As Election Day approaches and we prepare to vote (after having a hearty breakfast of course!), we thought it would be nice to share some recipes we’ve come across from the hard cooking folks at the White House Kitchen.

These recipes offer a fascinating look at the changing tastes of historical American cuisine as well as some of the foods and meals preferred by each administration. Enjoy!

President George W. Bush:

• Potato, Leek, and Sorrel Soup

• Texas Green Chili and Hominy Casserole

• Grilled Chicken Breast With Lemon Pasta and Broccoli/ Fresh Tuna and Olive Salad

• Filet of Beef With Three-Peppercorn Sauce/ Huevos Rancheros with Fresh Tortillas and Red Beans (Please scroll midway down the page to read these recipes)

• Sizzling Steak Fajitas

• Christmas Cherry Trifle

• From the 2005 Inaugural Menu: Coca-Cola Brined Pilgrim’s Pride Turkey With Dunkin Donuts Old-Fashioned Cake Doughnut Sweet and Savory Stuffing (Here’s a photo of the menu.)

• Tex-Mex Chex

• Recipes From Laura Bush

President Bill Clinton:

• Minted Pea Soup/ Pan-Seared Sea Bass with Saffron Risotto and Caponata Sauce/ Chelsea’s Chocolate Chip Cookie

• Pecan-Crusted Lamb with Morel Sauce and Red-Curried Sweet Potatoes/ Porterhouse Steak with Béarnaise Sauce and Onion Rings

• 1996 White House Holiday Recipes: Fruit Punch/ Spice Fruit Bars/ Christmas Cookies/ Smoked Salmon with Peppercorn Crust and Tarragon Mustard/ Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing/ Butternut Squash Salsa

• Bill Clinton’s Lemon Chess Pie

• White House Egg Nog

President George H.W. Bush:

• Barbara Bush’s All-American Clam Chowder

• Barbara Bush’s Chocolate Chips

President Ronald Reagan:

• Hamburger Soup

• White House Chicken

• Ronald Reagan’s Macaroni and Cheese

President Jimmy Carter:

• Rhubarb Parfait

• Rosalyn’s Peanut Butter Pie

• Rosalynn Carter’s Sour Cream Pound Cake

President Gerald Ford:

• Blueberry Banana Bread

• Chocolate Icebox Dessert

President Richard Nixon:

• Pat Nixon’s Meatloaf

• White House Cookies

President Lyndon B. Johnson:

• White House Swiss Steak

• Pedernales River Chili

• Pickled Okra

• Lace Cookies

• LBJ’s Favorite BBQ Sauce

• Spoon Bread

President John F. Kennedy:

• White House Hot Fruit Dessert

• Puree Mongole Soup

President Dwight D. Eisenhower:

• Million Dollar Fudge II

• Ozark Pudding

• Catfish Creole

• Coconut Balls/ Fruit Punch/ Bing Cherry Salad/ Frozen Lemon Pie

President Franklin D. Roosevelt:

• Country Captain

President Howard Taft:

• Pumpkin Pie

President William McKinley:

• Johnny Cakes

President Abraham Lincoln:

• Scalloped Oysters

• White Almond Cake

President John Quincy Adams:

• Fish Chowder

President Thomas Jefferson:

• Thomas Jefferson’s Own Recipe For Vanilla Ice Cream

• Bread Pudding

• Deviled Crab

• Chicken Fricassee

• Muffins

President John Adams:

• Apple Pan Dowdy

President George Washington: (Although He Never Lived in the White House)

• Martha Washington’s Great Cake/ Fruit Cake/ Devil’s Food/ Pie/ Cookies/ Candy

• Martha Washington’s Hoecakes

Some Related Books About Presidential Cooking:

• The White House Cook Book (1889) by Fanny Lemira Gillette

• White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen by Walter Scheib

• All the Presidents’ Pastries: 25 Years in the White House by Roland Mesnier

• White House Family Cookbook by Henry Haller

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