12 Recipes From Mom That You’ll Want To Make Forever

No one cooks quite like her.

By
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara is a chef, culinary educator, and author of three cookbooks, The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook, Tasting Ohio and The Fruit Forager's Companion. The latter won a 2019 IACP Cookbook Award.
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Published March 06, 2025
Sara Bir
A deep skillet with arroz and a serving spoon.

Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

The most enduring and popular recipes here at Simply Recipes have always been family recipes for humble, simple meals that you can count on to feed the troops with heart and soul. Many of them have come from one mom in particular.

Our founder Elise Bauer grew up one of six kids in a family that had freshly-cooked food on the table every night. These are the recipes that defined that childhood—the ones that make up the backbone of Simply Recipes. Our readers have been making them for years, often seeing some of their moms in them. Perhaps you will, too.

  • Arroz Con Pollo

    A deep skillet with arroz and a serving spoon.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Elise's mom is of Mexican heritage and grew up in Arizona, and many of the dishes in her repertoire reflect that. This arroz con pollo is a good template recipe to add peas or chopped vegetables to for a one-pot meal.

  • Albondigas

    Albondigas Soup

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    This Mexican meatball soup is comfort food supreme. Elise's mom's secret? Adding fresh mint to the meatballs.

  • Sopa Seca de Fideo (Mexican-Style Vermicelli Nests)

    Sopa Seca de Fideo Angel Hair Nests

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "My mother makes this dish at least once a month and we were raised just calling it by the noodle name, vermicelli," writes Elise. "All you have to do is say that word and the collective eyes of our family light up with happy anticipation."

  • Mom's Perfect Pork Chops

    Easy Pork Chop Recipe pork chop and greens on plate

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Learn all the mom-approved tips, gathered from years of making stovetop pork chops: how to test for doneness, the best seasoning to use, the best pan, and more for mom's simple perfection.

    Continue to 5 of 12 below

  • Chili Beans With Rice

    Chili Beans and Rice on plate

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "These chili beans are more mild and less fatty than most, especially if you use ground turkey instead of ground beef," Elise says. "My mom learned this method of preparing chili beans years ago, when she was still in teaching school, from a fellow teacher from Louisiana."

  • The Best Roast Beef

    A sliced roast beef cooked to medium rare beef temperature.

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Elise says, "My mother typically uses a rump roast when making roast beef. This is her method for getting the most out of this (relatively) less expensive cut." Simply Recipes readers rave about this easy, no-fail recipe. 

  • Rice Pilaf

    Rice Pilaf

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Elise says her mom doesn't follow recipes but rather cooks by feel. Luckily, we do have this recipe, which Elise wrote down as she watched her mother make it. It's a foundational side dish that you can dress up with herbs or spices.

  • Pan-Fried London Broil

    London broil being sliced on a cutting board.
    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "My mother has a method for pan-frying her steak which she calls London Broil, which does not involve marinating. The steaks we use are usually an inch thick. Her secret? Butter," shares Elise.

    Continue to 9 of 12 below

  • Mom's Easy Macaroni Salad

    Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe in a bowl for serving

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "My mother makes this macaroni salad all summer long. There is a hard-boiled egg, some roasted red bell pepper, chopped spring onions, a generous amount of mayo, and seasoning with sweet paprika. It's a perfect salad for a summer BBQ or picnic," says Elise.

  • Hamburger and Macaroni

    Hamburger Macaroni

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This hamburger and macaroni dish is one of my mother's recipes that has been served in our house at least once a month. We even have a special name for it—HMO (Hamburger Macaroni Onions). My father gets a song in his voice when he announces that we're having HMO for dinner," says Elise.

  • Mom's Turkey Soup

    A bowl of turkey noodle soup

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Here's your tutorial on making turkey noodle soup from scratch using the carcass and meat left over from roasting a turkey.

  • Mom's Stuffed Peppers

    A dish of four baked stuffed bell peppers

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Elise says her mom never makes these stuffed peppers the same way twice. But no matter what, these hearty stuffed veggies are always simple and satisfying.

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