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Stuffing or Dressing? The History of a Thanksgiving Favorite
Bake 30 minSides
Cooked inside the bird it is stuffing; baked in a dish it is dressing, a line much of the South draws at cornbread while New England reaches for oysters.
38 recipes · newest first
2026
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Breakfast The Great Pumpkin: Pumpkin Pancakes, Jack-o’-Lanterns and a Halloween Icon The jack-o'-lantern began in Ireland and Britain as a carved turnip, not a pumpkin, and got its name from the folklore figure Stingy Jack. -
Dinner The Thanksgiving Turkey: From American Tradition to the Perfect Roast A frozen turkey needs about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every four to five pounds, and a 12- to 14-pound bird feeds eight to ten people. -
Bake 50–60 minMakes one 9-by-5-inch loafDessert Pumpkin Season Is Here: Pumpkin Bread and the Story Behind Fall’s Favorite Flavor Squash has grown in the Americas for thousands of years, and Indigenous peoples raised pumpkins long before pumpkin spice or the first carved jack-o'-lantern. -
Dessert Caramel Apples: The Sweet Taste of an American Fall A Kraft Foods worker named Dan Walker invented the caramel apple in the 1950s while using up leftover Halloween caramels, decades after the red candy apple came first. -
Bake 30–35 minDessert Wacky Cake — The Depression-Era Chocolate Cake Made Without Eggs, Milk or Butter Vinegar and baking soda replace the eggs, and the whole cake mixes in one pan from flour, sugar, cocoa, oil and water — no frosting needed. -
1 hrServes 6Dessert The Poison Apple: Snow White, Fairy Tales & Warm Cinnamon Baked Apples There may be no apple in pop culture more recognizable—or more ominous—than the one offered to Snow White. -
Dinner Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast — How a Little Meat Fed a Family Four ounces of dried beef, butter, flour, and milk fed several people, a trick soldiers knew from the 1910 Army cooking manual and nicknamed S.O.S.
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1 hr 15 minServes 12–15Dessert An Apple for the Teacher: How a Humble Fruit Became a Classroom Icon On the American frontier, families helped house and feed their poorly paid teachers, and an apple from the fall harvest was a cheap way to contribute to supper. -
Dinner Depression-Era Potato Soup — Making a Meal From Almost Nothing Four potatoes, two cups of water, bacon grease, salt and pepper fed a family in the 1930s; our version adds onion, milk and flour for something creamier. -
Dessert Johnny Appleseed: The Man Behind the Legend & Apple Cider Doughnuts John Chapman was born in Massachusetts in 1774 and ran a chain of frontier nurseries, and most of the apples he planted were grown for cider, not eating. -
Dinner The Poor Man's Meal — A Great Depression Dinner That Still Makes Sense Today Two pounds of potatoes, one onion, and four hot dogs fed a family through the Depression, and it still costs only a few dollars today. -
2 hrServes 8Dessert As American as Apple Pie: The History Behind a Fall Favorite The sweet apples in our pies came from Central Asia, and early American orchards grew fruit meant mostly for hard cider, not dessert. -
Dessert Jell-O Mold: The Colorful Centerpiece of Mid-Century American Entertaining A New York carpenter named Pearle Wait mixed powdered gelatin with sugar and fruit flavoring in 1897, and his wife May came up with the name Jell-O. -
Dinner Modern American BBQ: Bringing People Together Through Food From Indigenous fire pits to smartphone-connected pellet smokers, the backyard cookout now borrows flavors like Mexican elote, alongside recipes for today's grill. -
Bake 45 minMakes one 9 x 5-inch loafDinner Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Ketchup Glaze: The Quintessential Comfort Food of Mid-Century America The dish traces back to ancient Rome, but it became a Depression-era staple when cooks stretched a pound of beef with breadcrumbs, milk, and eggs to feed a whole family. -
Dinner The Backyard Cookout: How BBQ Became an American Family Tradition In 1952, a Chicago welder named George Stephen built the first domed kettle grill, and the postwar move to suburban backyards turned cookouts into a family tradition. -
Dessert Ambrosia Salad: The Sweet Southern Classic That Became an American Holiday Tradition Named for the "food of the gods" in Greek myth, this dish appeared in cookbooks in the late 1800s, when oranges and coconut were costly holiday luxuries. -
Cook 10–14 hrDinner Barbecue Across America: How Every Region Created Its Own Style German and Czech immigrants turned cheap brisket into Texas barbecue, while the Carolinas dress pork in vinegar or mustard and Kansas City piles on burnt ends. -
Serves 4–6Dinner Beef Stroganoff: The Elegant Comfort Dish That Won America's Heart Named for the noble Stroganov family, this dish first appeared in Russian cookbooks in the late 1800s with just beef, mustard, and sour cream—mushrooms came later. -
Dinner From Indigenous Fire Pits to Colonial Feasts: The Birth of American Barbecue The word barbecue comes from the Taíno "barbacoa," and today's low-heat, wood-smoked methods trace back to Indigenous cooks who fed whole villages long before settlers arrived. -
Serves 12Sides Deviled Eggs: The Timeless Appetizer That Has Graced American Tables for Generations Deviled eggs have been a beloved fixture at American gatherings for generations, appearing at Easter brunches, summer picnics, potlucks, and holiday buffets. This article traces their surprising history, from ancient Rome and medieval Europe to the American table. Learn where the "deviled" name comes from, why these creamy, tangy bites became a 1950s favorite, and how they remain a symbol of comfort and hospitality today. -
Bake 30–35 minDinner Tuna Noodle Casserole: The Comfort Food That Defined the American Dinner Table Discover the history of Tuna Noodle Casserole, the iconic American comfort food that became a family favorite, along with a classic retro recipe inspired by mid-century home cooking. -
Chicken à la King: The Elegant Comfort Food That Became an American Classic Chicken à la King became one of America's most beloved comfort foods, blending creamy elegance with practical home cooking. Discover its fascinating history and make this timeless mid-century classic yourself. -
Bake 40–45 min Pineapple Upside-Down Cake: The Sweet Retro Dessert That Defined the 1950s Pineapple Upside-Down Cake became a beloved American dessert long before the 1950s, combining caramelized pineapple, maraschino cherries, and rich butter cake into a timeless retro classic.
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