Recipes You Wish Your Grandma Had Taught You

We can't help you when it comes to secret family recipes, but we can teach you how to make a delicious, home-cooked dish the old-fashioned way.

Matzo Ball Soup

Chicken soup is almost synonymous with amazing dishes grandma used to make from scratch, and, if you grew up in a Jewish household, that chicken soup likely took the form of matzo ball soup. This otherwise traditional recipe calls for some duck fat for extra flavor — which might just have your grandmother asking you for your secret recipe.
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Chicken and Dumplings

You'll be amazed at what you can do with a few simple ingredients. The secret to making as-good-as-grandma's chicken and dumplings is letting the chicken cook slowly with the onion, celery, and carrot — this trio of vegetables helps build flavor. The trick to tender biscuits? Don't over-mix or over-knead the dough.
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Chicken Pot Pie

Don't tell grandma, but we think it's ok to use store-bought pie crust for this recipe. You are, after all, making your own chicken stock and gravy from scratch! But, if you're feeling ambitious, make your own pie crust, too; just be sure it's well chilled before you use it.
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Holiday Ham

You know the ham we're talking about: the one dotted with whole cloves and glazed with a mixture of honey, brown sugar, and spicy brown mustard — the one your grandma used to make every holiday. It only takes a handful of ingredients and a few basic steps to make that same, amazingly delicious roast.

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Meatloaf

This easy meatloaf recipe does everything right, from the flavorful, sautéed onions to the homemade tomato sauce topping. You can use ketchup on the meatloaf if that's what your grandma used to do, but, trust us, the homemade sauce is way more delicious.
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Red Sauce

Letting tomato sauce simmer for a long period of time helps thicken it and develop its rich flavors. If you're going to make homemade tomato sauce for a dish, plan ahead; this recipe takes about an hour to make, but it's well worth the time.
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Spaghetti and Meatballs

And, while you've got that delicious, homemade tomato sauce on hand, why not make some meatballs to go along with it? That's what grandma would do!
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Lemon Meringue Pie

Every amazing home cook has a go-to pie recipe, and nothing says tradition to us quite like a mile-high meringue pie. The key to a lemon meringue pie is making sure you don't over-whip your egg whites; if you do, they'll start to break apart and look curdled.  This recipe calls for cream of tartar, which helps prevent that from happening, but you should still stop whipping the whites once they can hold their shape and while they are still glossy.
Click here for the recipe.