The 70s and 80s Were a Lawless Wasteland of Crimes Against the Culinary Arts

Author image for John Summers
John Summers • Contributor
Sep 3, 2024 12:00 AM EDT

My mom was a really good cook. She would make us mouth-watering meals on a daily basis, and I was always excited when she called us to come and eat. But since I was growing up during the 80s, every now and then she would see a strange new recipe in the paper or in some weird cookbook and decide to make us things like "Chicken wings in cola" or "Tuna and olive pasta." We would collectively smile and eat quietly, trying not to hurt her feelings, but she could tell.

For some reason, the 70s and 80s were plagued by an endless stream of horrific recipes that no one should ever attempt to make, let alone consume. Every magazine, every cookbook, and every cooking show kept encouraging our moms to make weirder and weirder dishes, and we were the main victims of this strange trend.

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    Surprise holiday cake You make it with Campbells Tomato Soup TOMATO SOUP CAKE 1% cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 3 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. each ground cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg ½ cup shortening 1 can Campbell's Tomato Soup 2 eggs 1 cup chopped candied fruit or raisins or prepared mincemeat 1 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9-inch tube pan. In large bowl, sift dry ingredients together. Add shortening and ½ can soup. Beat until smooth. Add remaining soup
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    Sue Murray Home Emonist of the Atralian Dried Fruit Association Curried Eggs Bengal with sun-rich, sun-dried fruits Sue Murray shows you how to give eggs an Indian accent, that gives a meal a real lift. Look. It's easy! HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED Sepps Imedim sized onion apple Iez. butter dessertspoons cornflower teaspoons of curry powder beefstock cubes pint boiling water desserspoons chutney or fruit jam 3es. Sultanas 3 cups of cooked rice Parsley to garnisk I casserole serving dish No All cap means
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    Meat loaf has lots more "come on" when you cook with Miracle Whip Salad Dressing Easy! Different! 2 lbs. ground beef WORLD'S BEST MEAT LOAF 1 c. Miracle Whip Salad Dressing 2 tbsps. finely chopped onion 1½ c. soft bread crumbs 2 tsps. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 6 or 8 potatoes, cooked, mashed 2 cups hot sliced beets Combine the meat, Miracle Whip Salad Dressing, onion, crumbs and seasonings. Pack into a 1½-qt. ring mold and bake in a slow oven, 300°, for 1/4 hours. Remove from mold onto a large serving
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    brings out the merry the fresh light lilt of lemon in velvety Kraft Mayonnaise See how perfect real true mayonnaise can be! Kraft has skillfully blended just the right amount of pure lemon juice into their superbly smooth mayonnaise to give other foods a light-hearted lift! Pictured here: Lime-Strawberry Surprise. Prepare 3-oz. pkg. lime-flavored gelatin as directed on package. Chill until slightly thickened; fold in 1 cup drained crushed pineapple. Pour into 8-inch square pan; chill until firm.
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    Liver-Sausage Pineapple I pound liver seusage 1 tbsp lemon juice I tap Worcestershire sauce 11/4 cup mayonnalee, divided 2 tops unflavored gelatin 2 tbsps cold water stuffed olives, sliced Mix together sausage, lemon juice. Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup mayonnaise, Shepe around a jelly glass. Soften gelatin in cold water and dissolve over hot water. Add in remaining I cup mayonnaise end chill. Froot "pineapple," score: stud with sliced, stuffed olives. Top with real pineapple greens. That's a
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    Limelight Chicken en Gelee? Who'd a thunk that with a jar of Miracle Whip" and chicken you could create this delicious dish. Miracle Whip Salad Dressing is so versatile that it can cook, blend, bake and whip up hundreds of delicious good things to eat. And Limelight Chicken en Gelée is just one of them. Limelight Chicken en Gelée tire whole chicken breasts skinned and boned Topschicken tovition Tappe Shape bros 2eardiges unfaveres colasio y cup cold water Jcope Miracle Whip Salad Dressing y Tuck
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    The satisfier: Rosella Vegetable & Sausage Snack Just made for families that suddenly get hungry any old time of day! Delicious plump little sausages, excited with six selected garden vegetables. Full of natural goodness, and satisfying flavour. Just heat, and eat! Try Rosella Tomato Snack, and Rosella Cream Style Sweet Corn, too -very satisfying. Rosella's Hearty Snacks-the satisfiers! Rosella VEGETABLES SAUSAGE SNACK
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    Gästgivarsmörgås Smårätter Kort nr 38 13
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    Want something NEW for dinner? HERE'S A SUGGESTION FROM Mrs. DAMON RUNYON wife of the popular writer Frankfurts...not ordinary ones but the big. tender, juicy Swift's Premium kind... are a frequently-enjoyed dinner favorite at the Runyons house. "They're a delightful change and really taste wonderful," says Mrs. Run-1 yon. Here's a delicious combination she likes especially well: Swift's Premium Frank- furts (simply simmer 5 to 8 minutes and serve immediately) - Creamed Diced Carrots in Onion Cu
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    @cursedcookbooks Tomato & Fish Mold Sal
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    106. Mustard Ring : IC
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    APPLE AND TOMATO MOULDS SALADS AND VEGETABLES CARD 13
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    Tentakler Kvällsgott utan pretentioner Kort nr 00 97 :
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    CONTEMPORARY COOKING 60 HAM AND BANANAS HOLLANDAISE McCall's Great American Recipe Card Collection
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    ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO DO WITH MUSSELMAN'S. APPLE SAUCE GOLDEN MEAT LOAF Turn everyday meat loaf into a prize surprise- with the special flavor, sweet 'n' tart, the true fresh apple goodness of Musselman's Apple Sauce. Please your family with this easy magic soon! MUSSELMANS 1. Mix in a 3-quart bowl 2 lbs. ground lean Best, 1½ cups PET Evaporated Milk (1 tall can) and 2 envelopes Dried Onion Soup Mix, 2. With wet hands, shape mixture into two 4 x 6-inch loaves in a 139 x 2-inch pan Bake in 350
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    1 TUNA 'N WAFFLES Campbells Blend I can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom CONDENSED OF MUSHROOM SOUP Soup with ½ cup milk, 1 cup drained, flaked tuna (7-oz. can) and ¼ cup sliced stuffed olives. Heat thoroughly. Pour over 4 crisp waffles. Presto, a quick'n easy dinner for 4 www.midcenturymenu.co
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    Sardine-stuffed Lemons 3 large lemons 2 x 120 g (41/2 oz) cans sardines salt and pepper 2 x 5 ml (2 teaspoons) grated horseradish 5 x 15 ml (5 tablespoons) hot water 1 sachet Davis Gelatine 5 x 15 ml (5 tablespoons) double cream parsley or chervil to garnish Cut the lemons in half lengthways. Carefully cut out the flesh and reserve a few segments for garnish. Squeeze the rest. Drain the sardines and mash well. Season with salt and pepper, horseradish, and lemon juice. Put the water and gelatine
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