18 Recipes We Learned From Our Grandmas

Whether your grandma is an avid baker, master of the holiday meal, or well on her way to becoming a "grandfluencer," I think there's one thing we can all agree on: Grandma has taught us so much! We've gathered the best tips, tricks, and recipes from our collective grandmas right here, so you can take what you need and pass it on to the next generation.

Grandma’s Oatmeal Cake

"It's been years since I've been to Grandma's house, but I feel transported back to those long summer days every time I take a bite of her oatmeal cake." —Rachel Knecht, Recipe Developer

My Grandmother's Trick For the Best Rice

"With the addition of some butter, steamed white rice becomes a star." —Kat Lieu, Recipe Developer

Chicken Romano

"Chicken Romano is a variation of a breaded chicken cutlet. The secret ingredient is Pecorino Romano, which is added to the breading—this is how Grandma Hope made her cutlets." —Theodora Kaloudis, Recipe Developer

My Grandma's 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Meatballs

"I'm a better cook because of my grandma, and I make the juiciest meatballs because of one thing she said to me every time she made mandu (Korean dumplings): The onions must be grated." —Myo Quinn, Contributor

Grandma’s Snack Mix

"Feel free to stick to all Rice Chex or mix it up with the addition of Cheerios and Wheat Chex. For the mix-ins, I prefer pretzel sticks since that’s what my grandmother always used, but any shape will do." —Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

Church Chicken Casserole

"I brown up some fresh chicken, but you could just as easily shred a rotisserie chicken. I also use Ritz crackers, but saltines, club crackers, or even a package of dry stuffing mix would do the trick." —Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

My Grandma's Topping For Any Casserole

"A bit of trial and error is in order, though my grandma recommends starting with eight Ritz crackers and going from there." —Nathan Hutsenpiller, Recipe Developer

Grandma's Soda Cracker Pie

"Soda cracker pie is a Southern delicacy. I think of it as the best combination of a pecan pie and marshmallows." —Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

Grandma’s Corn Pudding

"Corn pudding is best, I think, when it’s warm rather than hot. Its texture and flavors are more cohesive after a rest." —Sara Bir, Contributor

Grandma's Oatmeal Cookies

"My grandma's oatmeal cookies usually included walnuts and raisins, though you can skip either if you want." —Elise Bauer, Founder

Chicken Adobo

"My family’s adobo recipe goes back to my grandmother’s time, and her own mother from the turn of the century. It became my Mom’s recipe, which she cooked every week, using solely vinegar and garlic." —Elizabeth Ann Quirino, Recipe Developer

Grandma's Zucchini Cake

"The frosting amount assumes that you are going to keep the cake in the pan and only frost the top. If you plan on removing the cake from the pan and frosting the sides, you'll want to up the frosting amounts." —Elise Bauer, Founder

Butter Swim Biscuits

"This recipe makes nine big, fluffy, tall biscuits. To serve, you can drizzle your butter swim biscuits with honey, smear them with some jam, or—oh my goodness—bring on the sausage gravy. They would also be delicious with a bowl of stew or soup." —Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

Pulpeta (Cuban Meatloaf)

"Rather than being baked in an oven like other meatloaves, pulpeta is cooked on the stovetop. It’s first dipped in a beaten egg wash, rolled twice in breadcrumbs, and then seared in olive oil to create a crunchy crust." —Marisel Salazar, Recipe Developer

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

"You'll want to use an oil with a high smoke point (425°F or above) for the best results. We recommend peanut oil, canola oil, corn oil, or even regular vegetable oil for frying." —Elise Bauer, Founder

Johnny Marzetti Casserole

"Close beef-and-pasta cousins of Johnny Marzetti include goulash, American chop suey, slumgullion, and hamburger and macaroni." —Sara Bir, Contributor

Grandma Rachel's Stuffing Upgrade

"Everything my grandma cooked had some sort of gourmet twist: an unexpected extra layer of flavor or something special you couldn’t quite put your finger on. For her stuffing, it was pine nuts." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

"You can add other vegetables to this casserole, like diced canned tomatoes, frozen, fresh, or canned corn or peas, green beans, diced zucchini." —Elise Bauer, Founder