Philly 3-Step Cherry Cheesecake Recipe from 1984

Everyone probably has some kind of Christmas get-together to attend at some point this season, and I’d be willing to bet that there will be food at those get-togethers. If you want to be the hit of the party and keep it old-school at the same time, then show up with one of these Philly 3-Step Cherry Cheesecakes and you’ll you’re sure to be the star. My mom used to make these cheesecakes all throughout the year, but she would use blueberry topping for them because that was my dad’s favorite. But when she’d make one at Christmas, she’d make the actual CHerry version to be festive.

Jello Pudding Fudge Recipe from 1968

The Christmas season is also fudge season for a lot of people. One of the many things I learned in my years working at a grocery store is that a lot of people make fudge for Christmas, and just as many people are always searching for that perfect fudge recipe. I don’t know if a perfect recipe exists, but I do know that an easy and tasty recipe exists and it’s this one from Jello. How much easier could it get than using a box of Jello for fudge?

So if you’re one of those people who like to give fudge at Christmas, or if you’re just one of us who loves to eat the stuff, try out this old recipe this year.

Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie Recipe from 1987

That date of 1987 is a little misleading, as this recipe actually dates back to the 1950s. But the ad itself is from 1987 so there you go.

With it being Thanksgiving, I just had to feature a Thanksgiving-centric recipe as part of this Retro Recipe series. It’s an easy recipe to pull off, so if you’ve been invited somewhere for the big dinner and want to take something, or you’re having folks over, you can really impress them with this pumpkin pie. And if you’re just eating alone, be careful, as this pie is so damn good you may find yourself eating the whole thing.

This recipe is the one I used when I made my first pumpkin pie. As you’ll read tomorrow, my parents went out for Thanksgiving all the time, and I never really had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner until I got married. The first year I was married, I told my wife that we were going to cook a full Thanksgiving dinner, and this was the pie I made. So look it over and give it a shot, it really is easy, and probably the best pumpkin pie you’ll find.

Gold’n Nut Crunch Recipe from 1988

With us starting to get into the heart of the holiday season, you can expect several snack mix recipes from the past to be highlighted here. Back at Halloween, we covered the Hot’n Devilish Chex Snack Mix, and just last week I presented the recipe for Hot Buttered Cheerios. So like I said, get ready for more snack mix-type recipes from now through Christmas. There will be other recipes though, so don’t worry that it’s all going to be savory snacks.

Now, on to this Gold’n Nut Crunch recipe. It seems weird that a savory snack mix would include a sweet component like Golden Grahams cereal, but here we are. I must confess that I’ve never tried this recipe myself, but I know some old souls across the internet who swear that it’s delicious. I plan to give it a try myself in the near future, and since I’m going to make it, I thought I would share it with you as well. If you’ve tried it before, let me know in the comments what you think. Or if you’ve never tried it but are now planning on it like me, let me know how it goes for you.

Velveeta Salsa Dip Recipe from 1993

Going back in time and revisiting these Retro Recipes has been a real treat for me. I used to get excited when I’d be browsing through one of mom’s magazines and come across a tasty-looking treat using items we generally had on hand. Having the items on hand made my argument that much easier when I would start begging mom to make those tasty-looking treats.

Such was the case with this recipe for Velveeta Salsa dip. I had never had it before, but my eyes instantly stopped on the recipe while flipping through a Kraft insert in one of her books. This one took a little more begging though because although we had Velveeta on hand, my old man wasn’t a cheese eater. And salsa/Picante sauce wasn’t an item we bought either. But mom was a fan of taco dinners and the like, so she was open to trying it. She agreed to make it, but we had to wait until my dad was traveling. But I remember that night, and how I didn’t think anything else could ever top this dip.

That was almost thirty years ago, and I still make this dip today. Hell, I just made it this past weekend to enjoy while watching football. It’s quite easy to make, and the base recipe is great on its own, but I suggest you try one of the variations listed. I personally like to add in cooked hamburger and onions. It’s delightful. If the weather is already cooling off where you are, this may be just the thing you need to warm yourself up.