Depression Era recipes..(and others like it)

[redhen]

ooh!..that sounds yum!...

..thanks!

 

[Shag]

When I was a kid growing up my dad used to tell us kids how poor he was growing up. One night he was talking about how they had to eat gruel sometimes because they didn't have anything else to eat. I guess we didn't act like we felt sorry enough for him because he decided he would make us gruel for dinner that night so we could see what it was like. He chopped up an onion and sauteed it in a pan with about a tablespoon of bacon grease. Then he put probably 6 cups or so of water in a boiler and added a few tablespoons of corn meal to it and the sauteed onions and whisked it all out smooth. About the same consistency as when you're making grits. Salt/pepper to taste. He brought it to a boil and then simmered it for just a few minutes and then served us all a big steaming bowl of gruel. We all asked for seconds and would occasionally ask for gruel for dinner in the years to come. I'm 41 now and still cook it for myself sometimes, usually for a breakfast dish. My son has tried it and he really likes it too.

 

[FrChuckW]

Okay these are from Depression Era Recipe Cookbook by Patricia R. Wagner.

Basic Chicken Stock

Bones and Skin from 1-2 chickens
4-8 qts water
1/2 - 1 onion chopped
salt and pepper
1 garlic clove
1-2 Bay Leaves
Put the chicken carcass in a large kettle, cover with water.
Add the onion, bay leaf, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer slowly on the back of the range for several hours.
Strain through a cfolander, pick meat from bones and add to stock. Cool, skim fat off top.

You can make beef stock the same way by using a soup bone or the bones from a roast.

Salmon Croquettes
1 can Salmon
1 Tblspn lemon juice
1 Tblspn butter
2 Tblspn flour
2 c milk
Salt and Pepper
2 egg yolks
1 Tblspn cream
1 1/2 c bread crumbs
More bread crumbs
1 egg beaten

Free Salmon from oil & bones
Shred it carefully. Melt butter in saucepan, and mix in flour, slowly add milk and seasonings. Beat egg yolks with cream and add to milk. Add fish and bread crumbs and cook 3 minutes. When cold, shape into croquettes. Roll in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs again. Fry in deep hot fat.

Enjoy!

 

[redhen]

thanks Chuck!

 

[FrChuckW]

Quote:
Your Welcome, I grew up in a family of 9 children, 2 adults and we always had a veggie garden, and we had a peach tree, pear tree, and an apple tree that my oldest brother had grafted 5 different kinds of apples onto it, so I used to help with the Mom with the canning. My parents were children during WW1 and lived through the Depression also.

So I learned to cook, sew, do some home repairs, garden, etc.

 

[Wifezilla]

Whew! Just went through all 15 pages. That peanut butter cookie recipe sounds yum. I will post a few recipes tomorrow.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
thanks!

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Your Welcome, I grew up in a family of 9 children, 2 adults and we always had a veggie garden, and we had a peach tree, pear tree, and an apple tree that my oldest brother had grafted 5 different kinds of apples onto it, so I used to help with the Mom with the canning. My parents were children during WW1 and lived through the Depression also.

So I learned to cook, sew, do some home repairs, garden, etc.

my grandmother lived through it also...they were on a farm though..and that helped them SO much...them being mostly self-sufficant.....you should try the mock apple pie on the first page..i actually really like it!...

 

[onebuggirl]

Quote:
Add cheese..yum!

 

[CATRAY44]

My mom said her mother would pretend they were have a special treat- they thought it was a really big deal... baked bean sandwiches.. Grandma was smart and the kids didn't realise this was all she had on hand. My mom still thinks of them as a wonderful thing!