All the flavors you know and love from childhood are back—but with a healthy or adult twist. Whether you’re following a special diet or just looking to eat healthier, 2023 will see a wave of nostalgia hit menus. Think mac and cheese, but vegan-friendly, or healthier (yet still tasty) versions of beef wellington, and unique twists on classic cereals.
S'Mores Whoopie Pies
Recipe courtesy Hershey Foodservice
Yield: 7 dozen
Ingredients for Chocolate Filling
1 lb plus 3 oz chopped HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bars
6 oz milk
Ingredients for Cookies
3 lbs white or yellow cake mix (without pudding in the mix)
1 lb plus 8 oz cracker crumbs
9 ea. large eggs
16 oz water
12 oz vegetable oil
Additional graham cracker crumbs
Ingredients for Marshmall Creme Filling
12 oz salted butter, softened
5 ¼ oz shortening
12 oz marshmallow creme
15 oz powdered sugar
½ oz vanilla extract
Method
- Prepare CHOCOLATE FILLING: Place Chopped HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bars and milk in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cover; refrigerate approximately 1 hour or until chocolate mixture is spreadable.
- Heat convection oven to 300°F (standard oven: 350°F). Lightly spray sheet pans with vegetable cooking spray. Place parchment paper on prepared sheet pans.
- Prepare COOKIES: Mix together cake mix and 1 lb. 8 oz. graham cracker crumbs in 20 qt. bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add eggs, water and vegetable oil, mixing until fully incorporated. Using #40 scoop, drop on prepared sheet pans. Generously sprinkle additional graham cracker crumbs onto surface of each cookie.
- Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until set and wooden pick inserted into center of cookies comes out clean. Cool slightly; remove from sheet pans to wire rack. Cool completely.
- Prepare MARSHMALLOW CREME FILLING: Mix together butter and shortening in 20 qt. bowl of mixer fitting with paddle attachment. Add marshmallow creme, mixing until fully incorporated. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing until well blended.
- Place cookies, flat side up, on cool sheet pans. Top one-half of cookies (45 cookies) with about 2 teaspoons marshmallow filling and the second half of cookies (45 cookies) with about 1-1/2 teaspoons chocolate filling. Press filling side of one marshmallow topped cookie to filling side of one chocolate topped cookie.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ Ice Cream
Recipe courtesy General Mills Foodservice
Yield: 9
Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
4 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ Bulkpak Cereal
Method
- Add cream, milk and cereal to large pitcher; cover and refrigerate 1 hour to allow cereal to steep.
- Strain mixture through fine sieve, pressing gently on cereal to extract flavor; discard cereal.
Ingredients for Assembly
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 ea. egg yolks
Assembly
- Whisk cream mixture, sugar and vanilla extract together in medium saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat.
- Beat egg yolks in separate bowl; slowly whisk in 1 cup of hot cream mixture, then pour back into saucepan.
- Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, coats the back of spoon and reaches 180°F (approx. 4-6 minutes).
- Remove from heat and refrigerate until cold, stirring frequently, about 3 hours.
- Place mixture in ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer's instructions (do not over-churn or ice cream can become grainy); freeze until serving.
Individual Beef Wellington with Cognac Cream Sauce
Recipe courtesy General Mills Foodservice
Yield: 6
Ingredients
6 ea. Pillsbury's Best™ Puff Pastry Dough Squares
Prep
Thaw puff pastry; covered, either at room temperature 15-30 minutes or refrigerated overnight.
Ingredients for Beef
6 ea. tenderloin steak, center cut
1 ½ tsp salt, coarse
1 ½ tsp black pepper, coarse
2 T olive oil
2 T Dijon mustard
Method
- Season each steak evenly with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
- Heat olive oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat; add steaks and brown on each side about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from pan and brush with1 tsp Dijon mustard, covering all sides; cover and chill under refrigeration until needed.
Ingredients for Sauce
¼ cup cognac liquor
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 T Dijon mustard
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper, coarse
Method
- Deglaze Beef pan with Cognac over medium heat; cook until liquid reduces to half.
- Reduce heat and stir in heavy whipping cream; simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in Dijon mustard, salt and pepper; set aside or refrigerate until needed.
Ingredients for Mushrooms
6 cups button mushrooms, fresh, trimmed
2 T butter, unsalted
¼ salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 T thyme leaves, fresh
Method
- Pulse mushrooms in food processor until finely chopped.
- Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat; add mushrooms, salt and pepper.
- Cook until the mushrooms release most of their liquid, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Stir in thyme leaves; remove from heat to cool completely or refrigerate until needed.
Ingredients for Assembly
24 slices prosciutto, thin slices
1 ea. egg, large
1 tsp water, cool approx. 72°F
Method
- Place down a piece of plastic wrap and overlap 4 slices of prosciutto that will wrap around the steak.
- Spread on approx. ¼ cup of mushrooms, then top with 1 beef piece.
- Roll up and refrigerate 15 minutes to set.
- Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl; brush inside edges of puff pastry.
- Unwrap beef and place in center of puff pastry; pull edges of pastry over top, overlapping to seal.
- Rewrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate another 15 minutes to set.
- Unwrap and place seam-side down on parchment-lined sheet pan; brush with remaining egg wash.
- Bake as directed until pastry is golden brown and temperature is at least 135°F in center.
Finishing
- Reheat Sauce if necessary.
- Place 1 Beef Wellington on a serving plate, cut in half in desired.
- Add 3 Tbsp Sauce and serve immediately.
Meatball Wellington with Calabrian Chiles and Marinara
Recipe courtesy General Mills Foodservice
Yield: 12
Ingredients
12 ea. Pillsbury's Best™ Puff Pastry Dough Squares
Prep
Thaw pastry dough, covered, either at room temperature 15-30 minutes or refrigerated overnight.
Ingredietns for Meatballs
3 lb plus 12 oz meatball mix, raw, prepared
3 T olive oil
Method
- Portion and shape meatball mixture into 12 balls, approx. 5 oz each.
- Heat olive oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat; add half of meatballs to prevent overcrowding.
- Brown on all sides about 6-11 minutes per batch; remove from pan and chill under refrigeration until needed.
Ingredients for Assembly
1 ea. egg, large
1 tsp water, cool approx. 72°F
¼ cup parmesan, grated
¾ cup Calabrian chilies
Assembly
- Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl; brush inside edges of puff pastry.
- Add 1 Tbsp chilies in center of puff pastry; add 1 meatball.
- Pull edges of pastry over top, overlapping to seal and pace seam-side down on parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Brush with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with 1 tsp Parmesan cheese.
- Bake as directed until pastry is golden brown and temperature is at least 160°F in center.
Ingredients for Finishing
3 cups marinara sauce
¼ cup Calabrian chilies
Finishing
- Combine marinara sauce and chilies and heat for service.
- Serve 1 Meatball Wellington with approx. ¼ cup sauce; serve immediately.
Wellington Porchetta
Recipe courtesy General Mills Foodservice
Yield: 8
Ingredients
Pillsbury’s Best™ Puff Pastry Dough Sheet
Prep
- Thaw dough sheet; covered either at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight refrigerated.
- Cut sheet in half horizontally (the short direction) and hold for Assembly.
Ingredients for Filling
8 ea. garlic cloves, fresh
¼ cup Giardiniera vegetable mix
¼ cup parsley, flat leaf, packed
2 T olive oil
2 T oregano leaves
1 T sage leaves, coarsely chopped
1 T lemon juice
2 ea. anchovies, coarsely chopped
Method
- Add garlic cloves to a food blender and pulse until chopped.
- Add Giardiniera vegetables, parsley, olive oil, oregano, sage, lemon juice, anchovies.
- Pulse until a coarse paste forms; set aside until needed.
Ingredients for Pork
2 ea. Pork tenderloins, 1 lb each
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Method
- Season each pork loin evenly with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
- Heat olive oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat; add pork and brown on each side about 6-8 minutes.
- Remove from pan and cool until needed.
Ingredients for Assembly
1 ea. egg, large
1 tsp water, cool approx. 72°F
Assembly
- Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl; brush inside edges of each puff pastry piece.
- Spread ¼ cup of Filling on of each pastry piece to within 1-inch of edges.
- Place 1 Pork loin down the center then roll and wrap pastry around, stretching pastry as needed to seal edges.
- Place seam-side down on parchment-lined sheet pan and brush with remaining egg wash.
- Bake as directed until pastry is golden brown and temperature is at least 145°F in center.
- Allow to rest at least 3 minutes before cutting into 4 pieces each for serving.
American Lamb Pot Pie
Recipe courtesy American Lamb Board
Yield: 12
Ingredients
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups onions, chopped
2 ½ T garlic, chopped
3 T rosemary, fresh, minced, divided
¾ cup flour, all-purpose
2 qrts lamb or beef broth or stock, rich, heated
1 gal blanched, cubed parsnips, turnips, carrots, red-skinned potatoes, fennel
2 ¼ lbs braised American Lamb shoulder, coarsely chopped
½ cup minced chives, parsley, thyme and rosemary
1 T kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 lb shredded filo (kataifi) for crust (or pie dough)
Method
- In a large rondo or heavy pot with lid, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onions and sauté 3 minutes. Stir in garlic; continue cooking 1 minute. Add rosemary; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in hot stock, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition until smooth and bubbly. Add remainder of the stock, whisking constantly, until all stock is incorporated. Bring to a simmer while whisking; cook 1 minute.
- Stir in blanched vegetables; bring to a simmer, mixing often to prevent sticking. Stir in lamb; return to a simmer. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Mixture may be cooled before continuing, if desired.
- Stir minced herb mixture, salt and pepper into pot pie base; mix well. Place 1 ¼ cups mixture into chilled pot pie mixture. Spoon into 10-ounce individual casseroles; top each casserole with 1/2 cup shredded filo dough (kataifi). Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes or until bubbly and filo is crisp and golden. If top is not browned enough, run under a broiler or salamander to finish the browning process. Serve hot.
Old Fashioned Cream Soda
Recipe courtesy Hershey Foodservice
Yield: 1
Ingredients
1 ½ oz HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Syrup, HERSHEY'S Chocolate Syrup, or Flavored Syrups (recipe follows)
1 ½ oz heavy cream or half & half
1 cup crushed ice
Club soda, chilled
Whipped cream topping
1 ea. maraschino cherry
Method
- Stir together HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Syrup, HERSHEY'S Chocolate Syrup or FLAVORED SYRUP and cream in 12-oz. serving glass. Add ice.
- Fill serving glass with club soda; stir. Garnish with whipped cream topping and cherry. Serve immediately.
Flavored Syrups
For each flavored syrup, add amount of product listed below to 8 fl. oz. (1 cup) HERSHEY'S Chocolate Syrup. (Amounts may be multiplied.) Cover and refrigerate until needed. Flavored syrups may be stored up to 3 weeks.
Chocolate Orange
1 T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
Chocolate Toffee
1 ½ oz. (¼ cup) HEATH Toffee Bits, medium grind (let stand several hours to enhance flavor)
Mocha
1 tsp instant coffee granules
Chocolate Strawberry
8 oz. (1 cup) HERSHEY'S Strawberry Syrup, Bottle
Chocolate Hazelnut
7 T hazelnut-flavored syrup
Chocolate Peanut Butter
2 oz. (¼ cup) REESE'S Peanut Butter Sauce
