I was looking around on the internet today and I got to reading about the Depression Era and recipes they used in order to survive and thought I would put them on here in case someone would want to try any of them to save money. I am planning to try a couple and see how they taste.
**Vintage WW1 Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake
1 cup water
2 cups raisins
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup lard (shortening)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Place water, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, lard (shortening), nutmeg and salt in a saucepan and mix. Place on heat and bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes. Allow to cool, then sift together the flour, baking soda and baking
powder. Stir into cooked mixture.
Place in a greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for one hour.
**Ritz Mock Apple Pie
The classic pie, featuring Ritz crackers baked in a golden crust, is perfect for the holidays.
Pastry for two-crust 9-inch pie
36 RITZ Crackers, coarsely broken (about 1 3/4 cups crumbs)
1 3/4 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Grated peel of one lemon
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Roll out half the pastry and line a 9-inch pie plate. Place cracker crumbs in prepared crust; set aside.
Heat water, sugar and cream of tartar to a boil in saucepan over high heat; simmer for 15 minutes. Add lemon juice and peel; cool.
Pour syrup over cracker crumbs. Dot with margarine or butter; sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll out remaining pastry; place over pie. Trim, seal and flute edges. Slit top crust to allow steam to escape.
Bake at 425°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. Cool completely.
**Buttermilk Johnny Cake
Believe it or not, food was actually pretty cheap during the Great Depression. The problem is, a lot of people didn't have the money to buy food, no matter what it cost. One staple item that was plentiful and cheap was corn meal. Since it often served as a main course, families had to find new and inventive ways of preparing corn meal. One favorite preparation was called Johnny Cake.
1 c. flour
1 c. cornmeal
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. sugar (if desired)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. oil
Pour into 8 inch baking pan. Bake 30-45 minutes.
**Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk (or 2 cups half & half)
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar (white or brown, depending on taste preference)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups bread, torn into small pieces (french bread works best)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Directions:
1. In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk (or half & half) just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly add milk mixture.
3. Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.
4. Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Pour batter on top of bread.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm.
If you make the sauce to put on top of your bread pudding, adjust the sugar in the bread pudding recipe, change it to 1/3 cups sugar (the sauce has the other 1/3 cup in it).
**Bread Pudding Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. flour
dash of salt
Directions:
Mix everything together and bring to a boil for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside for 5 minutes, then pour on warm bread pudding
**Rice Pudding
Grease a glass 9" x 13" glass baking dish with solid shortening.
Preheat oven to 300F.
Ingredients:
½ cup long grain white rice
½ cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk, diluted to make one qt [must use evaporated milk]
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon to taste
Directions:
Place all ingredients except cinnamon in pan. Generously sprinkle top with cinnamon . At least once during the baking, stir cinnamon crust into the rice and sprinkle top again with cinnamon. Let bake until rice is tender, or approximately 1 ½ hours. Let cool and serve either warm or cold.
History:
It seems like every culture around the world has their version of rice pudding. It is a cheap yet tasty luxury which can be eaten as a desert or snack. Again, this is an example of the starchy, "stick to your ribs" fare that was popular during the Great Depression.
**Vegetable Soup
1 quart boiling water
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup cabbage
1 cup potatoes
1 cup tomato juice and pulp
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons fat (lard)
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
4 peppercorns
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Heat onion, pepper, salt, bay leaf, and peppercorns with tomatoes for 20 minutes, over flame or on stovetop.
Add other ingredients to mixture and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add parsley before serving.
**Potato & Cheese Soup
2 cups cooked diced potatoes
2 cups of water (use the same in which the potatoes were cooked)
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons onion juice
2 tablespoons fat (or lard)
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1/8 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup grated cheese (if available)
Dice potatoes and cook slowly until very tender.
Rub through strainer using the potato and the water.
Melt fat, and add dry ingredients. Gradually add the liquids and onion juice.
Sprinkle parsley and cheese on top when ready to serve.
**Stovetop Baked-Beans
1/2 cups beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon shortening (or lard)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato catsup
1/4 cup water
In medium saucepan, brown chopped onion in shortening or lard.
Add beans, brown sugar, catsup, and water.
Stir and cook over low heat and stir for 15 minutes.
**POOR Man's Casserole
1 small head of cabbage
2 large potatoes
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds of hamburger
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt, more or less. depending on taste
pepper to taste
dash of paprika
Cut cabbage into cubes, salt and pepper to taste and cook until well done. Drain. Peel and quarter potatoes. Salt and cook until well done. Drain and mash potatoes with butter but make sure the mash potatoes are on the dry side. Place hamburger in large skillet, add onion and cook until well done. Drain off all the fat. Stir in the cumin. Line baking dish at least 3" inch deep with cabbage. Place meat mixture on top of cabbage. Cover the top with the mash potatoes, sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 25 minutes at 350/o. makes 4 large servings. In the casserole you had your whole meal. Meat potatoes and your vegetable.
**Beef Casserole
1 cup rice
1 quart canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
little pepper
1 small onion
1 pound ground beef
Wash rice thoroughly. Add tomatoes, add seasonings, half the salt and pepper and all the sugar. Let stand for about 2 hours, then add ground beef seasoned with remaining salt, pepper, and the minced onion. Mix all well. Pour into casserole, cover and bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour, then uncover and continue to bake for 30 minutes. If tomatoes are a solid pack, it may be necessary to add just a little water to the mixture. Serves 4
**Hot Dog Casserole
1 large green pepper, cut into long slivers
1 large onion, cut in half, then in long slivers
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons bacon fat
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" inch pieces
8 hot dogs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
dash cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
Preheat the oven at 350/o. In a large frying pan, place green pepper, onion, and garlic in bacon drippings.Saute until slightly tender but not soft. Set the pan aside. Place potatoes in a large saucepan filled with salted water. Cook the potatoes at a slow boil for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. To prepare sauce, put tomato sauce, water, brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, mix well. Add the sauteed vegetables, potatoes and hot dogs to the sauce. Mix well. Place the mixture into a greased 2 quart casserole dish or pan. Cover the dish and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. Allow the dish to set for a few minutes before serving.
**Scalloped Corn
1 can corn
3 eggs
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups sweet milk
1/2 cup soda cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Beat eggs separately, put 1 teaspoon of butter in baking dish and 2 tablespoons butter melted butter into cracker crumbs. Add yokes of eggs, milk, salt and sugar to corn, fold in whites of eggs. Bake in casserole dish for fifty minutes in moderate oven.
**Stuffed Cabbage
1 medium head cabbage
2 ounces pork, chopped fine
2 ounce veal
2 tablespoons butter
2 egg yokes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon onion
1 cup crumbs
1 pimento
Parboil cabbage, drain and let cool. Open leaves and scoop out center of cabbage, save the center and chopped it fine, add bread crumbs, moistened with butter, add meat, seasoning and the cabbage that has been chopped fine. Mix these all together. Stuff into the cavity of the cabbage. fold the leaves back over, and tie with a string to hold. Bake in moderate oven for about 3 hours.
**Spanish Rice
6 slices chopped bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
2 cans canned tomatoes
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup uncooked rice { makes about 3 cups of cooked rice }
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Fry bacon until crisp, remove bacon, then cook onion and green peppers until the onion turns a yellow color. Add all remaining ingredients to the bacon and onion mixture. Bake in greased casserole dish, at 350/o for 30 minutes. If desired sprinkle grated american cheese over the top before baking This recipe will serve 8.
**Poor Man's Bread
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Water
Stir in enough water to make a batter and pour into greased skillet.{ use a cast iron skillet. Fry until brown on each side like a pancake. Taste great with homemade butter and jam.
**Quick, Muffins
1/2 cups of flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup of butter or butter substitute
Mix into a bowl the flour, and baking powder, salt, sugar and egg. Add milk, pour gradually into the bowl with other ingredients, beating with a fork as it is added. When the mixture is smooth, add butter or butter substitute melted. Beat until the dough is smooth and creamy; this takes but a moment. Grease the tins and only fill them half with the batter.Place in hot oven 400 degrees F. Bake 25 Min.
**Depression Cake
1 cup raisins
2 cups cold water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cream butter and sugar until real smooth. Cook raisins in water until water is reduced to 1 cup. Sift all dry ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the raisins and the liquid. Grease and flour a tube or loaf pan. Pour the cake mixture into pan and bake in a 350/o oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until done when tested with a tooth pick in the center of the cake.
**Apple Dumplings
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup milk
4 apples
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; rub shortening in lightly with finger tips. add just enough milk to make a dough. Roll out 1/8 inch thick on floured board; divide into four parts; lay on each part an apple which has been washed, parred, cored and sliced; put one teaspoon sugar with 1/4 of butter on each; wet edges of dough with cold water and fold around apple, pressing tightly together. Place in pan, sprinkle with cinnamon, remainder of sugar and put 1/4 teaspoon butter on each dumpling. Bake about 40 minutes in moderate oven 350/o.
**Fried Macaroni and cheese
1 pound macaroni
3 to 4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound margarine or butter
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Cook macaroni in water and the salt until tender. Drain. In a large skillet, heat the butter or margarine, pour the well drained macaroni into the skillet. Beat the eggs as for scrambled, pour this over the macaroni. Fry on medium heat. Add the shredded cheese over the top and cook until the eggs, macaroni, and cheese are all blended and a golden brown on both sides.
**Wilted lettuce
1 large bowl of fresh clean garden picked lettuce pieces
8 slices of bacon fried and crumbled. {more if you like}
1 small onion diced small
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sugar
Break lettuces into a large bowl and salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients to bacon fat in frying pan. {use not more than 4 tablespoons of the bacon fat} Bring this to a boil stirring constantly, pour over the lettuce, toss lightly with salad fork and spoon until the lettuce is wilted.
*My grandpa made this for us when I was a little kid but he used dandelion greens. He is 99 years old this year!
**DEPRESSION MEXICAN RICE
2 c. uncooked rice
1 lg. can whole tomatoes
3 tsp. chili powder
1 lg. onion
1 lb. bacon
3 c. water
Cut bacon into quarter pieces. Brown until done. Drain some fat off. Wash rice and put in with bacon. Cut up onion. Add tomatoes and chili power. Stir and cook 10 minutes. Add water. Cook until done.
**Depression Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 slices bread
1/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
Directions
In a large bowl, pour milk over bread. Let stand until the milk is absorbed. Add onion, salt and pepper. Stir with fork until bread softens and is light and fluffy. Mix in ground beef. In a shallow baking dish, shape into a 7-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until no pink remains. Yield: 4 servings.
**DEPRESSION MAYONNAISE CAKE
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 c. cocoa
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sugar
Beat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes in tube pan.
**1929 DEPRESSION CASSEROLE
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
Kidney beans (1 can)
5 sliced raw lg. potatoes
3 sliced raw onions
10 oz. bottle catsup
Salt, pepper and garlic powder
Green pepper
Brown ground beef and flavor with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In 9 x 13 inch casserole pan layer kidney beans, sliced raw potatoes, sliced onion, diced green pepper, top with ground beef, and cover with catsup, repeat with a second layer in same order. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. Uncover during the last 15 minutes of baking. May need to add small amount of water if too dry.
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