Inherited Family Food Quirks

[Deej 77182]

1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

That's some lazy ass french toast right there.

 

[Longhornfan1024 1707]

Putting crushed up club crackers into ramen noodles until it basically turns into a mushy porridge.  

[Hmbre97 6333]

My dad would always request spaghetti pie when we'd have leftover spaghetti. It was literally just spaghetti with meat sauce put into a pie crust. I fucking hated it because it was so bready and starchy.

We also ate a lot of hot dog themed dishes because poor. My favorite was cut up hotdogs fried up with diced potatoes and onions/bell peppers. Shit was good with some ketchup on top.

[Texas St. Armadillos 1381]

Macaroni and Tomatoes.  Elbow macaroni and Hunt's diced tomatoes.  Salt.  Pepper.  

Apparently, it's a West Virginia thing from where my folks are from.  Great hangover meal.

[Kel Varnsen 8627]

Throw some ground round into that and we called it goulash and probably ate it 3 times a week.

[The Other White Meat 39]

Between a single mom and grandparents who canned everything, I much preferred any canned vegetable over fresh until the last few years.

[Deej 77182]

Sandwiches of deviled ham mixed with mayo, a little yellow mustard, SeasonAll, and pickle relish on white bread. 

[TankedBevo 2487]

My mom to this day makes "Poor man's lasagna" which just substitutes cottage cheese instead of the more expensive ricotta. We make a half and half version in our household because I just can't let it go.

Edited May 21, 2021 by TankedBevo

[Texas St. Armadillos 1381]

13 minutes ago, TankedBevo said:

My mom to this day makes "Poor man's lasagna" which just substitutes cottage cheese instead of the more expensive ricotta. We make a half and half version in our household because I just can't let it go.

Poor Man's or not, it makes a great lasagna.  I do the half rocotta half cottage cheese, as well.

[Underdog 28875]

Bought a can of Deviled Ham and had a couple of sandwiches last week, didn't even bother to stir it up just ate it yellow gel on bottom and all. 

[Deej 77182]

3 minutes ago, Underdog said:

Bought a can of Deviled Ham and had a couple of sandwiches last week, didn't even bother to stir it up just ate it yellow gel on bottom and all. 

Username checks out, almost.

 

Edited May 21, 2021 by Deej

[Hmbre97 6333]

I'd rather have vienna sausages than that garbage. I love salty foods but that shit turns it up to 11. 

[Texas St. Armadillos 1381]

Thought of another one.  For meatloaf, we used oats instead of bread or breadcrumbs.

[Deej 77182]

6 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Wouldn't it just be a B?

Bacon. Lots. Thanks.

[Jerry Callo 8831]

Kraft mac & cheese with cut up hot dogs was a regular meal.  My girls are happy with mac & cheese but vetoed adding hot dogs.

[Gladeite 375]

Hot Dr. Pepper.  Mom/grandmothers used to warm Dr. Pepper on the stove and serve to the kids in the winter.  With a slice of lemon.  Very good on a cold(Texas) day.

[Deej 77182]

5 minutes ago, Gladeite said:

Hot Dr. Pepper.  Mom/grandmothers used to warm Dr. Pepper on the stove and serve to the kids in the winter.  With a slice of lemon.  Very good on a cold(Texas) day.

[RollLeft 5045]

1 hour ago, Underdog said:

Bought a can of Deviled Ham and had a couple of sandwiches last week, didn't even bother to stir it up just ate it yellow gel on bottom and all. 

Dad??

[After irth 1245]

22 hours ago, Royalfan5 said:

As I’m getting married soon, I’ve been trying to explain some of my family legacy dishes to my fiancé, like that our beloved beans and weenies recipe is hot dogs sliced vertically into green beans and a white sauce, we dip cookies and bars into leftover fruit syrup from canned fruit as part of dessert, and all still know how to make and like head cheese among other things. Mostly I’m trolling to see if anyone else did the hot dogs and green bean things but want to hear about other oddball dishes 

That chick must really love you...

[Deej 77182]

22 hours ago, Royalfan5 said:

all still know how to make and like head cheese

Her first dinner with your family looked something like this?

[Underdog 28875]

10 minutes ago, RollLeft said:

Dad??

Maybe.  Whatever happens at the kennel stays at the kennel. 

[Deej 77182]

My mom used to make "pizza" on English muffins in the toaster oven. I would slam about six of those right now. 

[dcbc 14569]

My old man had a sandwich that pretty well died with him.  We all made fun of it when he'd make it, but on at least one occasion, we each tried it, and while it wasn't anyone's favorite but his, we had to admit, it wasn't terrible.

Bread, peanut butter, Coleman's hot mustard, Oscar Mayer bologna, cheese de los Estados Unidos, bread. 

I may have to make it again someday just to threaten currently living family members.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Texas St. Armadillos said:

Macaroni and Tomatoes.  Elbow macaroni and Hunt's diced tomatoes.  Salt.  Pepper.  

Apparently, it's a West Virginia thing from where my folks are from.  Great hangover meal.

We grew up on it.  Cheap and satisfying.

I will make a batch a couple of times a year just to take me back to childhood.

Cheap ass comfort food.   A dash of Lawry's or cajun chef does alright too.

[Spaulding Smails 1568]

We called it Del Rio chili when I was a kid, but it just consisted of a big can of Hormel chili, Rotel, Ranch style beans and some Velveeta.  Nuke it for 2 min in the microwave and serve over Fritos.  I feed that to the kids when my wife is gone. 

On her side, it's Texas Hash.  Total East Texas fare.  Love it.  Kids love it.  We eat it once every two weeks or so.

[Deej 77182]

6 minutes ago, dcbc said:

My old man had a sandwich that pretty well died with him.  We all made fun of it when he'd make it, but on at least one occasion, we each tried it, and while it wasn't anyone's favorite but his, we had to admit, it wasn't terrible.

Bread, peanut butter, Coleman's hot mustard, Oscar Mayer bologna, cheese de los Estados Unidos, bread. 

I may have to make it again someday just to threaten currently living family members.

Peanut butter and mustard slams. 

[Guest]

An item my boys and I invented when they were little,  that we still make when we all get together...mostly just to spite their momma and now, my daughter-in-law:

1 bag of frozen burritos.  Bean and cheese are ok, but I like the green or red chili ones better.

1 medium or large  can enchilada sauce.  Hotter is better.

2 cans Jalapeno Cheddar Frito canned dip.

put burritos in 13x9 backing dish.

pour sauce generously over each piece.

spoon over/ divide jalapeno cheddar dip around each burrito.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  turn all burritos.  Continue baking until cheese starts to brown.

 

So disgusting, but so wonderful.

Edited May 22, 2021 by slorch

[billfromlaketravis 11605]

My mother would cook smothered pork chops about once a week. She can make about 3 dishes well, so I loved pork chop night.  
 

Cheapest pork chops available, lots of ketchup, green peppers, onions, and worcestershire sauce. Let it cook until everything is brown. Served over rice. I have no idea where she picked it up. Seems kind of creole, but she grew up in San Antonio and Houston. 
 

She used the leftover pork chops to make crock pot beans. 
 

She would also combine leftover cereal into a new box, Cheerios and Rice Crispies. She would also combine leftover milk into a new bottles. 

[deadshank 24653]

59 minutes ago, slorch said:

An item my boys and I invented when they were little,  that we still make when we all get together...mostly just to spite their momma and now, my daughter-in-law:

1 bag of frozen burritos.  Bean and cheese are ok, but I like the green or red chili ones better.

1 medium or large  can enchilada sauce.  Hotter is better.

2 cans Jalapeno Cheddar Frito canned dip.

put burritos in 13x9 backing dish.

pour sauce generously over each piece.

spoon over/ divide jalapeno cheddar dip around each burrito.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  turn all burritos.  Continue baking until cheese starts to brown.

 

So disgusting, but so wonderful.

I bet the windows were left open at your house after that “meal.”

[Celery Man 21027]

M&M cake for birthdays. Just a chocolate mix cake with chocolate icing and you stick m&ms all over it. Kids help decorate.

[dcbc 14569]

A standard growing up which I have carried on with more spices.

 

2 cups rice

1 can Cream of Mushroom.

3--4 cups of water.

Meat--Chicken breasts, pork chops, whatever.

Salt, pepper, seasoned salt, whatever to taste

Bake covered in foil at 375 for 1.5 hours

 

Good as hell

 

/as my my mom got older, she put together a recipe book of all the standards that had survived the years.  It's laminated and well used at this point.  But it means the world for other reasons, too.

Edited May 22, 2021 by dcbc

[Underdog 28875]

1 hour ago, dcbc said:

My old man had a sandwich that pretty well died with him.  We all made fun of it when he'd make it, but on at least one occasion, we each tried it, and while it wasn't anyone's favorite but his, we had to admit, it wasn't terrible.

Bread, peanut butter, Coleman's hot mustard, Oscar Mayer bologna, cheese de los Estados Unidos, bread. 

I may have to make it again someday just to threaten currently living family members.

PB & Bologna was had by me plenty of times.  

[TwiceHorn 31686]

My mom and her mother made mac n cheese with spaghetti/vermicelli noodles.    It was perfectly fine if a little different.  I suppose it was all that was commonly available to my grandmother, I don't know.  

Also, when my grandmother made apple pie, and my mom, they made it with grated apple.  Pretty good, really.

[UTCzech III 2912]

This is more growing up poor as opposed to weird family recipes..

Cheap tuna casserole - cook a box of Kraft mac and cheese, leave it in the pot, dump in a can of tuna and a can of mushy canned peas, mix and eat

"Hash" - brown some hamburger meat with onions and bell peppers, cut up 3 or 4 potatoes, throw it all in a soup pot, cover in water and cook until potatoes are mushy and bell peppers turn to slime, add tons of salt and pepper because my mom and step-dad smoked like chimneys and had no taste buds

Lays potato chip sandwiches, just chips and bread

Warm tortillas with butter (well, margarine, who could afford butter?) (and no, we did not sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on it, that's why God made cinnamon toast)

An open face grilled cheese?  Piece of bread, slice of cheese on top, pop in the toaster oven until cheese just starts to turn brown, ate that everyday after school

My step-grandma, bless her she was so country, used to make this pseudo-Watergate salad, lime green jello mixed with cottage cheese, pineapple chunks, pecans, shredded carrots and raisins - ugh  Did I eat it, yeah

My mom used to make homemade salad dressing, miracle whip, ketchup, a little worcestershire sauce and garlic powder mixed together, 500 islands maybe?

[Mo Horn 8899]

Banana sandwich with peanut butter and mayonnaise. Or a a side dish, a banana with mayonnaise sprinkled with rice crispies. Those are from different sides of my family. 

Edited May 22, 2021 by Mo Horn

[Da Fino 2797]

My mom to this day makes "Poor man's lasagna" which just substitutes cottage cheese instead of the more expensive ricotta. We make a half and half version in our household because I just can't let it go.

I think I remember that America’s Test Kitchen took the time to make the best Lasagna and Baked Penne and they found that cottage cheese was superior than ricotta in both dishes.

[Hmbre97 6333]

3 hours ago, slorch said:

An item my boys and I invented when they were little,  that we still make when we all get together...mostly just to spite their momma and now, my daughter-in-law:

1 bag of frozen burritos.  Bean and cheese are ok, but I like the green or red chili ones better.

1 medium or large  can enchilada sauce.  Hotter is better.

2 cans Jalapeno Cheddar Frito canned dip.

put burritos in 13x9 backing dish.

pour sauce generously over each piece.

spoon over/ divide jalapeno cheddar dip around each burrito.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  turn all burritos.  Continue baking until cheese starts to brown.

 

So disgusting, but so wonderful.

[Hmbre97 6333]

Anyone else have cheese toast at school? We always had it in the cafeteria for breakfast. It is a piece of toast with a kraft single on top, sprinkle some sugar on top of the cheese, then broil it until the cheese starts to melt. I rarely got to school early enough for breakfast but this was my go-to when I did.

[gsoda3 3302]

6 hours ago, Gladeite said:

Hot Dr. Pepper.  Mom/grandmothers used to warm Dr. Pepper on the stove and serve to the kids in the winter.  With a slice of lemon.  Very good on a cold(Texas) day.

my mom made that for us when we were kids but only when we were sick.  that was the only time we were allowed to drink coke so it was a benefit to being sick. 

[WhatTheBuck 28838]

14 hours ago, idigTexas said:

I think many people do graham crackers in milk.  Nailing the dunking time is crucial.  Pull out too early, and it won't have that pleasing moistness.  Leave it in too long, and you are going to have to go fishing or wait until the end and spoon out the dregs.  A nice variation is to make peanut butter sandwiches with the graham crackers, and then dunk those. 

I also like peanut butter on apple slices. 

I ear them in a bowl of milk like cereal. Each Graham cracker plank has four rectangular section. I break those up into eight little squares. About half of one of those cellophane packages will fill a bowl. There’s a little crunch at the start but I also like it when it’s mushy at the end of the bowl. And I always eat two bowls thereby consuming that whole package and not risking any going stale.

Love peanut butter on apples. Bananas too. My mom used to make little peanut butter boats out of celery stalks and those were good too. But that’s not something I do. If I’m snacking on celery I just dip it in blue cheese dressing. 

[WhatTheBuck 28838]

6 hours ago, Gladeite said:

Hot Dr. Pepper.  Mom/grandmothers used to warm Dr. Pepper on the stove and serve to the kids in the winter.  With a slice of lemon.  Very good on a cold(Texas) day.

When I was a kid and was sick and couldn’t go to school, I’d often stay with my grandma and she’d serve me warm Tang. That was pretty good. Never had it past the age of seven. 

[WhatTheBuck 28838]

5 hours ago, Deej said:

My mom used to make "pizza" on English muffins in the toaster oven. I would slam about six of those right now. 

We used halves of hamburger buns and called them pizza burgers. They even served them in school (which were better than we could make at home). Except at my junior high where the kitchen was run by a bunch of old ladies, including my other grandma, where their pizza burger was a burger patty dipped in sauce and topped with mozzarella and served in a whole bun. Those were good too but I’d prefer the other kind. Their food was great though and, if my grandma was working the serving line, she’d give me extra generous portions if I asked. Like of mashed potatoes with chicken and gravy and egg noodles. Haven’t had that in a long time.

[Da Fino 2797]

An item my boys and I invented when they were little,  that we still make when we all get together...mostly just to spite their momma and now, my daughter-in-law:
1 bag of frozen burritos.  Bean and cheese are ok, but I like the green or red chili ones better.
1 medium or large  can enchilada sauce.  Hotter is better.
2 cans Jalapeno Cheddar Frito canned dip.
put burritos in 13x9 backing dish.
pour sauce generously over each piece.
spoon over/ divide jalapeno cheddar dip around each burrito.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  turn all burritos.  Continue baking until cheese starts to brown.
 
So disgusting, but so wonderful.

I want to do this with tamales instead of frozen burritos. Sounds great.

[LABEVO 928]

I thought I grew up poor but then read this thread. 🤢

[Enchubben 5562]

pizza bagels. Good times.

One other not sure if this unique though: when my parents always did a chicken or turkey pot pie - it was always scooped into those Pepperidge farms frozen puff pastry shells.

I always just assumed everyone ate them that way, and learned later one most people make it into an actual pie type deal. 

[shnsajax 3592]

15 hours ago, Deej said:

That's called a perfect BLT. 

I've just recently discovered heavy mayo on a sesame seed bun with scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese and no question my entire upbringing with my parents. Never once thought about adding real mayo to that, and for that I was wrong.

[RollLeft 5045]

We seriously need a wtf emoji.

 

[RPM 26430]

17 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Y'all ate some gross ass shit.

 

Open -faced tuna melt on english muffin with ketchup on top.  Still eat that a couple times a month.

[RPM 26430]

4 hours ago, Da Fino said:

I want to do this with tamales instead of frozen burritos. Sounds great.

You want my Dad's tamale cassarole. Can of Hormel tamales, can of yellow hominy, can of chili. Dump the tamales in a baking dish, add the hominy, smother with chili. Bake 30-40 min. Dee lish.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2741]

. Or a a side dish, a banana with mayonnaise sprinkled with rice crispies. Those are from different sides of my family. 

This made my stomach turn.

MW sandwiches FTW.

Tang and Ginger Ale is my entry.