30 Recipes June Cleaver Would Have Made (2024)

Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food

Go ahead and put on an apron and your best string of pearls.

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June Cleaver from the show Leave it to Beaver was portrayed as the perfect 1950s housewife. She spent her time keeping up with Wally and the Beaver, ensuring her home was spotless and, of course, cooking delicious scratch-made meals. This collection of classic 1950s recipes include soul-warming main dishes, appetizers and desserts you might have found on the family table. Next, check out these recipes inspired by I Love Lucy.

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Molded Strawberry Salad

This refreshing salad has two layers - a pretty pink bottom that includes sour cream, and a ruby red top with strawberries and pineapple. For years, Mom has included this salad in meals she prepares for our family.-Gloria Grant, Sterling, Illinois

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One of my favorite dishes in childhood was my mom's pineapple and green pepper cheese ball. Now I make it, and it’s always a hit. —Susan Harrison, Laurel, Maryland

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Favorite Coconut Cake

When I need an impressive dessert for a special occasion, this is the recipe I turn to. My guests are glad I do! —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana

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Cheesy Cream of Asparagus Soup

Kids may not want to try a vegetable soup, but once they spoon up a mouthful of this cheesy variety, the flavor will keep them coming back for more. —Muriel Lerdal, Humboldt, Iowa

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I’ve paired ham with broccoli and cauliflower for years. To complete this casserole dinner, I pass around some dinner rolls. —Sherri Melotik, Oak Creek, Wisconsin

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The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

Everyone has a favorite type of chocolate chip cookie—a little crispy, a little chewy—but they all have to begin with a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe. This is the best place to start! —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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This seafood starter is so good that it makes me love a food I usually don't—radishes! This recipe also calls for spicy V8, but Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix works just as well. Serve the co*cktail straight up, with tortilla chips or on a bed of butter lettuce. —Heidi Knaak, Liberty, Missouri

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Mom's Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

I make these fluffy scrambled eggs when family comes for breakfast or when I just want to do something extra special for myself in the morning. My favorite cheese for this recipe is freshly grated white cheddar, but whatever you have in the fridge works! —Kailey Thompson, Palm Bay, Florida

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Turkey a La King

This is a smart way to use up leftover turkey. You might want to make a double batch! —Mary Gaylord, Balsam Lake, Wisconsin

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Baked Ham with Pineapple

I first learned the technique for baked ham with pineapple for a themed dinner my husband and I hosted. Since it is widely known as the symbol of hospitality, pineapple was the star ingredient on our menu and on this lovely baked ham. —JoAnn Fox, Johnson City, Tennessee

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The Best Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

What makes this the best out of all the cheesy scalloped potatoes recipes out there? I slice them extra thin and toss them in an amazingly rich sauce. Then, to make them the best ever, I sprinkle homemade bread crumbs on top—they get nice and crispy in the oven. Make room for these at all your family get-togethers. —Aria Thornton, Taste of Home Prep Cook

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Hearty Split Pea Soup

For a different spin on traditional pea soup, try this split pea soup recipe with corned beef. The flavor is peppery rather than smoky, and a tasty change of pace. —Barbara Link, Alta Loma, California

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Spumoni Baked Alaska

For a dazzling yet refreshing end to a rich holiday meal, try this freezer finale. It's bound to garner oohs and aahs. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

A classic recipe like this never goes out of style! It’s delicious with the traditional pineapple, but try it with peaches or a combination of cranberries and orange. —Bernardine Melton, Paola, Kansas

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Classic Swedish Meatballs

I'm a "Svenska flicka" (Swedish girl) from northwest Iowa, where many Swedes settled at the turn of the century. This recipe was given to me by a Swedish friend. It's obviously a 20th century version of a 19th century favorite, since back then they didn't have bouillon cubes or evaporated milk! I think you'll agree that these modern-day "Kottbullar" are very tasty. —Emily Gould, Hawarden, Iowa

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Hearty Salisbury Steaks

I love serving Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes and vegetables. It's the essence of down-home goodness. And it always disappears fast! —Dorothy Bayes, Sardis, Ohio

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Tuna Noodle Casserole

Families are sure to love the creamy texture and comforting taste of this traditional tuna casserole that goes together in a jiffy. I serve it with a green salad and warm rolls for a nutritious supper. —Ruby Wells, Cynthiana, Kentucky

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Tomato Juice co*cktail

This recipe came from my mother-in-law and many say it’s the best tomato juice they’ve ever tasted. It has a little eye-opening kick to it that’s wonderful! —Beverly Cottrell, Ipswich, Maine

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Cucumber Canapes

I always get requests for the recipe for these canapes whenever I serve them. They're delicate finger sandwiches with a creamy herb spread and festive red and green garnishes. —Nadine Whittaker, South Plymouth, Massachusetts

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Olive-Stuffed Celery

My grandmother taught both me and my mom this appetizer recipe for stuffed celery. We always serve it at Christmas and Thanksgiving. The stuffing is so yummy that even if you don't normally care for the ingredients on their own, you'll love the end result. —Stacy Powell, Santa Fe, Texas

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Best Deviled Eggs

Herbs lend amazing flavor to these deviled eggs, which truly are the best you can make! The recipe includes tasty variations that feature bacon, chipotle peppers and crab.—Jesse & Anne Foust, Bluefield, West Virginia

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Potato Clam Chowder

I ran across this recipe in one of my antique cookbooks. It's a timeless classic I like to prepare for friends and family throughout the year, but especially during the holidays. —Betty Ann Morgan, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

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Golden Chicken Potpie

The golden crust and creamy sauce make this veggie-packed pie a surefire hit. Mild and comforting, the family favorite has convenient freezer instructions for a night when there's no time for prep. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Lemon-Garlic Lima Beans

When I was growing up on Cyprus, my mother would often make this side dish to have with roast lamb. Although I hated lima beans when I was a kid (who didn't?), I love them now. They always remind me of home. —Paris Paraskeva, San Francisco, California

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Easy Baked Beans

My family enjoys this easy baked beans recipe with cornbread, but it also rounds out any cookout. Canned pork and beans make meal prep quick. —Phyllis Schmalz, Kansas City, Kansas

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Mom's Chopped Coleslaw

For Friday dinners, my mother made coleslaw to go with our fish. It’s still a family tradition, and the tangy dressing even works on a tossed salad. —Cynthia McDowell, Banning, California

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Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pudding

One of the nice things about this easy pudding is you don't have to stand and stir it. It's a must for my family year-round! I also make it into a pie with a graham cracker crust that our grandchildren love. —Amber Sampson, Somonauk, Illinois

As Senior Shopping Editor, Katie connects Taste of Home readers with the best gifts, deals and home products on the market. An avid foodie and a holiday enthusiast, Katie is an expert at cultivating meaningful moments.When she’s out of the office, you’ll find her exploring Wisconsin, trying out new vegetarian recipes and watching Christmas movies.