Retro Dish Ideas?

[Tom L]

The theme for a party is "Retro" where you make a dish that was all the rage in the 50's - 80's. Does anyone have a BBQ main course that would fit the bill?
Thanks,
Tom

 

[Regina S]

Geez Tom, that is a brain teaser. How about Cornell chicken, BBQ chicken, or anything with pineapple, ie luau themed foods. Plain old hamburgers and hot dogs.
I can think of a whole bunch of others but they are not grilled. Don't forget the California dip

(Lipton onion soup mix with sour cream, and ripple potato chips).
Other ideas..Fondue, celery sticks with cream cheese,beef stroganoff,port wine cheese with crackers,chicken tetrazini,tuna noodle casserole, these aren't grilled items, but hey you can cook them on the kettle!

 

[Wolgast]

Stuffed Bell peppers? A nice mix of ground(i use 50/50 pork/beef) Spice it up and fill. Top it of with cheese.

 

[Stuart S]

Meatloaf is about as old school as it gets. Same goes for pot roast...

 

[Bob Sample]

Well its not a main course but if you want retro you must have a jelly salad.

 

[Bob Correll]

Tom,
A few ideas can be found here.

 

[Bob Miller]

Why not take a BBQ spin on the classic cocktail meatballs. Grill them and then add the 50/50 mix of grape jelly and chili sauce ( found next to the catchup)

 

[Tom L]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Stuart S:
Meatloaf is about as old school as it gets. Same goes for pot roast... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Is it bad that I still eat meatloaf twice a month? The America's Test Kitchen / Cook's Illustrated version is incredible!

There will be numerous items from others such as a jelly salad, strawberry poke cake, tomato aspic. I think I might try Cornell chicken but I'm still on the fence. I love my Alabama chicken recipe too... Thanks for the suggestions and please keep them coming, I'm waiting for something to jump off the page at me like AHA!

 

[Rita Y]

Tom, here is an old favorite of ours from the 1960s -- MOLDED CHICKEN MOUSSE WITH SPICED FRUIT LAYER.

It's a good make-ahead dish because it freezes well.

Rita

 

[Len Dennis]

Well, this brings back memories. Hamburgers hot dogs and jellied salads.

Mmmm, mmmmmm, good.

Anyways, I found what may be the perfect site for you

http://www.foodtimeline.org/fooddecades.html

Listings of fav foods from the 1900 to today.

An example from the 50's

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">
Barbecued short ribs
Toasted Tuna
Cocktail kabobs (button mushrooms and cocktail franks cut in half marinated in French dressing)
Broiled shrimp
Mix Trix (like Chex Mix)
Pumpernickel squares (crab meat, chili sauce, curry powder, mustard on pump)
Deviled almond rolls
Party pinwheels (dough, leftover meat, moistened with chili sauce, baked)
Cocktail knishes
Filled cream puffs (store-bought puffs filled with hot chicken salad, creamed shrimp, creamed turkey, served in a chafing dish)
Broiled mushroom caps
Baby pizzas (use English muffins!)
Sea-food celery (stuff flaked crab & mayo into cut celery. Garnish with paprika.)
Stuffed eggs (deviled eggs)
Sardine surprise (sardines mashed with hard cooked egg yolks, anchovy paste, dry mustard, butter, & spices. Served on squares on pumpernickel)
Ham rolls (boiled ham & liverwurst)
Dunks (aka dips): sour cream, shrimp, chive, horseradish, guacamole, pimiento, tuna
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I just realized, I'm still in the '50's

 

[Stuart S]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom L:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Stuart S:
Meatloaf is about as old school as it gets. Same goes for pot roast... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Is it bad that I still eat meatloaf twice a month? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nope, When I feel like eating a comfort food meal my go to is meatloaf with mashed taters and green peas with gravy on EVERYTHING!!

 

[Ron G.]

Don't know WHAT to cook for "retro".

But for the "Process" - as the "Man", you'll need to:

-Be about 3/4 loaded
-Start charcoal with Gasoline
-Refuse to take any orders/suggestions from the Women

And for dessert - a Bundt cake!

 

[JRPfeff]

Tom,

This is from an old outdoor cookbook I own.

The recipe:

I also saw an article on retro-cookouts in the Milwaukee paper last year. It can be found online here.

Have fun with this,
Jim

 

[Ben Setzer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom L:
The theme for a party is "Retro" where you make a dish that was all the rage in the 50's - 80's. Does anyone have a BBQ main course that would fit the bill?
Thanks,
Tom </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
How about Chicken Kiev???? It could be done on the grill.

Ben

 

[Marc Massaro]

Was talking about this thread earlier, and even thoughit was already on a lis a few posts up, I remember deviled eggs from the early 70's....havent seen them served in years though
Also, my parents were making plenty of london broil in those days too

 

[j biesinger]

I'll throw my vote in for a pu pu platter. I was young through those years, but I use to love when we ordered one at a chinese joint. Have your butcher rip a couple racks of ribs in half and serve some bite sized ribs along with some wings and what not. I;m sure there's tons of stuff out there as pu pu platters are coming back.

 

[Regina S]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by j biesinger:
I'll throw my vote in for a pu pu platter. I was young through those years, but I use to love when we ordered one at a chinese joint. Have your butcher rip a couple racks of ribs in half and serve some bite sized ribs along with some wings and what not. I;m sure there's tons of stuff out there as pu pu platters are coming back. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

OH my gosh!! I forgot abou the pu pu platter,..what a great idea!! Yeah I remember ordering those also,...alll the rage! I wonder if they still have them?

 

[Paul K]

Can't be done on a grill or smoker but I remember some big parties my parents threw in the late 60's and Whiskey Sours and Daiquiris were the rage. A nice martini wouldn't be inappropriate either! Man, a little Rat Pack tunes in the background and you've got a party baby.

Paul

 

[James Harvey]

Scotch and...

 

[Mark Silver]

I remember Rumaki as a kid (chicken livers and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon). I hated it.

I also remember everything my Dad made on his homemade grill made out out a fire brick lined hospital stainless steel baby basinette also tasted like ligher fluid!