Depression Era recipes..(and others like it)
- Thread starter redhen
- Start date
I've been known to use canned tomato sauce with a dash of molasses and some dried mustard (you can use prepared in a pinch) instead of ketchup. A zap of lemon juice or vinegar will help.
I've been trying.
Even Blow Gents (Bluchinda} can be seasoned with pepper instead of cinnamon.
One reason I have been posting the KrautenSnouten aus Russland recipes (my father's paternal ancestry), is that they use simple ingredients that were likely to be available in a farm house even in mid-winter, although eggs and chicken were likely a bit short. At that point the eggs went out of the doughs.
A number of the recipes I've posted were traditionally more likely to be deep fried than baked; but I don't eat lard and I only deep fry a very few things - samosas, tempura, potatoes, etc.
The Bitter Ende
One of the problem with some Depression era recipes is that cuts that were once very cheap - flank steak - are now more expensive - whlle meats that were once very expensive - roasting chickens - are now comparatively inexpensive. Other old bargain items are simply no longer available - I haven't seen a stewing hen in the store in decades.
This dish is actually Irish; it is known as Colcannon
4 large boiling potatoes, suitable for mashing.
1 lb fresh spinach, or one 10 ounce frozen package choppsed spinach
5-6 scallions from the garden, minced. Or substitute chopped onion, chives, or onion greens.
1/2 - 3/4 c milk
4 Tbs butter or margarine (margarine is a very depression era food.)
Peel and dice the potatoes, drop into boiling water.
If the spinach is fresh, wash it, fold the leaves in half, and pull the stems out.
Put the spinach with just the water that clings to the leaves and put it in a pot over high heat until it wilts, about 3-4 minutes. Watch it so it doesn't burn, you may need to toss it.
Remove from heat, lightly press out juices, chop coarsely. In other words, drain and cut.
If you are using frozen spinach, cook lightly according to package directions, only until thawed and slightly wiltedm using the minimum amount of water. Drain.
Mince scallions, small amount of onion, chives, onion greens, or whatever you are using. Scallions are most authentic and flavorful, onions from the backyard are cheapest,
Potatoes should be tender in about fifteen minutes. Drain, place pan over low heat, and shake until moisture is evaporated. Mash them up, put them through a rice, or a food mill, or use a mixer. Add enough milk to make them nicely fluffly without being runny. MIx the spinach and onion/scallion/onion greens/chives with the potatoes, heat gently over low heat stirring constantly. Season to taste with pepper.
Heap in mounds on pots, top with the butter or margarine.
You may also add 2 Tbs. of butter or margarine to the potatoes while mashing them.
One of the problem with some Depression era recipes is that cuts that were once very cheap - flank steak - are now more expensive - whlle meats that were once very expensive - roasting chickens - are now comparatively inexpensive. Other old bargain items are simply no longer available - I haven't seen a stewing hen in the store in decades.
This dish is actually Irish; it is known as Colcannon
4 large boiling potatoes, suitable for mashing.
1 lb fresh spinach, or one 10 ounce frozen package choppsed spinach
5-6 scallions from the garden, minced. Or substitute chopped onion, chives, or onion greens.
1/2 - 3/4 c milk
4 Tbs butter or margarine (margarine is a very depression era food.)
Peel and dice the potatoes, drop into boiling water.
If the spinach is fresh, wash it, fold the leaves in half, and pull the stems out.
Put the spinach with just the water that clings to the leaves and put it in a pot over high heat until it wilts, about 3-4 minutes. Watch it so it doesn't burn, you may need to toss it.
Remove from heat, lightly press out juices, chop coarsely. In other words, drain and cut.
If you are using frozen spinach, cook lightly according to package directions, only until thawed and slightly wiltedm using the minimum amount of water. Drain.
Mince scallions, small amount of onion, chives, onion greens, or whatever you are using. Scallions are most authentic and flavorful, onions from the backyard are cheapest,
Potatoes should be tender in about fifteen minutes. Drain, place pan over low heat, and shake until moisture is evaporated. Mash them up, put them through a rice, or a food mill, or use a mixer. Add enough milk to make them nicely fluffly without being runny. MIx the spinach and onion/scallion/onion greens/chives with the potatoes, heat gently over low heat stirring constantly. Season to taste with pepper.
Heap in mounds on pots, top with the butter or margarine.
You may also add 2 Tbs. of butter or margarine to the potatoes while mashing them.
Mehr Bitter Endet
Rye Bread Soup
This is about as cheap as you can get - you may substitute any liquid suitable for soup for the extravagance of the cheap beer.
4 slices rye bread, preferably with seeds
The traditional housewife would use staling homemade bread so as not to waste it.
3 Tbs butter, margarine, or cooking oil
1 large, sliced onion.
The less expensive yellow boiler onions are usable.
1.5 pints water AND 1/2 bottle of beer (use the 11.5 ounce or 12 ounce size. I use water or non-alcoholic beer.)
OR
1.75 pints water
1 or more hard boiled eggs
pepper, ground, cloves, and/or a pinch of mace or nutmeg.
Remove the crust. Dice the bread. Sautee with onion slices in the fat until onion is translucent. Remove from heat.
Boil the water or water and beer. Pour gently over bread crumb onion mix - be very careful that hot fat does not splash back on you This is why you remove the sautee from the heat *before* you start to boil the liquid.
Add the spices. Simmer for one hour. Puree in blender, food processor, food mill, or other device. Gently reheat.
Float hardboiled egg slices in soup. Serve. Remainder of beer may be served with dinner.
Rye Bread Soup
This is about as cheap as you can get - you may substitute any liquid suitable for soup for the extravagance of the cheap beer.
4 slices rye bread, preferably with seeds
The traditional housewife would use staling homemade bread so as not to waste it.
3 Tbs butter, margarine, or cooking oil
1 large, sliced onion.
The less expensive yellow boiler onions are usable.
1.5 pints water AND 1/2 bottle of beer (use the 11.5 ounce or 12 ounce size. I use water or non-alcoholic beer.)
OR
1.75 pints water
1 or more hard boiled eggs
pepper, ground, cloves, and/or a pinch of mace or nutmeg.
Remove the crust. Dice the bread. Sautee with onion slices in the fat until onion is translucent. Remove from heat.
Boil the water or water and beer. Pour gently over bread crumb onion mix - be very careful that hot fat does not splash back on you This is why you remove the sautee from the heat *before* you start to boil the liquid.
Add the spices. Simmer for one hour. Puree in blender, food processor, food mill, or other device. Gently reheat.
Float hardboiled egg slices in soup. Serve. Remainder of beer may be served with dinner.
Altro Amaro Fine
This is an Italian dish known as Spaghetti Alla Carbonara - or Coal Miner's Wife's Spaghetti.
1 pound package spaghetti
4 eggs
1/2 pound cheapest bacon or turkey bacon or breakfast beef you can find. I have used as little as two slices breakfast beef. You may need to add cooking oil if using a lean turkey bacon.
5 cloves garlic or equivalent dried product.
1/2 - 3/4 c cheapest Parmesan you can find. You can use as little as 1/4 c.
1 Tbs. cooking oil for cooking noodles.
Preheat oven to 250 F.
Lightly oil or grease an oven safe casserole and place in the oven.
Boil water for noodles over high heat.
While the water is coming to a boil, chop up the bacon or substitute meat and the garlic. Place the bacon ONLY in a sautee pan over low heat. The general easy way to do this is to just take out the bacon or substitute slices without separating them, and simply cut across then at 1/2" intervals.
The pieces will separate as they cook, and the will require about eight minutes to cook on low heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
Whip the eggs in a bowl until they are a rich lemon yellow.
When at a full boil, add the spaghetti and drop cooking oil on top to prevent foaming and boil overs. Cook, following package directions, to the al dente or "slightly resistant to the teeth stage." You do not want this spaghetti to be soft.
About five minutes before the spaghetti should be done, return the bacon to the stove on low heat, add the garlic and add cooking oil if needed to make enough fat for cooking the eggs - you will need about 2 Tbs at the minimum.. Do NOT add the eggs.
Remove the preheated casserole from the oven.
Drain the spaghetti using a colander, and place in the casserole
This last step is really going to need two people to do it efficiently, unless you have the coordination of an Olympic athlete.
While one person tosses the spaghetti, the other takes the bowl of eggs in one hand and the hot bacon mix in the other, and simultaneously pours them over the spaghetti, The hot fat should cook the eggs. Then stir in the Parmesan.
Place casserole in the preheated oven for 15 -2 0 minutes. This latter step is a modern addition added to minimize the risk of salmonella and other food borne illness.
This is an Italian dish known as Spaghetti Alla Carbonara - or Coal Miner's Wife's Spaghetti.
1 pound package spaghetti
4 eggs
1/2 pound cheapest bacon or turkey bacon or breakfast beef you can find. I have used as little as two slices breakfast beef. You may need to add cooking oil if using a lean turkey bacon.
5 cloves garlic or equivalent dried product.
1/2 - 3/4 c cheapest Parmesan you can find. You can use as little as 1/4 c.
1 Tbs. cooking oil for cooking noodles.
Preheat oven to 250 F.
Lightly oil or grease an oven safe casserole and place in the oven.
Boil water for noodles over high heat.
While the water is coming to a boil, chop up the bacon or substitute meat and the garlic. Place the bacon ONLY in a sautee pan over low heat. The general easy way to do this is to just take out the bacon or substitute slices without separating them, and simply cut across then at 1/2" intervals.
The pieces will separate as they cook, and the will require about eight minutes to cook on low heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
Whip the eggs in a bowl until they are a rich lemon yellow.
When at a full boil, add the spaghetti and drop cooking oil on top to prevent foaming and boil overs. Cook, following package directions, to the al dente or "slightly resistant to the teeth stage." You do not want this spaghetti to be soft.
About five minutes before the spaghetti should be done, return the bacon to the stove on low heat, add the garlic and add cooking oil if needed to make enough fat for cooking the eggs - you will need about 2 Tbs at the minimum.. Do NOT add the eggs.
Remove the preheated casserole from the oven.
Drain the spaghetti using a colander, and place in the casserole
This last step is really going to need two people to do it efficiently, unless you have the coordination of an Olympic athlete.
While one person tosses the spaghetti, the other takes the bowl of eggs in one hand and the hot bacon mix in the other, and simultaneously pours them over the spaghetti, The hot fat should cook the eggs. Then stir in the Parmesan.
Place casserole in the preheated oven for 15 -2 0 minutes. This latter step is a modern addition added to minimize the risk of salmonella and other food borne illness.
I have a really simple, side dish? I eat it just like it is but not too often, I believe it is VERY fattening but I have never counted any calories.
Boil up whatever amount of your favorite paste you need. For you alone or for your family.
Add salt, pepper and mayo.
That's it. I eat it warm.
Ever have a sugar sandwich? I think my mother invented that when we were kids. One piece of bread, sprinkle on plenty of sugar, fold and eat.
My grandparents used to fold a piece of bread, dip in cold milk and that was dinner.
Peanut butter sandwiches? Put peanut butter in a bowl, add karo syrup or honey. Mix and apply to bread.
Honey sandwich? Put honey in bowl, add butter, mix well and add to bread.
I don't like them but I have seen my kids eat ketchup sandwiches.
Boil up whatever amount of your favorite paste you need. For you alone or for your family.
Add salt, pepper and mayo.
That's it. I eat it warm.
Ever have a sugar sandwich? I think my mother invented that when we were kids. One piece of bread, sprinkle on plenty of sugar, fold and eat.
My grandparents used to fold a piece of bread, dip in cold milk and that was dinner.
Peanut butter sandwiches? Put peanut butter in a bowl, add karo syrup or honey. Mix and apply to bread.
Honey sandwich? Put honey in bowl, add butter, mix well and add to bread.
I don't like them but I have seen my kids eat ketchup sandwiches.
Modern Strudel
This is a very, very, very lazy way to make a traditional BessarabianDeutsche dish, strudel. This is Bertha Biel's food processor method.
2c + 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
About 1c water
Put ingredients into a food processor, and mix until dough forms a ball.
Knead briefly on a floured board.
Roll into a round.
Oil or grease and let rest for two hours or more.
Roll and stretch. Brush with athin coat of warm cooking oil.
Roll up, cut into three inch pieces.
Fry sliced potato in pan.
Remove from heat and add water to cover.
Return to heat, place strudels on top, cover and cook over high heat without lifting lid until all water is evaporated, about 1/2 hour.
A glass lid is useful the first few times you make this dish so you can see the process.
Removing the lid too early makes the strudel tough and undesirable.
This is a very, very, very lazy way to make a traditional BessarabianDeutsche dish, strudel. This is Bertha Biel's food processor method.
2c + 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
About 1c water
Put ingredients into a food processor, and mix until dough forms a ball.
Knead briefly on a floured board.
Roll into a round.
Oil or grease and let rest for two hours or more.
Roll and stretch. Brush with athin coat of warm cooking oil.
Roll up, cut into three inch pieces.
Fry sliced potato in pan.
Remove from heat and add water to cover.
Return to heat, place strudels on top, cover and cook over high heat without lifting lid until all water is evaporated, about 1/2 hour.
A glass lid is useful the first few times you make this dish so you can see the process.
Removing the lid too early makes the strudel tough and undesirable.
I have a recipe for Crazy Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
3 c flour
2 c sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c cooking oli, mild flavored - corn, canola, etc.
2 c warm water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vinegar
Put dry ingredients in a large bow and mix
Make a well, add liquids, mix together with spoon - do not use electric mixer.
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream
Preheat oven to 350 F.
3 c flour
2 c sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c cooking oli, mild flavored - corn, canola, etc.
2 c warm water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vinegar
Put dry ingredients in a large bow and mix
Make a well, add liquids, mix together with spoon - do not use electric mixer.
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream
WWI War Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 c sugar
1/2 c oil (mild flavored, corn, canola, etc. NOT the place for virgin olive oil.)
1 c raisins (more fruit may be added if desired)
1 c water
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
pinch of salt
Boil ingredients together on stove top for five minutes. Allow to cool.
Add 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1/4 c warm water
Sift together
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
OPTIONAL nuts
Add to the boiled mixture. At this point you may add chopped nuts if desired.
Bake 35 - 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 c sugar
1/2 c oil (mild flavored, corn, canola, etc. NOT the place for virgin olive oil.)
1 c raisins (more fruit may be added if desired)
1 c water
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
pinch of salt
Boil ingredients together on stove top for five minutes. Allow to cool.
Add 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1/4 c warm water
Sift together
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
OPTIONAL nuts
Add to the boiled mixture. At this point you may add chopped nuts if desired.
Bake 35 - 40 minutes.
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