Retro Holiday Recipes
Instructions: Remember the special dishes that made holidays memorable? Test your knowledge of classic holiday cooking traditions!
- 1.
What classic holiday beverage, made with eggs, cream, sugar, and often rum or bourbon, was traditionally served at Christmas parties?
AEggnogBMulled wineCHot toddyDWassail - 2.
What was the iconic Thanksgiving side dish that Campbell's Soup Company created in 1955 using green beans and cream of mushroom soup?
AGreen bean casseroleBCorn puddingCSquash bakeDBroccoli casserole - 3.
What was traditionally stuck into a baked ham for decoration and flavor during Easter and Christmas dinners?
ACinnamon sticksBToothpicks with olivesCWhole clovesDBay leaves - 4.
What colorful ring-shaped holiday fruitcake was often given as a gift and became the butt of many jokes?
AStollenBFruitcakeCYule logDPanettone - 5.
What was the popular holiday cookie that was pressed through a cookie press into decorative shapes?
ASugar cookiesBSpritz cookiesCShortbreadDGingerbread cookies - 6.
What canned cranberry sauce, sliced into rounds from the can shape, was a Thanksgiving table staple?
ACranberry chutneyBOcean Spray jellied cranberry sauceCWhole berry cranberry sauceDCranberry relish - 7.
What was the traditional way to cook the Thanksgiving turkey in the 1950s and 1960s?
ASmokedBDeep friedCGrilled outdoorsDRoasted in the oven with a tent of aluminum foil - 8.
What sweet potato holiday dish was topped with a layer of miniature marshmallows and baked until golden?
AMashed sweet potatoesBCandied yamsCSweet potato casseroleDSweet potato pie - 9.
What Christmas morning breakfast treat was made by layering bread, eggs, and cinnamon in a dish the night before?
ACoffee cakeBChristmas stollenCCinnamon rollsDOvernight French toast casserole - 10.
What warm holiday drink combined heated apple cider with cinnamon, cloves, and orange slices?
ASpiced punchBApple toddyCMulled ciderDWassail - 11.
What holiday party appetizer consisted of cream cheese rolled in chopped nuts, shaped into a ball, and served with crackers?
ACheese fondueBSpinach dipCPimento cheese spreadDCheese ball - 12.
What was the Thanksgiving dessert that featured a spiced custard filling in a flaky pie crust?
ASweet potato pieBPumpkin pieCPecan pieDMincemeat pie - 13.
What Christmas confection was made by melting chocolate and butterscotch chips and mixing them with chow mein noodles?
ANo-bake cookiesBChocolate haystacksCCrunchy clustersDHoliday nests - 14.
What traditional holiday treat was made by pouring hot caramel over freshly popped popcorn and forming it into balls?
ACracker JackBKettle cornCPopcorn brittleDCaramel corn balls - 15.
What type of cookie was traditionally left out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve alongside a glass of milk?
AOatmeal cookiesBChocolate chip cookiesCSugar cookiesDGingerbread men
Answer Key
Eggnog was the quintessential Christmas party beverage, made from a rich mixture of eggs, cream, sugar, and spices, often spiked with rum, bourbon, or brandy.
Green Bean Casserole, created by Dorcas Reilly at Campbell's in 1955, quickly became a Thanksgiving tradition. Over 20 million families still make it each Thanksgiving.
Whole cloves were stuck into the scored surface of a glazed ham in a diamond pattern, providing both a beautiful presentation and aromatic flavor.
Fruitcake, dense with candied fruits and nuts and often soaked in brandy, was the most gifted holiday food item. It became famously joked about for being indestructible and re-gifted.
Spritz cookies, made with a butter-rich dough pressed through a cookie press into festive shapes like trees and wreaths, were a beloved Christmas cookie tradition in many households.
Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce, which held the can's ridged shape when sliced, was on nearly every Thanksgiving table. Many families preferred it over homemade cranberry sauce.
Roasting in the oven, usually with a tent of aluminum foil and frequent basting, was the standard method. Many families also used a roasting pan with a lid or a brown paper bag.
Sweet Potato Casserole topped with marshmallows became a Thanksgiving tradition starting in the early 1900s when marshmallow companies promoted the combination in recipe booklets.
Overnight French Toast Casserole (or Baked French Toast) was assembled on Christmas Eve and baked Christmas morning, allowing the cook to enjoy the holiday instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
Wassail, a warm spiced cider or wine punch, was a traditional holiday beverage with roots in English tradition. Many American families made it throughout the Christmas season.
The cheese ball was the centerpiece of holiday party appetizer spreads in the 1960s and 1970s. Rolled in chopped pecans or walnuts and served with an array of crackers.
Pumpkin pie has been the iconic Thanksgiving dessert since the early American colonies. Many families used Libby's canned pumpkin and the recipe on the label.
Chocolate haystacks (or bird nests) were a simple no-bake holiday candy made with melted chocolate or butterscotch chips and chow mein noodles. They were a holiday cookie exchange favorite.
Caramel corn balls (or popcorn balls) were a homemade holiday treat wrapped in wax paper or cellophane. They were made for Halloween, Christmas, and school holiday parties.
Sugar cookies, often decorated with colored icing and sprinkles, were the traditional cookie left for Santa. The tradition of leaving cookies and milk for Santa became widespread in the 1930s.