14 Retro Dinners Just Like Mom Used To Make and Love

Do you have a particular food so wedded to your mom's cooking that it has the power to resurrect the past? My Korean mom is a great cook, so I have several—kimchi jjigae, kimbap, mandu, and more dinners I can still taste in my memory. She lives over 5,000 miles away, so I often get a pang of homesickness that can only be cured by trying to replicate her dishes.

Whether your mom was a lousy cook and an expert at reheating microwaveable dinners, or a fantastic cook who regularly whipped up amazing meals, it's undeniable that mom's cooking is a taste of home.

Here you'll find 14 blast-from-the-past dinner recipes just like mom used to make, including handy tips from Simply Recipes readers, contributors, and editors.

Chicken and Dumplings

"The key is to not peek into the pan while the dumplings are cooking. The dumplings need to gently steam in the simmering stew to result in a light texture." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

Chicken à la King

"If you don’t have sherry on hand, white wine or Madeira work just as well. Pimentos are commonly found in a jar or can, usually close to (and also stuffed inside!) the olives on grocery shelves." —Laura Manzano, Contributor

Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

"The best casserole topping ever...especially this casserole...take a rolling pin and crush shredded wheat cereal to crumbs!" —Aaron, Simply Recipes Reader

Skillet Chicken Divan

"Brings back memories of family cooking in the 1970s. I didn't have enough broccoli and found some frozen asparagus in the freezer and that worked really well too. Delish!" —kryzadmz, Simply Recipes Reader

Salisbury Ground Beef

"Instead of making individual patties and searing each one, simply cook ground beef in a skillet and combine it with sautéed mushrooms and a savory gravy for a 30-minute meal. It has all of the flavors of the original without the hassle." —Jasmine Smith, Contributor

Best Ever Sloppy Joe's

"Make prep a breeze by coarsely chopping the onion, celery, and carrots and then pulsing them a few times in the food processor (carrots first; you can do the onions and celery together)." —Elise

Shipwreck Casserole

"Almost every version of shipwreck casserole I’ve seen includes some sort of potato, most often lots of raw potatoes that are peeled and sliced very thinly. In my recipe, frozen hash browns make it quicker and easier. Plus, the hash browns get incredibly crispy on the bottom and top of the casserole." —Nick Evans, Contributor

Beef Stroganoff

"It helps to cut thin strips of the beef by putting the meat into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes first." —Elise

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

"Paprika can go flat if it's too old. Make sure you taste test your paprika for cooking with it in this recipe. If it doesn't have a strong flavor, it's no longer good and you'll need to replace it." —Elise

Chicken Marsala

"This chicken Marsala is excellent, simple, quick, and delicious... When I make this dish always use dry Marsala. Using the sweet version in savory dishes like this gives the finished dish an unpleasant caramelized and candied taste due to the residual sugar left after fermentation." —Bill, Simply Recipes Reader

Chicken Paprikash

"We like cooking chicken skin-on and bone-in, but this recipe will easily work with boneless, skinless chicken pieces as well if that's what you prefer." —Elise

BBQ Meatloaf

"The solution to dry meatloaf isn’t actually to add sauce, it’s to add vegetables!" —Nick Evans, Contributor

Chicken Fried Steak

"You don't need to deep fry the chicken-fried steaks. You can easily shallow fry them in less oil. Help firm up the coating on top by spooning hot oil over the top before flipping the steaks." —Elise

Chicken Noodle Casserole

"Yes, you can use rotisserie chicken or use leftover chicken to make the casserole. You will need two to three cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces." —Elise