Family members of all ages will love these retro appetizers, salads, main dishes and desserts. You'll love that each recipe feeds 12 or more.
51 Retro Family Reunion Recipes
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Spiced Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
I often bake this beautiful cake in my large cast-iron skillet and turn it out onto a pizza pan. —Jennifer Sergesketter, Newburgh, Indiana
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Chicken and Rice Casserole
Everyone loves this dish—I consider it the best chicken and rice casserole recipe because it's a tasty combination of hearty and crunchy ingredients mixed in a creamy sauce. It's a time-tested classic. —Myrtle Matthews, Marietta, Georgia
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Blueberry Gelatin Salad
I find myself making this blueberry jello salad often. People request this layered treat for potlucks all the time. This dish can be served as either a salad or a dessert. And preparing it a day ahead makes it taste even better! —Mildred Livingston, Phoenix, Arizona
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Slow-Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
My mom made the best Italian beef. I’ve added to it over the years, but it’s still her recipe. She made these Italian beef sandwiches for family reunions, and there were never leftovers. —Mary McVey, Colfax, North Carolina
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Mini Sausage Quiches
These bite-sized quiches are loaded with sausage and cheese—and all nestled into easy crescent roll dough. Serve the cute muffinettes at any brunch or potluck gathering. —Jan Mead, Milford, Connecticut
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Apple Slab Pie
Apple slab pie is a terrific contribution to a covered-dish supper, picnic or potluck. It’s baked in a large 15x10 baking pan so it’s easy to make and tote, too. But be prepared—people always ask for a copy of the recipe! —Dolores Skrout, Summerhill, Pennsylvania
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Favorite Barbecued Chicken
Is there a place better than Texas to find a fantastic barbecue sauce? That’s where this one is from—it’s my father-in-law’s own recipe. We have served it at many family reunions and think it’s the best! —Bobbie Morgan, Woodstock, Georgia
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Haystack Supper
Served as the main dish at our family reunion buffet, this flavorful layered taco-style dish was a true crowd-pleaser. Folks were pleasantly surprised to find a rice layer, and everyone enjoys the creamy cheese sauce. —Jill Steiner, Hancock, Minnesota
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Cranberry Waldorf Gelatin
We enjoy this easy-to-make salad in the fall when apples are in season. Their crisp freshness adds so much to a favorite dish. — Debbie Short, Carlisle, Iowa
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Layered Salad for a Crowd
This salad is a favorite of my three sons. I took it to a luncheon honoring our school district’s food service manager, and she asked for the recipe. I like to make the dressing the day before so the flavors blend together. —Linda Ashley, Leesburg, Georgia
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Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Potluck-perfect peanut butter sheet cake takes less than an hour to bake and is practically guaranteed to be a hit.
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Slow-Cooker Tater Tot Casserole
A riff on Minnesota hot dish, slow-cooker Tater Tot casserole is a combination of ground beef and creamy condensed soup topped with a layer of golden potato nuggets smothered in cheese. It's also fairly hands-off, as this recipe is designed to let the appliance do the work.
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Rich Fruit Kuchens
This German kuchen recipe is a wonderful, warm dessert that combines the best of cake and pie into one dish. A pile of fruit in a layer of custard, poured over a thin cake and covered with cinnamon-flavored streusel is tasty and comforting.
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Spinach Beef Macaroni Bake
This hearty casserole is great for a family reunion or church supper. I've also made half the recipe for family gatherings. It's become a special favorite of my grandson-in-law and great-grandson, who often ask me to serve it when they're visiting. —Lois Lauppe, Lahoma, Oklahoma
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Party Franks
These tiny, tangy appetizers have broad appeal. I prepare them often for holiday gatherings, weddings and family reunions. They're convenient to serve at parties since the sauce can be made ahead and then reheated with the franks before serving. —Lucille Howell, Portland, Oregon
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Old-Fashioned Pear Cake
Old-fashioned pear spice cake is a wonderful ending to a meal. It's not too heavy or rich, but the moist treat is brimming with flavor.—Audrey Golden, Cary, North Carolina
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Potluck Fried Chicken
This Sunday dinner staple is first fried and then baked to a crispy golden brown. Well seasoned with oregano and sage, this classic is sure to satisfy diners at church potlucks or late-summer picnics. I love fixing it for family and friends. —Donna Kuhaupt, Slinger, Wisconsin
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Tzatziki Shrimp Cucumber Rounds
I created this recipe with what I had on hand one night, and now it’s one of my husband’s favorites! The bacon-wrapped shrimp, garlicky sauce and burst of cool cuke flavor make this a crowd pleaser. —Shannon Rose Trelease, East Hampton, New York
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Apple Strudel
The ideal fall recipe has arrived: the apple strudel. Filled with a gooey inside and wrapped in a golden, flaky outer crust, this apple strudel is as pretty as it is delicious.
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Deluxe German Potato Salad
I make this for all occasions because it goes well with any kind of meat. When I take the warm salad to bring-a-dish events, there are rarely leftovers! —Betty Perkins, Hot Springs, Arkansas
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Cottage Potatoes
I often make this crunchy and colorful potato dish for our family reunions. It's my cousin's recipe, and we always know we'll never have any leftovers. —Mary C. Sholtis, Ashtabula, Ohio
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Layered Picnic Loaves
This big sandwich, inspired by one I tried at a New York deli, is a favorite with our football-watching crowd. Made ahead, it's easily carted to any gathering. Kids and adults alike say it's super. —Marion Lowery, Medford, Oregon
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Easy Dill Pickles
This treasured dill pickle recipe is like an old friend. These crispy spears have a slightly salty, tart flavor with a good balance of dill, garlic and peppers. —Betty Sitzman, Wray, Colorado
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Oatmeal Cream Pie Recipe
We love foods that remind us of childhood, like the chewy oatmeal cream pies stashed in our lunch boxes on lucky days.
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How to Cook a Ham
Whip up a gorgeous holiday centerpiece with this easy glazed ham recipe. Our Test Kitchen experts share their best tips and tricks for how to cook a ham for special occasions.
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Quiche Pastry Cups
My grandmother used to make egg cup surprises for family brunches on special occasions. The added fillings were always a surprise since she never seemed to use the same combination of ingredients twice. As children, we took guesses as to what we'd find in the tender crust—the game always added fun to our meals. —Denalee Standart, Rancho Mureta, California
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Cherry Gelatin Supreme
When I was growing up, this yummy, easy dessert was always on the menu at holiday get-togethers. Years ago, my aunt gave me the recipe, and now when I make it for my family, I think of her. —Janice Rathgeb, Brighton, Illinois
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Cucumber Pasta Salad
This refreshing cucumber pasta salad works as a summertime lunch or light dinner, and it comes together with only five ingredients.
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Mom's Buttermilk Cookies
These soft, tangy buttermilk cookies are topped with creamy frosting are easy to make and perfect for any occasion.
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Aunt Frances’ Lemonade
My sister and I spent a week each summer with our Aunt Frances, who always had this thirst-quenching lemonade in a stoneware crock in her refrigerator. It makes a refreshing drink after a hot day of running around. —Debbie Reinhart, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania
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Classic Chocolate Cake
If you need to learn how to make chocolate cake from scratch, this easy homemade chocolate cake recipe is a perfect place to start. It appeared on a can of Hershey's cocoa way back in 1943. I tried it, my boys liked it, and I've been making it ever since. —Betty Follas, Morgan Hill, California
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Southern Coleslaw
My mother used to make this salad on holidays. With all the cabbage that is grown here, this coleslaw recipe is a real natural for us! —Deb Darr, Falls City, Oregon
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Peanut Butter Cookies
We cream shortening instead of butter for this dough, resulting in an ultra-rich-tasting version of traditional peanut butter cookies. Also nice? They take less than 30 minutes to prepare.
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Barbecued Meatballs
Grape jelly and chili sauce are the secrets that make these meatballs so fantastic. If I’m serving them at a party, I prepare the meatballs and sauce in advance and reheat them right before guests arrive. —Irma Schnuelle, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
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Cucumber Party Sandwiches
This is one of my favorite appetizers. We have lots of pig roasts here in Kentucky, and these small sandwiches are perfect to serve while the pig is cooking. —Rebecca Rose, Mount Washington, Kentucky
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Aunt Ione's Icebox Cookies
Whenever we went to visit my Aunt Ione in south Georgia, her icebox cookies were our favorite treat. My mother later make these cookies, and I remember begging for a slice of the raw dough—I thought the unbaked cookies tasted just as great as the baked! —Jenny Hill, Meridianville, Alabama
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Shrimp Appetizer Spread
There's no secret to this creamy seafood appetizer—it's simply delicious! I originally tasted it at a friend's house, and I liked it so much that I requested the recipe. It's since become a family favorite. —Brenda Buhler, Abbotsford, British Columbia
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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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Potluck German Apple Cake
My mother made this German apple cake for my brothers and me when we were kids. It's an excellent choice for a Christmas potluck or actually any time of year. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
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Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
I tweaked this bacon-wrapped shrimp recipe to please my family, and boy were they glad! For less heat, skip the jalapenos. —Debbie Cheek, State Road, North Carolina
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Overnight Layered Lettuce Salad
This layered salad is a family favorite from a church cookbook I've had for 40 years. The bacon adds a fabulous crunch. —Mary Brehm, Cape Coral, Florida
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Blueberry-Lemon Upside-Down Cake
I was young when I married, so I watched my mother-in-law to learn baking. This cake with fresh blueberries is one of her beauties. —Bonnie Roberts, Newaygo, Michigan
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Easy German Potato Salad
This tangy potato salad stirs memories of my grandma, who made it for us. Now my mom makes it with brats and sauerkraut, truly the best meal! —Devin Mulertt, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
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Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
When my two daughters were young, their great-grandma made them coconut cookies with oats. Thankfully, she shared the recipe. —Debra Dorn, Dunnellon, Florida
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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, Massachusetts
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Old-Time Butter Crunch Candy
Both my children and my grandchildren say the season wouldn't be the same without the big tray of candies and cookies I prepare. This one's the most popular part of that collection. We love the nutty pieces draped in chocolate. —Mildred Duffy, Bella Vista, Arkansas
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Sloppy Joes Sandwiches
Who doesn't love a classic sloppy joe recipe? Customize your homemade sloppy joes by mixing in veggies or melting cheese on top.
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Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
I've been making these cookies for nearly 30 years. The spice cake mix provides a delicious backdrop to the oats and raisins. The treats are an all-time favorite with my family. —Nancy Horton, Greenbrier, Tennessee
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Party Appetizer Meatballs
These are a favorite at parties and gatherings. The recipe is easy, and the meatballs can be made well ahead of time and frozen until needed. I think what makes them taste so good is the sauce. —Nathalie Guest, Caledon, Ontario
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Creamy Blueberry Gelatin Salad
Plump blueberries and a fluffy topping star in this pretty, refreshing salad that was my mother's recipe. It was served at every holiday and celebration, and now my grandchildren look forward to sampling it at holidays. —Sharon Hoefert, Greendale, Wisconsin
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