There was something about meals in the ’80s, and it’s probably to do with how the decade turned dinner into a real event.
The casserole with a little class
Chicken Divan is a great way to use broccoli, but without making it a side dish. Simply put it under chicken and cover the whole thing with a creamy sauce. Then you just add some cheese, and finish it with crumbs or almonds before baking. It sounds heavy. It is.
But honestly, that’s kind of the point. We could try updating this classic recipe by using Gruyère or Parmesan cheese. A little bit of sherry tastes good, too, and it’s much nicer than the old canned-soup shortcut. Take Chicken Divan as proof that cozy food doesn’t need to be beige.
Thanksgiving’s second act
Don’t get us wrong, turkey sure is delicious, and turkey sandwiches are especially great. But there are only so many that we want to eat. Enter Turkey Tetrazzini. Yes, this meal fixes that issue by mixing cooked turkey with pasta and mushrooms, as well as a creamy sauce.
Don’t forget the Parmesan. You then bake the whole lot under breadcrumbs. You’ll be left with a dish that feels like you’ve cooked something new, even though half of it probably came from leftovers. It’s better than having a giant roast because it doesn’t take over the entire kitchen.
Seafood gets the full treatment
There’s no such thing as simple with Seafood Newburg. It’s made of butter, cream, sherry, egg yolks, lobster, shrimp, and scallops. Yes, all of that, in one dish. What makes it so great is that the sauce is rich enough, so you only need a little of it.
It’s pretty versatile, too. You can serve it over rice or toast, even over puff pastry. The dish makes the simplest of dinners feel quite fancy. It’s also a good idea when you’re tired of eating plain grilled seafood.
Vegetables meet the cream sauce
You might think that Pasta Primavera seems healthy. It certainly looks that way, until you actually see the ingredients. It’s made of butter and cream, with some Parmesan, too. The classic Le Cirque version includes spaghetti piled with vegetables like asparagus and peas.
It also has broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and tomatoes, making every forkful a little different. The dish makes for a good way to use all those fresh vegetables in spring. You don’t need to have a boring salad when you could have something as delicious as Pasta Primavera instead.
Dinner inside a pastry shell
Vol-au-vents make dinner quite interesting. They’re essentially tiny puff-pastry cases with a hole in the middle, and you fill them with creamy chicken and mushrooms. You might also want to put in shrimp with sauce or a seafood mixture.
Either way, you’ll end up with something far more impressive than the actual effort involved. They’re a good idea for parties because anyone can pick one up. You don’t need a full plate or anything because the container itself is edible. How smart.
The cheese with its own wrapping
Don’t be surprised if your meal of baked Brie in puff pastry disappears almost immediately. It’s just that great. All you have to do is wrap a whole wheel of Brie in pastry, and then bake it until golden. Cut the whole thing open while the cheese inside is soft and runny.
There are a few twists you can try, too, like those that include jam or fruit preserves. Some people put nuts under the pastry too, just to make it extra special. Stick some crackers on the side, and you’ve got the perfect appetizer for a party.
Bring back the smoking skillet
It’s thanks to chef Paul Prudhomme that blackened redfish became so popular during the 1980s. It’s not hard to see why. The idea itself is pretty simple, just coat the fish with butter and a strong spice mix. You then cook it in a hot skillet until the outside turns into a dark crust.
Thankfully, you don’t have to use fish if you don’t want to, as chicken works perfectly fine, too. There’s so much flavor packed into every bite, without breading or heavy sauces. Be careful, though, as the kitchen will get pretty smoky.
Give steak its sauce back
Steak is so last century. Try going for something a little more exciting, like Steak Diane. You cook it quickly and then throw in things like shallots, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, cream, stock, and Cognac or Madeira. That makes up your sauce.
Anyone who wants to be really fancy can flambé it. You don’t need to, though, because the sauce alone is delicious enough. Keep the steak juices in the pan so the sauce picks them up. It’ll make the potatoes next to the steak a lot more interesting.
The chicken with something inside
You can do so much more with a chicken breast than simply grilling it and hoping for the best. Take Chicken Cordon Bleu, for example. Start by pounding the meat thin and wrapping it around ham and cheese. Bread and cook it all until the outside is crisp and the middle’s gooey.
In terms of cheese options, Swiss and Gruyère are probably the best ones to go for. Each slice of Chicken Cordon Bleu gives you a heavenly mix of chicken and salty ham, along with melted cheese and breadcrumbs in the same bite. It might be old-fashioned, but it sure is tasty.
The salad that arrives in stripes
There’s nothing casual about a seven-layer salad, and that’s part of the reason it’s so great. You need a clear glass bowl to really show it off, because that way, everyone can see the layers. Lettuce is usually the base. Then come the vegetables and hard-boiled eggs.
The layers of bacon, cheese, and a creamy dressing are next, although you can move things around. It’s totally up to you. Let’s be honest, you don’t really need to defend having bacon in a salad. Everyone loves it.
Crêpes don’t have to be dessert
It’s a shame that savory crêpes are so overlooked these days. You can get the sweet variety in many dessert places, yes, but the savory versions are so great at holding a delicious dinner. Fill them with chicken and mushrooms, along with some shallots, cream, and cheese.
Roll or fold the whole thing and bake until hot. Best of all, you can make the crêpes ahead of time, so you’re not wasting time before an important function. Savory crêpes are way more interesting than casserole.
The potluck salad with Doritos
Part of the charm with Doritos Taco Salad is that it feels like it’s made from scraps. It’s a combination of seasoned ground beef, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, shredded Cheddar, and crushed Doritos. Then there are beans or olives, it depends on the recipe.
The chips are what make this dish, as they bring some salt and crunch to it. There’s that unmistakable seasoning, too, of course. Make sure you add them right before serving, though, because soggy Doritos never taste good.
Spinach goes sky-high
Spinach soufflé sounds like something you could only ever order in a restaurant. But actually, it’s pretty easy to make yourself at home. You mix the spinach with cheese, egg yolks, and beaten egg whites. After that, you bake it until the dish puffs up.Â
You can add some Parmesan and nutmeg for an extra twist, too. The best part has to be the texture, as it’s so soft and airy, but also filling enough to count as dinner. Don’t worry if it sinks a little after coming out of the oven. It’ll probably still taste good.
When veal gets company
It’s true, Veal Oscar has a lot going on. But that’s exactly why it feels worth bringing back. Start off with some tender veal cutlets, and then add asparagus. Crabmeat comes next, along with some Béarnaise sauce over the top.Â
It’s a lot more work than throwing something in the air fryer, but honestly, that’s kind of the appeal. It’s the kind of dinner you make when you feel like actually cooking something special.
The ring deserves another spin
You can’t get more ’80s than chicken and broccoli wrapped in dough. The finishing touches come from arranging the whole thing into a giant ring. There are other versions of it, like ones that include cheese, just to make it extra special.
Cut it into wedges and serve it straight from the tray. You can make it even easier by using rotisserie chicken, and the whole dish is especially good for casual family dinners or parties. Nobody wants to deal with another bowl of dip sitting around, after all.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
10 common 1980s habits that wouldn’t fly today
Here are ten common habits from the 1980s that simply wouldn’t fly today.
