I Made a Hot Dog Macaroni Loaf from the 1950s (And Somehow Survived to Tell the Tale)
Alright folks, gather round. Today, I stepped way back in time to cook not one, but two vintage recipe cards that may or may not have been crimes against food. From the golden era of Jell-O salads and meat-in-a-mould comes a rather… unique duo: the Frankaroni Loaf and a sweet, creamy Noodle Pudding.
Let’s just say… if you’ve ever wondered what macaroni, hot dogs, and tomato sauce would taste like in loaf form, well — you’re in for a treat. Maybe.
Frankaroni: The Boyband of Loaves
So, the Frankaroni. Imagine this: elbow macaroni mixed with cheese, breadcrumbs, relish, eggs and milk — pretty standard so far. But then, in a moment of 1950s genius (or madness), someone thought, “You know what this needs? A layer of frankfurters in the middle.” And just like that, we got ourselves a hot dog loaf.
Midway through baking, I looked down and genuinely thought it resembled Justin Timberlake circa early 2000s — you know, the bleach-blonde curly hair phase? Then came the blooper of the century: while taking the loaf out of the oven, my oven glove betrayed me. It slipped, half the loaf hit the counter, and my dreams (and dinner) nearly shattered.
BUT — I pulled it back together like the culinary Jedi I pretend to be. After a bit of creative reconstruction, the finished product looked weirdly like Chewbacca, with tomato sauce dribbled over the top and olives dotting his face like intergalactic freckles.
Taste-wise? Honestly… not horrific. Very savoury, very salty, very vintage. It won’t be replacing your Sunday roast, but if you squint and don’t think too hard about the texture, it’s kind of… charming?
Noodle Pudding: Dessert or Dare?
Next up: the Noodle Pudding. Wide egg noodles, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, raisins — all baked into a casserole. If you’re thinking “dessert pasta?!” then you’re not alone. I was skeptical too.
But here’s the thing — it kind of worked. It reminded me of a retro bread and butter pudding, only with noodles instead of bread. The buttermilk gave it a nice tang, and the sweet raisins gave it that nostalgic, comforting vibe. The topping of cornflakes, brown sugar, and pecans added a lovely crunch and warmth. I’d actually eat this again. Voluntarily!
Final Thoughts: Better Than They Look?
Here’s what I learned: these vintage recipes look terrifying on the old-school recipe cards — the food photography (or illustration) from that era wasn’t doing anyone any favours. But once you get past the weird visuals and slightly bonkers ingredient combos, there’s actually something kind of heartwarming about them.
Back then, people were working with limited ingredients, tight budgets, and a very different sense of what “good food” looked like. And yet, they still managed to create dishes that were inventive, filling, and — in the case of the noodle pudding — kinda tasty!
Would I make the Frankaroni again? Probably not. But am I glad I tried it? Absolutely. And the pudding? That’s staying on my “weirdly comforting” list.
Have a watch of the video above to see the full chaos unfold — including the loaf disaster, a very wobbly Chewbacca, and my deeply confused tastebuds.
Watch the video above or here on my YouTube channel. And for more retro recipe, why not check out this 1990’s Vegetarian microwave cookbook test!
Until next time — keep experimenting, keep eating, and always wear better oven gloves.