11 Grandma’s Sunday Dinner Classics That Taste Like Home

Do you remember the smell of Grandma’s kitchen on a Sunday afternoon? The roast in the oven, the gravy on the stove, and everyone crowding around the table after church. Those meals were never fancy, but they were full of love. These are the Sunday dinner classics that so many of us grew up on, written down so they never get lost..

Every Sunday Dinner Starts With Grandma’s Pot Roast

If one dish says Sunday dinner, it is pot roast. Grandma put it in the oven before church and came home to a house that smelled like heaven. A cheap cut of beef turns fork tender after hours of slow cooking with onions, carrots and potatoes. The juices become the best gravy you will ever taste. What did your grandma always make on Sundays?

You will need: 3 to 4 lb chuck roast, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 4 carrots, 1 1/2 lb baby potatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 2 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp Worcestershire, 2 sprigs thyme, salt and pepper

How to make it: Heat the oven to 300F. Season the roast and brown it on all sides in hot oil in a Dutch oven. Remove it and cook the onion and garlic. Stir in tomato paste, broth and Worcestershire. Return the roast, add thyme, cover and bake 2 hours. Add carrots and potatoes and bake 1 1/2 hours more until tender.

Herb Roasted Chicken for a Classic Sunday Dinner

Grandma could roast a chicken without a recipe, and it always came out golden with crackly skin. The secret is plenty of butter under the skin and a hot oven. Stuff it with lemon and garlic and baste it once or twice. Save the bones for soup on Monday, just like she did. Quick poll: A) white meat or B) dark meat?

You will need: 1 whole chicken (4 to 5 lb), 4 tbsp soft butter, 1 lemon, 1 head garlic, 1 tbsp chopped thyme and rosemary, salt and pepper

How to make it: Heat the oven to 425F. Pat the chicken dry. Mix butter with herbs, salt and pepper and rub it under and over the skin. Stuff with lemon and garlic. Roast 1 hour 15 minutes until the thigh reads 165F. Rest 15 minutes before carving.

Old Fashioned Meatloaf With Sweet Glaze

Nothing beats a thick slice of homemade meatloaf with that sticky ketchup glaze on top. Grandma used soaked bread to keep it soft and juicy. It is cheap, filling and even better the next day in a sandwich. Did you love meatloaf night as a kid, or did you hide it under your mashed potatoes?

You will need: 2 lb ground beef, 1 onion finely chopped, 2 eggs, 3 slices bread soaked in 1/2 cup milk, 1 tbsp Worcestershire, salt and pepper, glaze: 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp vinegar

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350F. Mix beef, onion, eggs, soaked bread, Worcestershire, salt and pepper with your hands. Shape into a loaf in a pan. Mix the glaze and spread half on top. Bake 1 hour, adding the rest of the glaze for the last 15 minutes.

Crispy Southern Fried Chicken

Sunday fried chicken was a labor of love. Soaking the chicken in buttermilk overnight makes it tender, and a double dip in seasoned flour gives that famous crunchy crust. Fry it in a cast iron skillet like Grandma did. It is just as good cold the next day for lunch.

You will need: 3 lb chicken pieces, 2 cups buttermilk, 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp cayenne, 2 tsp salt, oil for frying

How to make it: Soak the chicken in buttermilk overnight. Mix flour and spices. Dredge chicken, dip back in buttermilk, then dredge again. Heat oil to 325F in a heavy skillet. Fry 12 to 15 minutes per side until golden and 165F inside. Drain on a rack.

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

A big glazed ham means family is coming over. The sticky brown sugar and mustard glaze turns shiny and caramelized in the oven. It feeds a crowd with very little work, and the leftovers make sandwiches, soups and breakfast for days. Save the bone for a pot of beans.

You will need: 1 spiral cut ham (8 lb), 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1/2 tsp cloves

How to make it: Heat the oven to 325F. Place the ham in a roasting pan, cover with foil, and bake 1 1/2 hours. Simmer the sugar, honey, mustard, juice and cloves for 3 minutes. Brush over the ham. Bake uncovered 20 minutes more, brushing again.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes, a Sunday Dinner Must

No Sunday dinner was complete without a big bowl of mashed potatoes and a well in the middle for gravy. Grandma never measured, but she always used real butter and warm milk. Yukon Gold potatoes make them creamy and rich. Which do you like: A) smooth, B) a little lumpy, or C) skin on?

You will need: 3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup warm milk, 1/4 cup sour cream, salt and pepper

How to make it: Peel and cut the potatoes. Boil in salted water 15 to 20 minutes until soft. Drain well and return to the pot. Mash with butter. Stir in warm milk and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Chicken and Dumplings

This bowl is pure comfort. Tender chicken in a rich broth with soft, fluffy dumplings that soak up all that flavor. It was the dish Grandma made when someone was sick or sad. One spoonful and you feel taken care of. Have you ever made dumplings from scratch?

You will need: 2 lb chicken thighs, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 8 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp thyme, dumplings: 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp butter, 3/4 cup milk

How to make it: Simmer chicken, vegetables, broth and thyme 30 minutes. Shred the chicken and return it. Mix flour, baking powder and salt, cut in butter and stir in milk. Drop spoonfuls into the simmering soup. Cover and cook 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

Puffy Yorkshire Puddings

Yorkshire puddings rise tall and golden in the oven with crisp sides and soft middles. They are made for soaking up gravy from a Sunday roast. The trick is a very hot pan with sizzling fat. They look impressive, but the batter is just eggs, flour and milk.

You will need: 3 eggs, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 1/2 tsp salt, 4 tbsp beef drippings or oil

How to make it: Whisk eggs, flour, milk and salt into a smooth batter. Rest 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 450F. Put a little fat in each cup of a muffin tin and heat 10 minutes. Pour batter in quickly. Bake 20 minutes without opening the door.

Salisbury Steak With Onion Gravy

Before TV dinners, there was Grandma’s Salisbury steak. Seasoned beef patties get seared and then simmered in a rich mushroom and onion gravy. It tastes like a steakhouse dinner on a ground beef budget. Serve it over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb ground beef, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 1 tbsp Worcestershire, salt and pepper, 1 onion sliced, 8 oz mushrooms, 2 cups beef broth, 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp butter

How to make it: Mix beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Shape 6 oval patties and brown both sides. Remove. Cook onion and mushrooms in butter, stir in flour, then broth. Return patties and simmer 15 minutes until the gravy thickens.

Baked Mac and Cheese, the Star of Sunday Dinner

This is not the box kind. Grandma’s baked mac and cheese is creamy inside with a golden, crunchy top, and it is always the first dish to empty at the table. Use sharp cheddar for the best flavor. Quick poll: A) breadcrumb topping or B) extra cheese on top?

You will need: 1 lb elbow macaroni, 4 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup flour, 3 cups milk, 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar, 1 tsp mustard powder, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350F. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than the box says. Melt butter, whisk in flour, then milk, and cook until thick. Stir in 3 cups cheese and seasonings. Mix with pasta and pour into a dish. Top with cheese and crumbs. Bake 25 minutes.

Honey Butter Glazed Carrots

Even the kids ate their vegetables when these were on the table. Carrots simmer in butter, honey and a pinch of salt until they are shiny and sweet. They add a pop of color next to the roast and take only 15 minutes. Simple food, made with care.

You will need: 2 lb carrots, 3 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp chopped parsley

How to make it: Peel and slice the carrots. Simmer in salted water 6 minutes and drain. Melt butter and honey in the same pan. Add the carrots and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until glossy. Sprinkle with parsley.