coconut Icebox Pie
Highland Park Cafeteria, Dallas, TX

9” baked pie shell

2 cup milk
2 oz cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 tb butter
3 beaten eggs,separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut extract

1 tsp gelatin
cold water

egg whites from above separated eggs
6 tb sugar
pinch salt

whipping cream
1 cup shredded coconut, toasted

In a double boiler scald milk. Combine cornstarch with sugar and add to milk. Cook and when thickened add butter. Add egg yolk and lower heat and cook till very thick. Remove and add vanilla and coconut extracts.

In a separate bowl combine gelatin with cold water to dissolve and pour into custard.

Whip the egg whites with sugar and salt and fold into custard. Pour pie into shell and cool.

Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

Woolworth’s Fresh Strawberry Pie

1 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp butter
red food coloring
1 cup water
2 tbsp strawberry Jell-O
1 pint strawberries

Cook sugar, water, cornstarch until thick and clear. Add Jell-O, food coloring, butter.
Let cool and add berries and pour into baked pie crust. Serve with whipped cream on top.

Luby’s Macaroni & Cheese
Source: Houston Chronicle, Nov. 13, 1996

8 oz. Elbow macaroni, 2 cups – dry
2 Nonfat dry milk
2 All-purpose flour
1 Butter or margarine -- melted
1 1/4 c Boiling water
3 c grated American cheese, 12-oz. -- divided
1/4 tsp. Salt

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Heat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix dry milk, flour and butter. Gradually add boiling water, beating constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in macaroni, 1 cup of the remaining cheese and salt. Transfer to lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake 25 min. Remove foil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Continue baking 1 min., or until cheese melts. Serves 8

Luby’s Shredded Carrots
Source: FoodSection Houston Chronicle Best Recipe's '93

2 lbs. Whole (or 1.6 lbs peeled, -shredded) carrots
1 c. Crushed pineapple (drained)
1 c Mayonnaise
1 c Plumped raisins (see NOTE)
1/2 c Powdered sugar

NOTE* Soak raisins in water or pineapple juice to plump, then drain.

Combine carrots, pineapple, mayonnaise, raisins and sugar. Chill until ready to serve.

Luby's Chicken Tetrazzini
Source: http://forums.dallasnews.com

12 ounces spaghetti
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 T butter
1/4 c chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
2 cans cream of mushroom soup -- (10 3/4 oz.)
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. seasoned salt
3 c. shredded American Cheese
4 cup diced cooked chicken
2 tsp. chopped parsley
2 T diced pimento

Heat oven 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to pkg. directions, adding oil and salt. Drain.
In large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add soup, broth, salt and 1-1/2 c of the cheese. Cook and stir until smooth and melted.
Add spaghetti and chicken, mixing well.

Transfer to 2 qt. baking dish, covering with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with rest of cheese .Bake until cheese melts, then sprinkle with parsley and pimento.

Luby's Green Pea Salad
Source: Houston Chronicle, Nov. 13, 1996

32 oz green peas, rinsed and drained
1 c cheddar cheese, 4 oz.; -finely diced
1 c celery; diced
1/2 c sweet pickles; thinly sliced
1/2 c red bell pepper or pimiento -diced
1/2 c mayonnaise
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper -to taste

Combine peas, cheese, celery, pickles, bell pepper, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in medium-size bowl. Toss lightly to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 8 servings

Luby’s Baked Fish

8 skinless fish fillets
1/2 c flour
3 1/2 c mayo (up to 4)
1 lemon pepper seasoning
1 dried parsley flakes
Water to approximately 1/8” deep

Coat fish with flour and shake off excess. Lay in baking dish without overlapping fish. Spread mayo on top of fish. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and parsley. Add 1/8" water to dish to keep fish moist. Bake on 350 for approx. 20 min or until you can flake fish with fork. 8 servings

CHEESE SAUCE: Melt 1 stick butter. Stir in 1/ 2 cup flour and let cook a bit. Add salt to taste. Gradually add 1 quart ( 4 cups) milk. Use a whisk from time to time and keep stirring. The sauce will thicken by the time it reaches boiling point. Add an envelope of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir until cheese melts. 1) This sauce is useful for using up spare milk. You can use it right away or freeze it in 8-oz margarine tubs for future use. 2) Use with any vegetable or pasta or cooked chicken or for broiled sandwiches like the Hot Brown.

Just now I checked and you can access tons of nostalgia recipes by googling "cafeteria recipes" or "vintage cafeteria" or "school cafeteria menus" or the name of a famous cafeteria (Scholls in Washington DC) or buffet (Old Country Buffet) restaurant. Too many to link!

I'm wondering if you mean commercial restaurant cafeterias, not school lunch cafeterias?

What no tuna casserole, a mid west specialty. How about a jar of bread & butter pickles.

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook from 1972 (not the even older Boston Cooking School Cookbooks she wrote) has a lot of this type of recipe and come out tasting quite a bit like old cafeteria/luncheonette food.
https://www.amazon.com/Fannie-Farmer-...

My Mother & I used to frequent the Pasadena Cafeteria and this is the dessert I would always choose.Years after the cafeteria closed,I found this recipe in our local newspaper,I've made it several times and it tastes just like the pie from the cafeteria.Really delicious!
Pasadena Cafeteria 's Chess Pie

1/2 c plus 1 t. cake flour
2 c sugar
Pinch salt
1/3 c plus 1 t. nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 c melted butter
Peel of 1 lemon
7/8 c hot water
1/4 c lemon juice
6 eggs,slightly beaten
1/4 c broken walnuts or pecans
1 9-in unbaked pie shell

Combine dry ingredients.Pour in hot water and juice.Combine eggs with butter.Add to flour mixture blending well.Fold in nuts,pour into pie shell.Bake 350 deg. 1 hour or until custard is set.

I have two cookbooks that you might like to try. The Marriott Hot Shoppes Cookbook: Sixty Years of American Cookery has the actual restaurant recipes....you might have to simplify them a bit, but that is the food I think of when I want 50's cooked just right....it's where we went in the D.C. area for sunday suppers. Oh, their mashed potatoes! Fried chicken! Peas and onions (no kidding). The other cookbook is a wonderful resource for how to put a 50's dinner together, it's called The General Foods Kitchens Cookbook 1959. Arranged by occasions rather than by recipe, but with a wonderful index. I really think if more kids read this book there would be way less fast food eaten. The pictures in this one alone is worth it. The recipes are good and simple but not 1000 ingredient types. They are how we really cooked then! Plus her recommendations for menues include many "bright ideas". I'm not a baker, but have tried many main dishes and side dishes over the years, all good. WARNING, much as you might be nostalgic for this kind of cooking, the spices and herbs used were minimal, flavors came from butter, onions, celery, salt, pepper and sugar, with cinnamon for baking. Think chicken pot pie. Hope you enjoy your foray into Sunday dinners. And don't forget the all time buffet favorite, green beans with canned fried onions.

Have you thought about buying an old recipe book from your hometown? Churches, the Junior League, and other groups issued them as fundraisers throughout the 20th century and maybe even in the late 1800s. They are surprisingly readily available on Amazon, eBay, etc. and many of the recipes are on the internet. Some of the very old local recipe books are available on Google Books for free. Many of those recipes are regional, which is why you might want one from your hometown or surrounding area.

One of my favorites is the carrot soufflé from Piccadilly! This recipe tastes just like it!

http://www.food.com/recipe/piccadilly...

What about these:
Spaghetti Pie -
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/s...
https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/01/sp...
http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-f...

Chicken Pot Pie
https://www.chowhound.com/recipes/chi...

Swedish Meatballs. I like to put them with mash potatoes
https://therecipecritic.com/2016/08/t...

Honey Glazed Ham
https://www.chowhound.com/recipes/hon...

Was just inspired to search once again for my favorite recipe from all the years of cafeteria food, one I crave to this day. Elementary School, pork chunks and noodles in a thin brown gravy.

Nostalgia? Perhaps it's best that I never find it.-- I don't actually like pork. I love salt. Was that a secret ingredient I was too little to recognize? But I still suspect that someone in that school's kitchen really knew what she was doing.