Maybe you’re like me and you always get hungrier in the wintertime. Maybe you’re always hungry! Either way, both mama and grandma’s home cooking is always able to give us a sense of home wherever we are. Here are some Kansas homemade favorites that probably made it to your table more than a few times. How many have you had?
- Biscuits and Gravy
Filipe Fortes/Flickr This beloved classic has been a staple in many a Kansas home, as it’s simple to make for breakfast or dinner.
- S.O.S.
Kurt Wagner/Flickr Also known as “chipped beef on toast” by restaurants who can’t publish it’s slightly more vulgar name, this meal was for when biscuits and gravy was a little too much work, and you probably had leftover gravy anyways, right?
- The Tomato Sandwich
loonyhiker/Flickr Your mother might have gotten fancy and added lettuce, bacon, or something else, but when you grow your own tomatoes, all you need is miracle whip and white bread. I still eat this anytime I have leftover tomatoes from BLTs! The taste feels like summer every time.
- Sloppy Joes
Sharon/Flickr Whether it’s mama’s recipe or a manwich can, this easy favorite has slid its way into Kansas stomachs for years. Our recipe has apple cider vinegar, what’s yours?
- Pickled Watermelon Rind
rosefirerising/Flickr This one isn’t as common, but the families that do this love the results every year. Instead of wasting all that rind, you can chop it up and pickle it in spices to make a one-of-a-kind snack!
- Ham Bean Soup
Alvin Trusty/Flickr A common meal in more modest homes, ham bean soup is a Kansas favorite dating back when covered wagons made their way west.
- Chicken Pot Pie
Bob Cotter/Flickr With a thick, flaky crust and whatever vegetables or potatoes mama thought you would eat, chicken pot pie was always one of my favorites in the winter.
- Chili
Jake Przespo/Flickr We may not be the most famous state for chili, but that doesn’t mean every home didn’t have a different recipe! Where I grew up, we most certainly swapped and tested chili recipes until we found the perfect one.
- Chicken and Dumplings
James/Flickr An easier twist on the pot pie, chicken and dumplings only required the broth, fillings, and drop dough. I remember begging my mother to make this more often!
- Fried Catfish (or whatever else you caught!)
Jimmy Smith/Flickr Though we aren’t technically part of the South, fried catfish, or just fish in general, is a staple at home. Fresh caught fish makes the best meal after a long day’s fishing.
- Chicken Noodle Soup
bruin/Flickr Hand-rolled egg noodles and pulled-apart chicken easily serve a hundred when mama makes it! With enough soup for a week or so, you’d better love it!
- Goulash (or American Chop Suey)
libsclterp/Flickr Though some of my non-Kansas friends think I’m nuts, this is what Kansans call goulash. Hamburger, tomatoes, and noodles together create a meal that’s both easy and delicious.
- Bierocks
mswine/Flickr I remember when it was ‘bierock day’ at my house, making batches of bread and leaving them in pans to rise. The whole process was an event for any who wanted to help. The payoff was well worth it, though!
- Barbecue Everything
Adam Kuban/Flickr “KC barbecue” means anything you can put it on, you should. Barbecue is an important staple of Kansas diets, no matter how you like it.
- Skillet Fried Chicken
Stella Hwang/Flickr Fried chicken here is basically a food group, it’s so popular. Nothing beats how mama made it, though. Mashed potatoes and corn or coleslaw on the side, please!
- The Casserole
Thomas Cowart/Flickr What started as leftovers was often thrown in a pan, covered with cheese, and baked for dinner another day. We live in a state where casseroles are half of the potluck for church, super bowl, or family gathering.
- German Pfeffernuesse (a.k.a. peppernuts)
Clay Bitner/Flickr These holiday traditional cookies were a production line to spite a factory. Dough is rolled into snakes, then cut into bites and placed on trays for a never ending supply of tiny spiced cookies. Ours never looked as neat as these, either!
- Monkey Bread
Brian Kimball/Flickr Monkey bread, oh how I love you. Eating this for breakfast sometimes with leftover biscuit dough gives me fond memories of your sweet stickiness.
- Vanilla Ice Cream
Matt/Flickr If you owned a churn, that’s great, but half the time our homemade ice cream was made in coffee tins or plastic bags. If it was a special event, sometimes mama could be bribed to add in crushed candy bars.
Now that I’ve got you thinking about mama’s home cooking, are there any staple Kansas meals that I’ve missed? Let me know! If you’re interested in browsing more delicious food, try These 11 Longest-Standing Restaurants In Kansas Are Still Around For A Reason.
Filipe Fortes/Flickr
This beloved classic has been a staple in many a Kansas home, as it’s simple to make for breakfast or dinner.
Kurt Wagner/Flickr
Also known as “chipped beef on toast” by restaurants who can’t publish it’s slightly more vulgar name, this meal was for when biscuits and gravy was a little too much work, and you probably had leftover gravy anyways, right?
loonyhiker/Flickr
Your mother might have gotten fancy and added lettuce, bacon, or something else, but when you grow your own tomatoes, all you need is miracle whip and white bread. I still eat this anytime I have leftover tomatoes from BLTs! The taste feels like summer every time.
Sharon/Flickr
Whether it’s mama’s recipe or a manwich can, this easy favorite has slid its way into Kansas stomachs for years. Our recipe has apple cider vinegar, what’s yours?
rosefirerising/Flickr
This one isn’t as common, but the families that do this love the results every year. Instead of wasting all that rind, you can chop it up and pickle it in spices to make a one-of-a-kind snack!
Alvin Trusty/Flickr
A common meal in more modest homes, ham bean soup is a Kansas favorite dating back when covered wagons made their way west.
Bob Cotter/Flickr
With a thick, flaky crust and whatever vegetables or potatoes mama thought you would eat, chicken pot pie was always one of my favorites in the winter.
Jake Przespo/Flickr
We may not be the most famous state for chili, but that doesn’t mean every home didn’t have a different recipe! Where I grew up, we most certainly swapped and tested chili recipes until we found the perfect one.
James/Flickr
An easier twist on the pot pie, chicken and dumplings only required the broth, fillings, and drop dough. I remember begging my mother to make this more often!
Jimmy Smith/Flickr
Though we aren’t technically part of the South, fried catfish, or just fish in general, is a staple at home. Fresh caught fish makes the best meal after a long day’s fishing.
bruin/Flickr
Hand-rolled egg noodles and pulled-apart chicken easily serve a hundred when mama makes it! With enough soup for a week or so, you’d better love it!
libsclterp/Flickr
Though some of my non-Kansas friends think I’m nuts, this is what Kansans call goulash. Hamburger, tomatoes, and noodles together create a meal that’s both easy and delicious.
mswine/Flickr
I remember when it was ‘bierock day’ at my house, making batches of bread and leaving them in pans to rise. The whole process was an event for any who wanted to help. The payoff was well worth it, though!
Adam Kuban/Flickr
“KC barbecue” means anything you can put it on, you should. Barbecue is an important staple of Kansas diets, no matter how you like it.
Stella Hwang/Flickr
Fried chicken here is basically a food group, it’s so popular. Nothing beats how mama made it, though. Mashed potatoes and corn or coleslaw on the side, please!
Thomas Cowart/Flickr
What started as leftovers was often thrown in a pan, covered with cheese, and baked for dinner another day. We live in a state where casseroles are half of the potluck for church, super bowl, or family gathering.
Clay Bitner/Flickr
These holiday traditional cookies were a production line to spite a factory. Dough is rolled into snakes, then cut into bites and placed on trays for a never ending supply of tiny spiced cookies. Ours never looked as neat as these, either!
Brian Kimball/Flickr
Monkey bread, oh how I love you. Eating this for breakfast sometimes with leftover biscuit dough gives me fond memories of your sweet stickiness.
Matt/Flickr
If you owned a churn, that’s great, but half the time our homemade ice cream was made in coffee tins or plastic bags. If it was a special event, sometimes mama could be bribed to add in crushed candy bars.
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