Grandma's Old Recipes

Easy Leftover Turkey Soup

Tender shredded turkey, sweet carrots,
celery, and potatoes simmered in rich
chicken broth with thyme and rosemary —
hearty, herby, and deeply comforting
in every single bowl.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked turkey, shredded
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup green beans, chopped (optional)
1 cup potatoes, diced (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1- Warm a large pot over medium heat and
add olive oil until shimmering
2- Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and
celery then sauté 5-7 minutes until
softened and onion turns translucent
3- Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute
until fragrant
4- Add shredded turkey, chicken broth,
thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper
then bring to a gentle boil
5- Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes
tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed
6- Add green beans and potatoes if using
then simmer 10 more minutes until
vegetables are tender
7- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh
herbs then serve hot with crusty bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories per serving: 250

Roadhouse Ribs

Tender baby back ribs cooked with beer, onion, and garlic, then finished with a sweet and savory hoisin grape jelly glaze.
This recipe gives the ribs a rich roadhouse-style flavor with a sticky caramelized finish.

Ingredients:

- 3 lbs baby back ribs

- 2 cans (12 oz each) beer

- 1 small onion, quartered

- 2 cloves garlic, crushed

- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce

- 1/2 cup grape jelly

- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce

- 2 tsp brown sugar

- 1 tbsp dry mustard

- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

- 1/2 tsp hot sauce

- Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

1- Remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs

2- Add hoisin sauce, grape jelly, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, minced garlic, hot sauce, and lime juice to a small saucepan

3- Bring the glaze to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside

4- Pour beer into the Instant Pot, then add quartered onion and crushed garlic

5- Place the ribs in the pot, cutting the slab in half if needed to fit

6- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes after pressure builds

7- Let the pot sit for 5 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure

8- Remove the ribs carefully and brush the glaze over the entire surface

9- Broil or grill the ribs on high heat for about 5 minutes until the glaze caramelizes

10- Cut into individual ribs and serve immediately

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories per serving: 784

Tomato And Beef Macaroni Soup

Tender macaroni, lean ground beef, and diced tomatoes simmer in a savory beef broth with garlic and Italian seasoning.
A hearty family soup made with simple ingredients and ready in about 35 minutes.

Ingredients:

- 1 pound lean ground beef

- 1/2 cup ketchup

- 2 large cans chopped or diced tomatoes

- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

- 2 tsp onion powder

- 3 tsp minced garlic

- 7 1/4 cups beef broth

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning

- Salt and pepper to taste

- 2 cups dry macaroni pasta

- Cheese for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1- Place a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat

2- Add the ground beef, minced garlic, and onion powder

3- Cook until the beef is no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks

4- Drain any excess grease from the pot

5- Pour in the beef broth, then add chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire Sauce, brown sugar, Italian Seasoning, and ketchup

6- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes

7- Add the dry macaroni pasta to the pot

8- Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender

9- Season with salt and pepper to taste

10- Sprinkle cheese on top if desired and serve warm

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories per serving: 400

Crockpot Beef Vegetable Soup

Tender beef, sweet carrots, Yukon gold
potatoes, and fresh vegetables slow-cooked
in a rich savory broth — hearty, smoky,
and deeply comforting in every bowl.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb boneless chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3-4 cups low sodium beef broth, divided
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
Fresh parsley, optional for garnish

Directions:

1- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-
high heat then season beef with 1 tsp
salt and pepper and brown on all sides
2- Transfer browned beef to slow cooker
then add diced onion to the same skillet
and cook 3 minutes until softened
3- Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds
until fragrant
4- Pour 1/2 cup beef broth into skillet
scraping up all browned bits then
transfer everything to slow cooker
5- Add carrots, potatoes, parsnips, celery,
diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce,
tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce,
oregano, smoked paprika, sugar, remaining
broth and salt then stir well to combine
6- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours until
beef is completely fork tender
7- Stir in peas until warmed through then
adjust consistency with remaining broth
if needed
8- Serve hot garnished with fresh parsley

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories per serving: 400

Grilled Chicken with Chili and Lime

Juicy skin-on chicken thighs marinated in
fresh lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, honey,
garlic, and bold chili powder — grilled until
deeply golden with smoky char marks and bright
zesty flavor in every single bite.
This easy 30-minute summer recipe is the
kind of vibrant crowd-pleasing dish that
works perfectly for backyard barbecues,
quick weeknight dinners, or any gathering
where everyone keeps asking for seconds.

Ingredients:

4 skin-on chicken thighs, bones removed
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp lime zest
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeño, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder

Directions:

1- Rinse chicken thighs, remove bones and
pat completely dry with paper towels
2- Whisk lime juice, lime zest, olive oil,
cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, honey, salt,
and chili powder together in a large bowl
3- Add chicken to marinade, coat evenly and
refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight
for best flavor
4- Preheat grill to medium-high heat 400°F
(200°C) and brush grates lightly with oil
5- Place chicken on grill with some of the
garlic, cilantro, and jalapeños from the
marinade on top
6- Grill 6-8 minutes per side until deeply
golden, charred, and internal temperature
reaches 165°F (74°C)
7- Rest 5 minutes then serve with lime
wedges, Mexican street corn, or
cilantro lime rice

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Marinate Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories per serving: 320

Beef Vegetable Soup

Ground chuck simmered with colorful bell
peppers, sweet carrots, chunky red potatoes,
and whole tomatoes in rich beef broth —
deeply savory, hearty, and soul-warming in
every single bowl.
This is the kind of cozy one-pot homestyle
soup that fills the whole house with the
most incredible aroma and tastes even
better the next day when the flavors have
fully melded together.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz can whole tomatoes
3 cups beef broth
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
5 red potatoes, cut into chunks
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat
then add ground chuck, diced onion,
celery, and minced garlic
2- Cook 5-7 minutes until meat is browned
then remove from heat and drain excess fat
3- Return pot to heat then add crushed
whole tomatoes, beef broth, all bell
peppers, carrots, red potatoes, tomato
paste, and all seasonings
4- Stir until fully combined then bring
to a bubbling boil
5- Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer
15-20 minutes until potatoes are
tender but not mushy
6- Taste and adjust seasoning then add
extra broth if a soupier texture
is preferred
7- Ladle into bowls and serve hot with
crusty bread on the side

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories per serving: 300