Depression Era Cooking.

[goatsrus]

When they were in a crunch for time and the bread dough was not in the right stage, some used this recipe for lunch.

2 C Flour
1 t Salt
3 t Baking Powder
Combine above and mix. Beat 1 egg slightly, add to 1 c milk, add to flour mixture, roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut into squares. Slit center, and fry in hot fat until brown on both sides.

I thought this might be a good alternative to baking in the heat or lack of electricity, etc.

[goatsrus]

I met a lady a few years ago who experienced the depression and during conversation shared a recipe with me. She had no name for it so I came up with my own name. Sorry but there is no measurements..I just wing it and turns out yummy every time.

Saute:
Can of Spam (cut up in cubes) or cut up Ham
Diced Onion
Diced Green Pepper
Sliced Mushrooms
Add:
Cubed/Shredded Potatoes. Cook until tender.
Whip:
Eggs in a bowl (add pieces of bread to stretch the meal if need be)

Pour over the Spam/potato mixture and mix until eggs are done. Top with shredded cheese and it is done when the cheese is melted.

Note: She told me to use a "chicken fryer" pan.

[goatsrus]

I don't know if this has been posted on TOL before but here goes.

Mashed Potato Donuts

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons butter
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
1 cup milk
3 teaspoons baking powder

Cream sugar and eggs together then add the rest of ingredients.

Use a tablespoon and just drop them into the deep fryer until golden brown.
Let dry on paper towels and cool, then sprinkle with 10 x sugar. Can add cinnamon to 10 x or use granulated sugar with cinnamon.

[goatsrus]

1934 Corn Fritters

These corn fritters turn out light, fluffy and round like hush puppies.

2 eggs
1 can cream corn
1 cup flour
2 TB sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
dash of cayenne

Beat eggs until light and then add corn. stir. Add other ingredients.

You can use a electric skillet to fry in, bringing the oil to the temperature of between 400-450 degrees. Drop by spoonfulls (to a glop) into hot oil. These fritters are so light and fluffy.

Note: Please forgive me if these recipes have already been posted in the past.

[goatsrus]

From what my research into the 1930s has shown to me is one of things they used was stale bread or dumplings to stretch the meals.

4-6 C Flour
1 T Baking Powder
1 t salt
Add milk to make a soft dough.

Drop by spoonfuls into soup.


Personally I just whip up maybe 3 or 4 eggs with 2 c flour (5 or 6 eggs with 3 C flour to make a lot more) and drop by spoon (almond size) into broth or soup. The more flour is used the harder the dumpling. Just periodically slice one open to see if done.

[j303]

Plenty of interesting recipes here

http://recipecurio.com/

vintage, WWII rationing, etc.

Found it searching main dish gelatin mold recipes. Cool!

[preparinginidaho]

I eat like this almost every day.
I can afford food but I make really good stuff from what's laying around.

My 17 yo daughter and I decided the other day to start compiling my "throw together" stuff into a recipe book.
I learned this from mom who was a depression era young woman; born in 1917 and married in 1937

Same here. My mother was born in 1915 and my dad 1910 and this is the way we eat. I have a friend from Germany and was there during the war and her mother could feed the family of 4 on 1 potato a day, so the depression cooking looks like expensive eating compared to that. I think it was for a period of time when Berlin was bombed. She talked about sleeping in a bomb shelter and getting up the next day and seeing her neighborhood bombed and her house still stood. Also, my mother talked more of WWII rationing than she did the depression because they had a cow, chickens and a garden. My dad's family did a lot of hunting and seemed to not have it so good, but my mother was always talking about rationing.

[CVORNurse]

Gotta start copying and pasting and printing. Loving the few recipes I have taken time to look at.

[Davy Crockett]

We had a roast yesterday with fresh potatoes and carrots.
All the meat and potatoes were gone but lots of "gravy" and a couple carrots were left.
I cooked up some more potatoes and carrots with some fresh wax beans.
Poured the gravy over that, buttered a couple pieces of bread to dip.
Delicious

[ChristieAcres]

These day cooking with whole foods, steaming most veggies, sometimes saute' with Pork Lard, very simple hearty healthy dishes. I grow my own herbs to spice with, use very little Sea Salt, and am off of sugar. Right now, will be cutting back on the use of honey, too.