Some Sundays are meant for staying home, but a familiar meal can take longer to plan than expected. These 21 recipes bring together old-fashioned favorites, including fried chicken, slow-cooked meats, creamy soups, savory sides, and classic desserts. Their home-style character suits a quiet day around the house. Choose a main dish, add a side, and save a slice of cake or fruit dessert for later.
Smothered Pork Chops with Onions & Mushrooms
As the onions soften and mushrooms brown, Smothered Pork Chops with Onions & Mushrooms build a Sunday supper around tender bone-in pork. The 45-minute recipe serves six and uses garlic, thyme, chicken broth, and cream for its pan sauce. It suits a slower meal when everyone is home and hungry. Spoon the chops and sauce over mashed potatoes or alongside green beans.
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Creamy Vegetable Chowder
For a pot that can stand on the stove while the afternoon unfolds, Creamy Vegetable Chowder is ready in 35 minutes and serves six. Potatoes, broccoli, carrots, celery, and cheddar make it hearty, while milk and broth give it a creamy base. This familiar soup fits a day indoors when a simple lunch or supper is welcome. Offer bread or crackers at the table for dipping.
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Fried Chicken Thighs with Milk Gravy
Crisp coating and peppery gravy make Fried Chicken Thighs with Milk Gravy a fitting centerpiece for Sunday dinner. Boneless chicken thighs are dipped in milk and egg, coated with seasoned flour and cornstarch, then served with a milk gravy made from butter, flour, and cream. The card gives a 50-minute total and four servings. Add mashed potatoes, biscuits, or corn for a full plate.
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Chef Jenn’s Skillet Knackwurst & Sauerkraut
German-inspired flavors come together in Chef Jenn’s Skillet Knackwurst & Sauerkraut, a one-pan meal that takes about 1 hour 10 minutes and serves four. Knackwurst cooks with sauerkraut, onion, apple, potatoes, broth, and a touch of brown sugar, with breadcrumbs and cream rounding it out. It brings old-country fare to a quiet weekend table. Serve it with mustard and a simple green salad.
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Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
A smooth bowl of Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin takes only 30 minutes and makes four servings. Canned pumpkin simmers with onion, garlic, broth, cream, nutmeg, and cinnamon, so the soup has the familiar notes of a home-cooked fall meal. It works for a light lunch or an easy supper on a stay-home Sunday. Set out toasted bread and finish each bowl with pepitas or sour cream.
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Turkey à la King
Leftover turkey has a place beyond sandwiches in Turkey à la King, which fills puff pastry shells with a creamy skillet mixture. The recipe uses turkey, peas, mushrooms, celery, carrot, and bell pepper, with 5 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking listed on the card. Its old-fashioned style suits the day after a holiday meal or a relaxed weekend. Serve the filling warm in the flaky shells.
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Spaetzle
Small, tender dumplings give Spaetzle a place beside roasts and stews on a traditional Sunday menu. The dough uses milk, eggs, flour, salt, and butter, and the card lists 1 hour 20 minutes total, including a one-hour rest. Their simple ingredients and old-fashioned preparation make them a homey side for a stay-in meal. Toss them with butter or serve them under gravy from the main dish.
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Homemade SpaghettiOs Recipe
A childhood pantry staple gets a homemade turn in Homemade SpaghettiOs Recipe, ready in 25 minutes for four servings. Anelletti pasta cooks in a tomato sauce built with butter, garlic, onion, tomato paste, and tomato puree, then gets a Parmesan finish. It brings a familiar, unfussy dinner to a quiet Sunday without much planning. Serve it in bowls with extra cheese and a side of buttered vegetables.
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Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
When the grill is already going, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks make an easy main for a stay-home weekend meal. The recipe takes 50 minutes and coats chicken legs with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and barbecue sauce. Crisp edges and a glossy finish suit a relaxed backyard lunch or supper. Put out slaw, potato salad, or corn so everyone can round out a plate.
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Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers
Let the slow cooker handle the long stretch of the day with Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers. It takes 3 hours 15 minutes and serves six, combining Italian sausage, colorful peppers, onion, garlic, seasoning, and marinara sauce. The familiar combination suits Sundays when you would rather keep the kitchen work simple. Spoon it into rolls for sandwiches or serve it over pasta with the sauce.
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Ham & Cheese Impossible Quiche
Brunch or supper can be settled with Ham & Cheese Impossible Quiche, a crustless-style bake with a bottom that forms as it cooks. Ham, cheese, onion, eggs, milk, and baking mix give it the familiar ingredients of an old-fashioned kitchen recipe. The card lists 10 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking. Cut it into wedges for a late breakfast, or add a green salad for an easy evening meal.
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Hoppin’ John
Black-eyed peas and rice make Hoppin’ John a filling Southern dish for a Sunday when the household is staying put. The one-hour recipe also includes bacon, smoked ham hock, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and chicken broth. It can serve as a main dish or a substantial side, bringing a long-loved recipe to the table. Add scallions or parsley on top and serve with cornbread or greens.
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Slow Cooker German Pot Roast
A slow cooker gives Slow Cooker German Pot Roast its long, hands-off stretch, with 6 hours 10 minutes total and six servings listed. Chuck roast cooks with bacon, onion, dill pickles, German beer, mustard, carrots, potatoes, and red cabbage for a hearty meal. This is the sort of main dish that suits an unhurried Sunday at home. Spoon the meat and vegetables onto plates with sour cream on the side.
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Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Buttermilk soak helps Buttermilk Fried Chicken bring classic fried chicken to the family table in 45 minutes. The recipe serves six and uses drumsticks, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper for its seasoned coating. Its familiar style fits a weekend meal when everyone can sit down together. Pair the chicken with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, or biscuits for a complete supper.
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Gooey Butter Cake
A soft yeast cake base and rich topping make Gooey Butter Cake a St. Louis classic for dessert or brunch. The full recipe takes 3 hours 5 minutes, including a two-hour rise, and uses yeast, milk, egg, butter, and sugar in its layers. It has the feel of a treat set out for a long Sunday visit. Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar and cut small squares to share.
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Cabbage Roll Casserole
All the familiar parts of stuffed cabbage bake together in Cabbage Roll Casserole, which serves eight after 1 hour 10 minutes in the oven. Cabbage, ground beef, rice, onion, garlic, tomatoes, dill, sour cream, and mozzarella make it a filling one-dish meal. The casserole brings old-fashioned supper flavors without rolling individual cabbage leaves. Serve generous portions with rye bread or a crisp salad.
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Broiled Prime Rib & Roasted Asparagus
For a more special Sunday plate, Broiled Prime Rib & Roasted Asparagus pairs prime rib steaks with asparagus and mushrooms. The recipe card lists four servings and ingredients such as garlic powder, thyme, butter, parsley, and olive oil, with no total time shown. Its classic roast-house combination fits a meal planned around staying home. Add baked potatoes or rolls to round out the plate.
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Homemade Corned Beef
A little advance planning brings Homemade Corned Beef to the table, with five days listed for curing the brisket. The recipe uses a brisket flat or point, water, curing salt, and pickling spices to build its familiar seasoned flavor. It is a traditional project for a quiet stretch at home, with plenty of ways to serve the finished meat. Slice it for sandwiches or add it to a hash or casserole.
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Blueberry Grunt
Stovetop berries and a biscuit topping make Blueberry Grunt an old-fashioned dessert with 45 minutes total time. The recipe combines blueberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice, then covers the fruit with tender biscuits made from flour, butter, and cream or milk. It suits a relaxed Sunday when a warm fruit dessert sounds right. Spoon it into bowls while warm, with cream or ice cream if you like.
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German Kohlrabi
A creamy sauce turns kohlrabi into a traditional side in German Kohlrabi, ready in 15 minutes for four servings. Tender pieces are coated with a sauce made from butter, flour, milk, garlic powder, and a little nutmeg. This old European dish adds something different to a familiar home-cooked spread. Serve it beside roast chicken, steak, or pork, and bring the sauce to the table while warm.
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Chef Jenn’s Sauerkraut Soup with Kielbasa
Kielbasa and sauerkraut give Chef Jenn’s Sauerkraut Soup with Kielbasa its old-fashioned, hearty character. The recipe takes 55 minutes and serves six, combining sausage with onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, broth, caraway seeds, and parsley. It fits a quiet Sunday lunch when a pot of soup can anchor the meal. Add rye bread or a simple sandwich and serve the soup hot.
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