32 Vintage Recipes for an Old-Fashioned Ladies Luncheon
Updated: Apr. 22, 2024
These ladies luncheon recipes are elegant enough to keep the occasion special, but relaxed enough to keep the gathering fun.
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The Best Quiche Lorraine
Nestled in a buttery, rustic crust, this quiche is filled with sweet onions, bacon bits and cheese. It’s truly the best quiche Lorraine recipe. Serve it for brunch or at a ladies luncheon. —Shannon Norris, Cudahy, Wisconsin
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Rosemary-Lemon Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
These beautiful shortbread sandwich cookies are always a welcome addition to our annual ladies holiday tea luncheon. The distinctive rosemary flavor, paired so well with the tangy lemon curd, has made them a favorite in our group for years! —Jamie Jones, Madison, Georgia
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Asparagus Crepes
I love serving these tender crepes with their light lemony sauce in spring. But my husband would eat them any time of year at all. In fact, it’s the only way he’ll eat asparagus! This dish is also lovely for luncheon or brunch. —Carol Hemker, Phenix City, Alabama
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Pina Colada Fruit Salad
Give friends a taste of the tropics on warm summer days with this refreshing fruit blend. For a little extra punch, you might add a splash of coconut rum. —Carol Farnsworth, Greenwood, Indiana
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Chicken Salad Party Sandwiches
My famous chicken salad arrives at the party chilled in a plastic container. When it’s time to set out the food, I stir in the pecans and assemble the sandwiches. They’re a hit at buffet-style potlucks. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
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Smoked-Almond Cheese Toasts
I created my recipe for appetizer toasts while planning the menu for a friend’s bridal luncheon. Smoked almonds add a special touch to the chunky cheese spread.—Laura Murphy, Columbus, Mississippi
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Ginger Mint Julep
Mint juleps aren’t just for Kentucky Derby day! Enjoy one while gathering with friends for baby shower or luncheon. —Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
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Classic Cobb Salad
Making this salad is a lot like putting in a garden. I plant everything in nice, neat sections, just as I do with seedlings. —Patricia Kile, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
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Berry Tartlets
Bring spring flavors together in these delectable miniature tarts. Raspberries and blueberries both work well with the whipped cream and lemon curd mixture—or choose your favorite berries instead. These sweet treats are great for a ladies tea, brunch or spring holiday celebration. —Mary J. Walters, Westerville, Ohio
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7-Layer Gelatin Salad
Here's an eye-catching salad that my mother makes for Christmas dinner each year. You can choose different flavors to make other color combinations for specific holidays or other gatherings. —Jan Hemness, Stockton, Missouri
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Shrimp Salad Appetizers
This refreshing hors d'oeuvre has gained a big following since a friend shared her family recipe with me. My son says it best: The celery and shrimp are so good together. —Solie Kimble, Kanata, Ontario
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Black Bottom Brandy Bites
The idea for these bite-sized tarts started with little chocolate bottles of brandy. For an extra dash of fabulous, I place chocolate in the bottom of each pastry cup. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois
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Sweet Potato Crostini
For party time, I turn this sweet potato side dish into an appetizer by serving it on slices of a French baguette. — Steve Westphal, Wind Lake, Wisconsin
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Creamy Chive Rings
When I brought this savory ring to an extension luncheon, club members let me know how much they enjoyed it. Next meeting I had to bring copies of the recipe for everyone there! —Pamela Schlickbernd West Point, Nebraska
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Broccoli Quiche Cups
Make this crustless quiche in muffin cups or in a regular-size pie tin. Either way, there's plenty of bacon-y, cheesy goodness to go around. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
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Pear Waldorf Pitas
Here’s a guaranteed table brightener for a shower, luncheon or party. Just stand back and watch these sandwiches vanish. For an eye-catching presentation, I tuck each one into a colorful folded napkin. —Roxann Parker, Dover, Delaware
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Strawberry Riesling Wine Spritzer
Nothing says spring like strawberries and wine spritzers. The tarragon and black pepper in this refreshing cocktail complement the strawberry flavor and really make it taste special! The syrup is also delicious in lemonade, iced tea, club soda, and gin and tonics. —Zoe Ann McKinnon, St. Louis, Missouri
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Aunt Marion’s Fruit Salad Dessert
Aunt Marion, my namesake, is like a grandma to me. She gave me this luscious salad recipe, which goes to all our family reunions, hunt club suppers and snowmobile club picnics…and I go home with no leftovers! —Marion LaTourette, Honesdale, Pennsylvania
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Potato Chowder
One of the ladies in our church quilting group brought this savory potato soup to a meeting, and everyone loved how the cream cheese and bacon made it so rich. It's easy to assemble in the morning so it can simmer on its own all day. —Anna Mayer, Fort Branch, Indiana
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Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
This savory, scrumptious hash brown breakfast casserole uses an egg substitute for lower fat and cholesterol. Serve with fresh fruit for a morning meal that’ll keep your family going strong until lunch! —Cindy Schneider, Sarasota, Florida
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Sauteed Radishes with Green Beans
I’ve heard radishes are the only vegetable you don’t cook, but a cookbook from the 1950s disagrees. Green beans and wax beans round out this dish. —Pam Kaiser, Mansfield, Missouri
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Poppy Seed Chicken
This simple yet delicious dish is terrific for dinner, but the leftovers are a bonus for lunch. It reheats really well in a microwave, so you may want to double the recipe. —Janet Zoss, Jackson, Michigan
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Yellow Squash Soup
Delicate and lemony, this yellow squash soup recipe would set the stage for a memorable ladies' luncheon. It's the best of late summer in a bowl. —Heidi Wilcox, Lapeer, Michigan
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Creamy Chicken Vol-au-Vent
My friends and I have been getting together for "ladies lunches" for years. These vol-au-vents are the perfect no-fuss fancy food; they look complicated, but are actually simple and fun to make. Whenever I think of good friends and good company, I think of these savory pastries. —Shauna Havey, Roy, Utah
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Lemon-Lime Bars
This easy lime bar recipe is a dessert that will wow your guests. I baked these bars for a luncheon on a hot summer day. A gentleman made his way to the kitchen to compliment the cook who made them. —Holly Wilkins, Lake Elmore, Vermont
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Herbed Tuna Salad
Cooking for two is a challenge for us, since my husband and I do not care for leftovers. This well-seasoned salad with distinctive dill flavor is my favorite lunch recipe. —Rebecca Schweizer, Chesapeake, Virginia
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Artichoke and Onion Frittata
Fresh flavors make this pretty egg bake a delightful entree for a special occasion brunch or light luncheon. —Joyce Moynihan, Lakeville, Minnesota
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Almond-Bacon Cheese Crostini
For a change from the usual toasted tomato appetizer, try this baked crostini recipe. If you like, slice the baguette at an angle instead of making a straight cut. —Leondre Hermann, Stuart, Florida
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Rainbow Quiche
With plenty of veggies and a creamy egg-cheese filling, this tasty quiche gets rave reviews every time I make it! —Lilith Fury, Adena, Ohio
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Mini Chocolate Wafer Cakes
I first made these cakes for a friend when I lived in the dorms at college and had no access to appliances. Little did I know I would be making them 20 years later for my children! —Lara Pennell, Mauldin, South Carolina
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Pina Colada Molded Salad
My gelatin ring gets a tropical twist from coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts. It's a wonderful anytime treat. Now that I'm retired from teaching, I have more time for kitchen experiments. —Carol Gillespie, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
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Cucumber Canapes
I always get requests for the recipe for these canapes whenever I serve them. They're delicate finger sandwiches with a creamy herb spread and festive red and green garnishes. —Nadine Whittaker, South Plymouth, MassachusettsOriginally Published: April 11, 2022
