by Texas Homesteader ~
For the past several years I have been mindful of the type of dishes in my kitchen. I don’t want inexpensive, cheaply-made items. I want cookware that will serve me for years.
One of the most-used items in my kitchen is my collection of CorningWare. These covered glass casserole dishes are safe to use in the oven or microwave.
And they clean up in the dishwasher. That kind of versatility works for this country girl!
Grandma’s Blue Cornflower CorningWare
These blue cornflower pattern pieces were originally my grandmother’s dishes. My grandmother was a very good cook and used all of her CorningWare dishes for decades when providing nourishing food for her family.
Whenever possible, I always try to Cook Like Grandma Did. I feel a wave of nostalgia and a warm hug when I use her cookware. And I use them a lot!
Grandma & Grandpa were married in 1938 and enjoyed a lifetime together
I’ve made more casseroles than I care to count in them. And of course I’ve made desserts and side dishes in them as well.
The glass covers mean that if there is leftover casserole then cleanup is easy. They can just be covered and placed in the fridge for another meal.
Replacement For Plastic Food Storage
What about leftovers not cooked in my CorningWare? Well my Corning still comes in handy.
When supper is over & I’m packing up various leftovers for the fridge, I don’t reach for plastic food storage dishes. Oh no!
I’ve always hated those stained plastic storage bowls with their mountains of mis-matched lids that cascade from my cabinets when I’d open them. I much prefer to use Glass in my refrigerator anyway. So usually I grab one of these CorningWare dishes with its glass lid.
I have various sizes so I can find one that fits that large pot of beans or the small serving of leftover green beans from the garden. No flimsy plastic food storage dishes for me!
And oftentimes I pull leftovers from the fridge and place the CorningWare dish in the microwave for a quick heat-n-eat lunch. Utilizing leftovers in this manner helps reduce food waste. And cook/store/heat/eat flexibility is where this CorningWare shines!
When it’s this easy to reach into the fridge and grab something wonderful to eat that only requires heating in the microwave, you’re much more likely to enjoy the leftover food you already have in your refrigerator instead of going out & buying something else to eat.
NOTE: Sometimes I run across vintage Corning Ware dishes at antique stores & such. When I do, I buy them & place them on my online shop to offer to my readers. If you don’t see any listed there now, check back regularly. I love them and I know you will too!
Cooking Like Grandma Did
Modern convenience foods are certainly more prevalent now than they were in grandma’s day. But the way grandma cooked is how I try to provide food for my family as well. And it’s often cooked and served in my grandma’s Corning Ware.
Like grandma did, I strive to cook with foods in their most natural state when possible. Whether it’s veggies from my garden, fresh meats from the store and even using wild game meat RancherMan has harvested right here on our homestead.
Y’all know he’s an accomplished hunter. RancherMan is constantly providing Wild Pork or venison for our freezer. We never have a shortage of wild game.
I know cooking or serving food in its most natural state is the way grandma cooked. And I know she’d be proud knowing I’m using the very same dishes to provide for my family that she did for so many years to provide for hers.
~TxH~
This post categorized in 
Read More About How Grandma Would Do Things
- Living Life Like Grandma
- Grandma-Approved Cleaning Techniques
- Is Grandma-Styled Cooking A Lost Art?
- The Importance Of The Family Supper Table
- Caring For Grandma’s Cast-Iron Cookware
- Stuck-On food? How To Easily Clean A Cast-Iron Skillet
- Using Grandma’s Vintage Corning Ware
- Why Doesn’t Junior Want Grandma’s Fine China?
- Living Deliberately & Naturally: Voluntary Simplicity
- Using It ALL – Eliminating Leftover Food
- Easy Self-Sufficiency Steps You Can Take Now
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Good morning, I was wondering if I could use my MIL’s ( who would be 105 ) blue flowered corning direct from the fridge into a hot oven?
Kate, I’m always super concerned about thermal shock when exposing a cold glassware item to sudden heat. Especially with something so precious as your MIL’s vintage CorningWare. I sure wouldn’t risk it myself, so I can’t suggest it. If it were mine I’d bring the Corning out of the fridge to knock the chill off of it first, and unless the recipe required it I would put the dish in a cold oven before turning it on just to make sure no damage would come to such a precious irreplaceable dish. ~TxH~
I have taken a frozen pie crust in a corning pie pan out of the freezer, poured a pumpkin pie filling in it and put it in the hot oven. Never broke a single one. That is what they were made to do. I have broken a 4 qt casserole by dropping it and it hit the freezer door handle. It was shattered. I have taken casseroles with leftovers in them out of the refrigerator, and pu them in the microwave and heated it up on high. No problem. If you have a problem it is probably not corning ware but that new World’s Kitchen fake Corningware. They bought the name but do not know the real product.
That’s certainly comforting to hear. I’ve never had one of my grandmother’s CorningWare get damaged from thermal shock, I’m just overly cautious with it since it’s that precious to me. Those petit pans made to go on the stove? Can’t make myself do it. I know they’re made for that, just can’t make myself do it, I’m too afraid. But then again, I’ve always been over-the-top afraid of thermal shock issues – even when pouring hot bacon grease into a coffee mug to reserve it. haha. ~TxH~
Love all my Corning Ware the only cookware that can go from the refrigerator/freezer to the cook top, microwave, oven and into the dishwasher. No wonder they stopped making it, you don’t need anything else. I look for it a yard sales, swap meets & thrift stores. Love it
The older cookware was often made to last forever, unlike it’s modern equivalent. And I think it’s really nice that you honor your Grandmother by using the casserole dishes. I’m sure that everytime you use them you think of her and that she’s looking down from above glad that you are remembering her. They are love sent from a-far.
I LOVE Corningware! It’s ole reliable in the kitchen! Thanks for posting. Hello from Farmgirl Friday.
With a tear in my eye, these so reminded me of my mom today! Thank you for being able to remember her in this special way! Thanks for stopping by the Say G’day Party and sharing! Pinned all your submissions and look forward to seeing you next Saturday!!
Oh, so sorry for your loss Joanne. Losing a loved one is hard and although nothing beats them being right there with you, at least you can feel their warm embrace from time to time at moments like these. (HUGS)
I have a similiar set from my grandmother and I use it in the same ways, too. I love the classic look!
I’m with you about Corningware. I used to have a 9 x 13 dish but in a move it was broken. 🙁 Then a dear friend gifted me with his ‘old’ stuff since he was moving. Now, I not only have the cornflower, but a beige set with hearts as the theme. What is big about this heart set is it came with 2 large casserole dishes which fit inside what then becomes a crockpot! I love it! I can plan ahead do crockpot meals to halfway done, let them cool, then freeze. Then if/when company calls, I can just stick a couple of them in the oven together. 🙂 Or I can pop one back in the crockpot and finish cooking. Between Corningware and cast iron, is any other type of cookware/bakeware needed!
I just found your blog. I’ll be returning.
I love Corning Ware and use my white ones like these just about everyday! My mom has always used them and I grew up just a couple ours from Corning, NY home of Corning Glassworks! 🙂 Thanks for linking up to Motivational Monday!
Stopping by from the Friday Favorites link up! That is so neat that you have something like that from your grandma! That must make your dishes turn out extra yummy! 😉 We have an antique shop in town and I keep seeing vintage corningware there— I’ve really toyed with the idea of starting to collect it.
Thanks for stopping by Sophi. I really do enjoy my grandmother’s Corning – partly because Corning is a quality product but mostly because it was my grandmothers.
I have a few pieces, but I recently saw something on facebook warning about using vintage corelle and corning because of high lead levels.
I’ve seen those stories too Shecki and although I can’t say whether or not those stories are actually true, both my grandmothers used them almost daily and they lived to be in their 90’s so… I’m happy to use mine!
I inherited my Mom-in -loves Corning Ware and I use it every day! I had no idea it was considered vintage! I love the pieces and I have several as Mom was quite a collector!
These dishes last forevery – look wonderful! I do appreicate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
Kathy
In the 60’s and 70’s, if you didn’t get at least a few Corningware pieces as wedding gifts, it meant your relatives didn’t think the marriage was going to last! I still have mine (but not that husband), use them as much as possible and am always looking for more. I especially love the little squared pieces with the plastic storage lids – they are just right when cooking for two!
I also have FireKing and Pyrex casseroles, some of whom ARE older than I am! and they are still the ‘go-to’ baking and roasting pieces for me.
Gotta have a 9×13 Pyrex glass dish for brownies or lasagna!
I have those little square dishes and all the tops still fit.
My grandma has the same dishes and she uses the “fire” out of them as the southern saying goes. What a lovely post. Thanks for sharing the nostalgia with us.
I love my corning ware. My cabinets are full with so many pieces. I go to yard sales and flea markets to buy more ( which makes my husband crazy)!
I love your Corning Ware collection. I just spotted this same pattern of casserole dish sitting out at my grandmas’ house the other day, it brought back nice memories, this was the same type of dish my mom used when I was growing up. 🙂
Everyone we knew used Corning Ware and loved it! I still use it too!
I totally love my corning ware and always looking at the Antique Mall here looking for different and unusual pieces.
I love making casseroles in them, freezing first and then wrapping in freezer paper and then completely wrapping in heavy duty foil.
Don’t know what I would do without my corning ware and / or my Pyrex. They are used daily in one way shape or form.
Oh, my goodness. It hurts to hear that the corning ware that I am currently using is referred to as “vintage”. Does that mean that I am “vintage” also? Maybe not. I got mine in the early 70’s—-well maybe that would count as vintage.
The ones that I use constantly are smaller than the smallest one you have there —about 5 x 5 but only a couple of inches deep. They came with not only the glass lids but also with plastic lids that clamped down over the top.. Perfect for storing small amounts of leftovers and stackable too. Love them!
LOL Victoria. I was of the understanding that something 30 years or older was vintage but google search indicates dates anywhere from 20 – 50 years. In my understanding, antique is 100 years or older, vintage is 30 years or older.
I have some of the small Corning Ware dishes you mention and I LOVE them! They weren’t part of my grandmother’s set so they’re not pictured but like you I use them all the time. As you mentioned, they’re PERFECT for leftovers. Mind don’t have glass lids but they do have the plastic lids that clamp down – perfect for storing leftovers in the fridge since you can bring them out, remove the lid & heat & eat right in the same dish.
I love my corning ware, you are so right storing leftovers, and reheating is so easy. I also love Pyrex, and have taken to using those verses a cookie sheet for certain things. Thanks for once again sharing on Tuesdays With a Twist, I enjoy your blog.
What a great post and a beautiful set of Corningware. 🙂 My grams has her dishes that I would love to have but will not give up but that’s ok she is still with us and cooking at almost 90 and has more energy than I do. 🙂
Memories of food and the good workmanship that used to be in products seem to really be forgotten in this day and age.
I have lots and lots of pieces with this pattern. I’m pretty much obsessed. It started with two casseroles that my mom gave me decades ago…ever since then I buy it whenever I see it.
I like the crazy daisy/spring flowers, square flowers, and Amish butterprint motifs as well. I eventually had to buy two shelving units to properly display my collection!
They get used constantly. They’re like functional art.
I have two of these beauties I picked up at Goodwill, and a stove top coffee pot. When I was little I used to have play dishes like these, and my grown up ones give me just as much joy. I didn’t know you could pop in the microwave, I have been
hesitant. I enjoyed your post….thank you
There are apparently differences in the vintage versions and the contemporary version. I’ve been told if you put water in the dish and microwave for 15 seconds and the water feels warm but the dish does not, it’s a microwavable dish. (just what I’ve read though, be sure to check it out for yourself) My larger Corning Ware dishes always go in the oven just because that’s how I use them, but the smaller ones go from fridge to microwave to heat up leftovers. I’ve never had a problem with it.
I have two small sauce pans with lids in this same pattern. One I have kept since the 1970’s when I received a set for a wedding gift. I found one at a resale shop in a size that got broken and was happy to replace it. I use them to warm up soup in the microwave and since they have handles they are easy to pull in and out.
I really enjoyed reading this post! I too have a couple of corning ware corn flowers from my grandmother, but was so excited when I inherited more from my husbands grandmother. My only wish is that there were recipes that came along with it! How I would love to have known what they cooked in it. I would love to know some of your favorite casserole recipes if you are willing to share. I just had my first child, 7 week old little precious boy and my time for cooking has become a challenge.
Thank you for the great post….and I love your site! My husband and I are in the process of buying a little farmhouse and some land where we can raise some food of our own.
How precious Claudine that you have both your grandmother’s as well as your hubby’s grandmother’s Corning Ware! I try to post a recipe of some sort on my blog on Fridays but I think the only thing I’ve actually pictured so far in my grandmother’s dishes was the stuffed peppers but I actually use these dishes often. For instance this afternoon I made my apple crumble in my grandmother’s Corning Ware – makes me miss her bunches. I will say that the ‘cook-once-eat-twice’ method of cooking is such a savior for me with our busy life on the ranch. Fill up that oven when it’s fired up for a main dish and make as many as the oven will hold and freeze the other portions for another night’s meals. That gives you heat-n-eat convenience without adding cooking time! So glad you stopped by.
P.S So do some of our Canadian tire stores lol
Great blog and post . I have these to but not so vintage in this part of the woods as Sears still sells them over here lol !
Thanks for sharing .
Have a good weekend !
Yes, this popular pattern is still being sold. I’m not sure if there are any differences in the modern vs vintage versions. I know I love to use mine, they remind me of my sweet grandmother every time I do!
I love the picture of your granny and grandpa…….guess I must be vintage cause I got a hugh set of these as a wedding gift in the late 70’s. Still using them and love them…………………..Nice post Andi
Was actually researching the topic of what to keep & not keep in my kitchen. Read that Corning Ware after 1998 is a cheaper compound of glass, so yes there is a difference. I have found that not only knowledge , but the energy & how it feels to use is a good indicator.
I have these, Some wedding presents, some from my mom and some from garage sales. I have found many for very little. I got a covered loaf container for 50 cents. They are wonderful.
I have this very same set of corning ware. I too love to cook in them! I like to brown my meats on the stove top, then place the lid on and bake in the oven. The meats are always great and tender! And I only have one item to wash, how great is that?
I am phasing all plastic out of my kitchen. We also will not eat off anything made in China. Love your dishes. Thanks for sharing at the HomeAcre Hop. Please come back and see us this week: /the-self-sufficient-homeacre-hop-2
I use these dishes, too, along with my mom’s WearEver pans. They were made to last!
Zenda, I’ve decided that I don’t want to use anything that wasn’t designed to last. “Saving money” by buying inexpensive cheaply-made items means replacing it 3-4 times instead of buying quality to start with, so it’s the most expensive money you ever saved. LOL
Corning Ware is so versatile. I enjoy the pieces I have, as well, and they’re also safe on the stovetop.
Love the photo of your grandparents.
I had no idea they were safe on the stove-top Dayle. I have a propane stove, wonder if that would make a difference. Hummmmm…
I use vintage Pyrex all the time – it’s all I use – the old patterns and styles are just so much prettier and doesn’t everything taste better in Pyrex??
I’m sure everything tastes better in Grandma’s Corning ware. I also got quite a few pieces as shower and wedding gifts 20 years ago, but a different pattern and plain French White. A few have broken but they are still my favourites to cook in. It sounds like you take pride in providing for your family.
Elizabeth, you’re correct – everything tastes better in Grandma’s Corning Ware! It brings back many fond memories for me. I also love the French White dishes – lucky you!
My mom has that and she still uses it, couldn’t help but smile when I saw it!
Great post! It sure makes me show my age though! I received so much Corningware for wedding presents – almost 45 years ago now. I even had a coffee pot in the cornflower pattern. I still have a couple of the casseroles, including one with a warmer. Did you know that they also came with clamp on handles so they could be used on the stove top or easily lifted from the oven?
Thanks for the memories–every time I use my “vintage” Corningware, I think about the person who gave it to me!
Meredith – I picked up a couple of those clamp-on handles from an antique shop to be able to remove from the oven a little easier – love them. Although it doesn’t specifically state it on the Corning, I assumed you couldn’t use them on the stove-top – interesting…
I love the olden pieces and have some too. I use them almost every day! Your stuffed peppers look so delicious.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Shelia, when I make stuffed peppers, I make LOTS and freeze the others for a quick heat-n-eat meal at another time. It gets so hot and humid here in NE Texas in the summertime that I typically do oven cooking in the cooler weather – I’m finishing the bulk of my oven cooking now & my freezer is stuffed. Summertime meals typically do not involve the oven and I actually have a post coming up soon about that.
Very nice post and tribute to your heritage !! What a lovely old photo of your grandparents! 🙂
I have a piece in that pattern. I’ve never tried bell peppers like that – I usually stuff and cook them whole.
Popped by from Paula’s no rules hop
I used to stuff them whole as well Tami, but I found that was usually just too much of a portion size for our tastes. Halving like this makes a pretty presentation and it also makes my stuffed peppers go twice as far – I usually freeze several and bring them out for meals at another time.
I dropped my cornflower dish off the counter about a month ago and I miss it so much! I’m haunting thrift stores to see if I can find a replacement…perhaps it’s time for a trip to ebay?
Oh Lynne, I hate to hear that! Ebay will certainly help replace your dish sooner and easier, but I see Cornflower often at antique shops and that purchase will also support a local business owner. Just a thought.
How wonderful that you have those precious heirlooms from past generations!
I had to click over from gnowfglins because these look just like my corningware. They were my grandmother’s too! I like them so much better than pyrex.
Sherri, it seems there’s a lotta love out there for this Corningware – it’s struck a chord with many ladies so far. Love it!
I recently inherited corning ware from my mom and my mother-in-law. I traded out the plastic containers in my kitchen for a variety of sizes and styles of the corning ware (including your blue). Love it and feel like it is healthier for us.
Oh May, I agree ! I’ve been trying to get the bulk of plastic out of our house for years. I store food in the fridge and pantry only in glass, haven’t found a good solution yet to get plastic out of the freezer but I’m still working on it!
I have been working on getting plastic out of the freezer too and have started using wide-mouth canning jars or the pyrex storage bowls and square dishes. They do have plastic lids but it’s a start! 🙂
Candy, I’ve tried unsuccessfully to use glass in the freezer using canning jars – I guess we move things around too much in our chest freezer and it seems one too many “plinks” on the side of a jar ends up with shattered glass in the bottom of our freezer. I’ll try again, maybe securing them in a box or something? Anyone else have hints on using glass in the freezer?
I love vintage dishes! I do know that we need to be careful though, because particularly the colored ones have lead in them. I’ve read a bit about it, but definitely don’t know it all!
I must admit I’ve never looked into that kind of thing. I know my vintage cookware is microwavable but some other bakeware materials may not be microwave safe so you’d have to check that out as well.
Nice post! I love using vintage casserole dishes too and always look for them at the thrift stores. One of my “treasures” is a set of four different colored Pyrex mixing bowls from the 50s that I picked up about 25 years ago. I just recently got them out and started using them again. 🙂
Nice find, Candy! It just feels different using the true vintage, stuff, doesn’t it?
I love vintage corningware – what a special gift that you get to use your Grandmother’s!
Thanks Ruth (my beloved grandmother’s name was also Ruth!) I do feel emotionally close to her when I’m using her Corning.
I always love to have corningware to cook in but haven’t had any in a while.
I have been on the look out for a set of these. Vintage kitchen Love. I also enjoyed the pic of your Grandma and Grandpa; they made a good-looking couple. I’m a sucker for old pictures. I’m just hopping around.
I enjoyed your post.
thanks Lynn! I see these bake-ware dishes often at antique shops but they’re usually pricey. I cherish mine both for the quality and the warm memories.
I am so glad you shared this post. My mother had this same set! I grew up eating from them. Wow! Great memories. I want a set and look for them at yard sales where I do occasionally snag a piece or two, but people must have figured out how good they are as I see them less and less often, and when I do, their prices rival new pieces.
I also hope to find a set of pots and pans that my Grandma had. I think it was called Guardian? Why do we all seem to have so many happy memories involving food? Holidays?
Have a great week ahead.
Heidi, Food is a comforting and emotional experience, especially when prepared by ones we hold so dear. I tie in memories of amazing cooking with both of my grandmothers and many loved ones around the table, laughing and sharing. Those are happy memories I’ll keep forever. I’ve never heard the cookware name “Guardian” but a quick search on ebay shows several and I do recognize the pictures of the actual cookware – might try looking there or another online search? Good luck!
Ebay has LOTS of vintage pyrex and Fire King pieces. The worst part is the shipping, these babies aren’t lightweight!! I got all of the pieces of the Early American pattern (over a few months) several years ago, and I just LOVE them! I let my kids pick a pattern and I’ve been getting pieces for them in their chosen (vintage) pattern! They all (4) appreciate the quality of the vintage stuff, and were always careful when using them.
We pick up Corning Ware, Pyrex and Fire King pieces whenever we find them at thrift stores or flea market. Can’t beat the old stuff!
I love Corningware! Some of mine is vintage, and some is newer, but I don’t see any difference in quality. Of course, when vintage is available, it’s better for the environment to use it than to buy new stuff.
To me, using quality items is very important. I hate to “save money” only to have it not only under perform but also conk out much sooner than if I had just gotten a quality item in the first place!
I think the way most Granny’s cooked was still the best ! I also have one or two of these casserole dishes which I use as often as I can 🙂 Thank you for sharing this at our ALL MY BLOGGY FRIENDS party !
Linda, I strive to cook the way grandma did. I fall way short of her talent, but I’m working on it! LOL
I love these. My grandmother gave me a set just like these. I started to give them to a family member, but had second thoughts since they were a gift. Now I use them all the time and think warm fuzzy thoughts about them. The new stuff is not as good as the vintage stuff.
Madonna – I couldn’t agree with you more when you said “The new stuff is not as good as the vintage stuff”. It seems often the quality is often just not there anymore.
I love my corning ware pieces and use them all the time! Vintage is great!
Linda – I agree, vintage is great. Not only are they high quality, but they come with warm memories of delicious food served by those that have touched my heart for years.
I’ve used corningware since I was given a dish in 1974. Love it for it’s versatility. One thing I do to help on those days when there isn’t time to cook a meal or you just don’t feel up to it is this: I line my corningware dishes with foil, load in my casserole or meatloaf or stew (or whatever), cook it in the oven, cool it, cover the top with a bit more foil, then freeze in the corningware dish. When your meal is completely frozen, remove foil wrapped meal from the dish, wrap in another layer of foil, and return to the freezer. When you want to use your frozen dinner, remove from the freezer, pop it back into the corningware dish, and either defrost it or put it into a low heat oven directly. Heat until warmed through and eat.