Ah, the ’70s. Lived through them? (Barely) Remember them? Only heard of them? It was a time of, um, interesting, cuisine. It was a decade that gave us both The Silver Palate’s Chicken Marbella and, well, yes, shrimp in yellow Jell-O. But there are ’70s recipes that are classics. Here are our picks that are dy-no-mite! Plan your next ’70s dinner now!

Contents

A quiche Lorraine cut in half, and half cut into quarters on a patterned background.
Faith Mason
1 of 33

Quiche Lorraine

This quiche Lorraine is a French staple made with a custardy egg, Gruyére, and bacon filling that’s baked until golden, all inside a flaky pastry crust. A little luxuriance that’s lovely warm or cold any time of the day.
Recipe
A single basic crepe, folded into quarters on a sheet of parchment with two lemon wedges beside it.
James Baigrie
2 of 33

Basic Crepes

These buttery basic crepes are easy to make with just milk, eggs, flour, salt, and butter, and can be served sweet or savory. And with this recipe, you can forget what you've heard about crêpes being difficult or tricky.
Recipe
A metal pot filled with braised chicken, pearl onions, mushrooms, carrots, and thyme sprigs.
Brent Hofacker
3 of 33

Julia Child’s Coq au Vin

This coq au vin recipe strays a little from the original but I don't think that's to its detriment. This updated version of the simple French chicken stew uses a robust brown chicken stock, mushrooms, onions, bacon, and red wine.
Recipe
A pot of chocolate fondue
Maren Caruso
4 of 33

Chocolate Fondue

Cheese fondue may have an unsteady and spotty reputation—just think of how many times it has gone in and out of fashion—but chocolate fondue has remained a steadfast classic. Here the chocolate flavor is enhanced with extracts and liqueurs making for a silken, simple dessert.
Recipe
Half a cooked meatloaf in a red loaf tin with two slices cut from it.
David Leite
5 of 33

Homemade Meatloaf

This homemade meatloaf has the best comforting flavor and bread crumbs and easy sticky-sweet glaze that you remember from childhood but it feels all grown-up thanks to the addition of bacon and caramelized vegetables.
Recipe
A cast iron skillet filled with bubbling baked fontina with garlic and thyme and a hunk of bread in the background.
David Sawyer
6 of 33

Baked Fontina with Garlic and Thyme

We dare you try this baked fontina and not grin from ear to ear. A bubbling, garlicky skillet-full of melted cheese is a magical thing, friends. A loaf of your favorite bread is all you’ll need to make it disappear.
Recipe
A silver bowl filled with ambrosia salad with a bone-handle knife beside the bowl.
Kristen Scott
7 of 33

Ambrosia

Ah, ambrosia, that Southern fruit salad that’s actually more like dessert. Brings back memories. This recipe will make you forget all about any other fluffy fruit concoctions.
Recipe
A bowl of onion dip surrounded by carrots, cucumbers, and radishes on a wooden board.
Todd Coleman
8 of 33

Onion Dip

This onion dip, made with onions, sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise, hot sauce, and scallions, is a riotously great way to dip, dunk, or otherwise devour your way to snack-induced satisfaction.
Recipe
A light-blue gravy boat filled with svelte green goddess dip
Sheri Giblin
9 of 33

Svelte Green Goddess Dip

Svelte Green Goddess dip takes the cool and creamy herbal classic and lightens it up a bit. Anchovies add a hit of umami, while low-fat sour cream keeps it velvety.
Recipe
Sixteen Sriracha deviled egg halves and a teaspoon on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Peter Frank Edwards
10 of 33

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

These Sriracha deviled eggs contain the requisite mustard and mayonnaise for classic deviled egg traditionalists and bacon drippings and Sriracha for the rebels in the rest of us. Perfect party food. And quite possibly the best deviled eggs ever.
Recipe
Baked seafood imperial--crab, shrimp, scallops, and calamari in a cream sauce, topped with bread crumbs and baked--on a water cracker
David Sawyer
11 of 33

Baked Seafood Imperial

Baked seafood imperial, a riff on crab imperial, is a mix of crab, shrimp, scallops, and calamari tossed with cream, Old Bay Seasoning, tarragon, and herbs. The imperial is then mounded into clams shells, breaded, and baked.
Recipe
Two bourbon sloppy joes on sesame buns, topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, and pickled red onion.
Emily Clifton
12 of 33

Bourbon Sloppy Joes

These bourbon sloppy joes are made with ground beef in a tomato and bourbon sauce and topped with tangy pickled red onions and Cheddar. A gussied-up riff on an American classic.
Recipe
A square glass container with herb-marinated olives, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme.
Thomas Schauer
13 of 33

Herb-Marinated Olives

Olives grow throughout Spain, and the varieties from each region have distinct flavors. Pick your favorite olives for this dish—as long as they’re from Spain! Here I’ve used a selection of the country’s best varieties.
Recipe
Two white ramekins with a pile of sugar-coated bourbon balls
Matthew Septimus
14 of 33

Bourbon Balls

These bourbon balls from Rose Levy Beranbaum, made with chocolate wafers, cocoa powder, pecans, and bourbon, are rich, chocolatey, boozy goodness in a small enticing package. Easy to make and gift. Even easier to eat.
Recipe
Pieces of chicken Marbella, topped with plums and herbs, with olives scattered around, on a white platter.
The Modern Proper
15 of 33

Chicken Marbella

More than any other recipe in Sheila Lukins's wildly successful The Silver Palate Cookbook, which she co-authored with Julee Rosso in 1979, Chicken Marbella became a standard at dinner parties — bold, sweet, and savory flavor made with lots of garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, dried plums, and olives.
Recipe
A broken slice of banana bread stacked on a white plate
Carl Tremblay
16 of 33

Banana Bread by Cook’s illustrated

This banana bread from Cook’s Illustrated includes yogurt and walnuts for a scrumptiously moist, easy, classic, nutty quick bread. We consider it the best we’ve ever had.
Recipe
A wooden pupu platter filled with coconut shrimp, spam and pineapple skewers, and ribs.
Ben Fink
17 of 33

Pupu Platter

Our two favorite pupu platter dishes, crab rangoon and coconut shrimp, take center stage. Add duck sauce and hot mustard to your party and you're all set.
Recipe
A white tray filled with Swedish meatballs--a combination of veal, pork, and beef--filled with cranberry sauce and topped with a white cream sauce
Alex Farnum
18 of 33

Swedish Meatballs

I like the hint of allspice in meatballs. That spice isn’t used much anymore, and it should be. Here, the meatballs are a first course, but they would make a good main course, too.
Recipe
A slice of twinkie bundt cake dusted with confectioners' sugar and turned to show the cross section.
Leigh Beisch
19 of 33

Twinkie Bundt Cake

This twinkie Bundt cake is essentially a giant, cream-filled twinkie. It’s made from scratch, and all of the ingredients are pronounceable, so you won’t be partaking of any weird chemical concoction here.
Recipe
A foolproof daiquiri in a long-stemmed glass.
John Mariani
20 of 33

The Foolproof Daiquiri

This foolproof daiquiri is just that–three ingredients shaken with ice and you're done. Classic and elegant without all the fuss.
Recipe
Golf-ball size cheese balls with pretzel stems sitting on a wooden cheese board.
Jason Wyche
21 of 33

Blue Cheese Balls

Blue cheese balls are a party favorite and far easier than a cheese log for guests to navigate while juggling a glass of wine in their other hand.
Recipe
Spaghetti primavera pie in a large dish--spaghetti topped with zucchini, tomatoes, onions, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Ellen Silverman
22 of 33

Spaghetti Primavera Pie

This spaghetti pie is a cinch to put together. Cooked spaghetti is mixed with onion, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and then slid in the oven until it’s a gorgeous golden brown. And it’s like catnip for kids.
Recipe
A slice of classic carrot cake--two carrot cake layers filled and frosted with cream cheese frosting; on top are crushed walnuts.
23 of 33

Carrot Cake

This carrot cake turns out moist and, yes, healthy. It’s made with puréed rather than grated carrots, coconut, canned pineapple, and a luscious cream cheese frosting.
Recipe
Cream being poured from a pitcher into a highball glass for a white Russian cocktail.
Brent Hofackereber
24 of 33

White Russian

This white Russian cocktail, popularized by the is a tantalizing blend of vodka, Kahlua, and a splash of cream. Cheers!
Recipe
A white cake stand with four spirals of pumpernickel bread, salmon mousse, and smoked salmon
Leigh Beisch
25 of 33

Salmon Mousse Pinwheels

These salmon mousse pinwheels, made with pumpernickel bread, smoked salmon, and a creamy smoked salmon mousse are an elegant and impressive canapé or tea sandwich.
Recipe
A white platter with beef Bourguignon, filled with beef, carrots, and mushrooms
David Loftus
26 of 33

Jamie Oliver’s Beef Bourguignon

My sumptuous beef bourguignon is cozy and indulgent. If you can find beef cheeks, they are ideal for this tender beef stew that braises all afternoon.
Recipe
The makings of beef fajitas on a wooden board - tortillas, steak, guacamole, salsa.
Time Inc. Food Studios
27 of 33

Beef Fajitas

Let everyone customize their fajitas by setting out an assortment of toppings such as fresh cilantro, guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream. Pick up a container of freshly sliced onions and jalapeños at the grocery store to save time (and tears) when preparing the fajitas.
Recipe
A black bowl filled with green beans, peas, and butter lettuce.
David Malosh
28 of 33

Green Bean and Pea Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

This green bean and pea salad is easy to make and the creamy buttermilk ranch dressing will likely become a staple in your fridge. It certainly is in ours.
Recipe
A white bowl with a slice of grilled pineapple, topped with vanilla mascarpone, rum glaze, and fresh blueberries.
Gentl & Hyers
29 of 33

Grilled Pineapple with Vanilla Mascarpone

Grilled pineapple with vanilla mascarpone is the perfect summer dessert. Pineapple gets caramelized on the grill, then cool mascarpone melts and pools around it. Topped with fresh blueberries and rum glaze, there’s nothing quite like it.
Recipe
Bow Tie Cheese Straws on parchment angled up and to the right.
David Leite
30 of 33

Bow Tie Cheese Straws

These cheese straws, shaped like bow ties, call for two types of Cheddar cheese, Parmesan, and a kick of heat from cayenne. The perfect entertaining hors-d’oeuvre.
Recipe
Two pina coladas, garnished with a pineapple wheel and a whole pineapple nearby.
Jeanine Thurston
31 of 33

Creamy Piña Colada with Crushed Pineapple

With one of these in hand, you won’t even mind getting caught in the rain. The combination of both light and dark rum, coconut, crushed pineapple, and lots of ice is truly superb.
Recipe
A highball glass filled with classic old-fashioned cocktail and large ice cubes.
William Lingwood
32 of 33

Classic Old-Fashioned Cocktail

This classic old-fashioned cocktail recipe, made of sugar, water, whiskey or bourbon, and a splash of bitters, is an American classic.
Recipe
17 mini hot dogs wrapped in puff pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet
Todd Coleman
33 of 33

Pigs in a Blanket

Make more of these pigs in blankets than you think you'll need and serve these babies with spicy brown mustard and ketchup. Honey mustard also works very well with the tiny sausages and puffed pastry.
Recipe



About David Leite

David Leite has received three James Beard Awards for his writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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