DEPRESSION ERA RECIPES. PLEASE SHARE.

[mommamiaria]

Quote:

Do any of you have any other good Depression era meals that you like to make for your family?

[mommamiaria]

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.

 

[kimmykim]

I made the poor man's meal that was posted in the budget post.  My kids loved it.  What's not to like?! 

My grandmother grew up in the depression and she would always eat leftover rice in a bowl with a little bit of milk and sugar.  I always that she was weird, but it really is quite good.  Kind of like a rice pudding but not thick.  My other grandma grew up in Puerto Rico and they ate rice and beans every day of her childhood, which was during the depression.  Meat was a luxury for them. 

I'm trying to get back to these basics in our daily eating.  I now make all of my own breads, we eat a lot more rice and beans and pasta and being in Idaho during potato harvest season we can get all of the free potatoes that we want as long as we ask the farmers if we can pick over their already harvested fields.  Last harvest we got probably 100 lbs for free!  We now eat less meat unless it is meat that my husband has hunted for.  What have you been doing to cut back on your food costs?

[mommamiaria]

I have been working really hard to cut back on the grocery budget. I have found that making a weekly menu and a grocery list definitely saves me time and money. Of course clipping coupons helps too. I also take advantage of some of the discounted grocery stores in my area. United Grocery has great prices. Today I want to Aldi's and got Broccoli, Carrots, Celery & Cabbage for .99 cents each. On Sunday and Monday our Publix has a special .01 cent item if you spend $10.00. I have gotten coffee, toilet paper and bananas for a penny. Kroger's 10 items for $10.00 can be a great deal. Dollar General has excellent prices on toilet paper, paper towel, detergent, cleaning supplies, shampoo and toothpaste. I also try to make meals that I can freeze half for the next week. This works well for us with spaghetti sauce, chicken soup, lasagna and chili but there are only 3 of us. I try to throw in a hot dog, pizza, mac & cheese, taco, spaghetti, grilled cheese and breakfast meals for dinner. Our budget is still a work in progress.

 

Quoting kimmykim:

I made the poor man's meal that was posted in the budget post.  My kids loved it.  What's not to like?! 

My grandmother grew up in the depression and she would always eat leftover rice in a bowl with a little bit of milk and sugar.  I always that she was weird, but it really is quite good.  Kind of like a rice pudding but not thick.  My other grandma grew up in Puerto Rico and they ate rice and beans every day of her childhood, which was during the depression.  Meat was a luxury for them. 

I'm trying to get back to these basics in our daily eating.  I now make all of my own breads, we eat a lot more rice and beans and pasta and being in Idaho during potato harvest season we can get all of the free potatoes that we want as long as we ask the farmers if we can pick over their already harvested fields.  Last harvest we got probably 100 lbs for free!  We now eat less meat unless it is meat that my husband has hunted for.  What have you been doing to cut back on your food costs?

[kimmykim]

This isn't a food recipe, but its a recipe that has saved me loads of money!  I now make me own laundry soap!  Check out this website for info on how to do it!   http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

[lilmomma20]

goulash......

very cheap.. yummy..quik... and makes a ton!

1 can green beans

1 can corn

1 can tomato sauce

i can tomatoes

canned mushrooms or real (optional)

1 pound ground beef

noodles... i like to use macaroni noodles...

add everything above...except noodles... brown meat first...

boil the noodles as directed and add to the vegetable mixture... its great with cornbread.

[StarMommy77]

My Dad told me stories of folks eating lard sandwiches on the Farm.. gross.. not a recipe.. but an insight as to how bad some people had it back then..

[cinfuq]

Quoting kimmykim:

I made the poor man's meal that was posted in the budget post.  My kids loved it.  What's not to like?! 

My grandmother grew up in the depression and she would always eat leftover rice in a bowl with a little bit of milk and sugar.  I always that she was weird, but it really is quite good.  Kind of like a rice pudding but not thick.  My other grandma grew up in Puerto Rico and they ate rice and beans every day of her childhood, which was during the depression.  Meat was a luxury for them. 

I'm trying to get back to these basics in our daily eating.  I now make all of my own breads, we eat a lot more rice and beans and pasta and being in Idaho during potato harvest season we can get all of the free potatoes that we want as long as we ask the farmers if we can pick over their already harvested fields.  Last harvest we got probably 100 lbs for free!  We now eat less meat unless it is meat that my husband has hunted for.  What have you been doing to cut back on your food costs?

My dad said when they were growing up in Portugal they ate rice with milk and sugar also but it was for breakfast! lol! I totally hear you about the potatoes I live in Idaho also! Where in Idaho do you live?

[kimmykim]

 We live in Shelley, ID.  :)

[mom4life327]

I always have to watch what I spend so I try to get things that I can make more than one meal out of. Like I bag chicken breast in a bag at wal mart their kind. Most of the time I can get 2 or 3 meals out of it.

Sweet bbq chicken

 1/4 cup of bbq sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup pancake syrup

a dash of salt, pepper, and meat tenderizer

Take 3 or 4 of the chicken breast and put them in a skillet with just enough water to cover the bottom. While that is starting to cook in a bowl mix everything together. Cook chicken for about 10 minutes, than turn it adding 1/2 of your bbq mixture. Cook for about 10 more minutes than turn again adding the rest of the mixture. Cook until chicken is done. About 5 more minutes.

It is great add your favorte bread and make it a sandwich.

[AuntieV]

I am really happy to see this post. My Grandma used to make something she called "mock chicken legs". I remember that I loved these when she fixed them but have no idea how to make them. I know it was some form of meat ground up and mixed with other things. After mixing everything she would form the "chicken leg" on a skewer and make a bread crumb coating and fry them like fried chicken. 

I find the idea of mock chicken funny today because most of the time chicken costs less than beef or pork.

Also I am sitting here right now with about 200 cookbooks in front of me. Many are from the 1960-1980's. There are several that were community cookbooks. If anyone is looking for something from an old cookbook let me know I might be able to find it. (I am sorting out Mom's cookbooks and deciding what ones I am keeping)