Depression era recipes & help with leftovers

I'm something of a collector of recipes, especially really thrifty ones. I suppose it comes from raising kids on a very limited income but even though it's just me and the man person now and we're doing okay financially (thanks to YHWH, Dave Ramsey, and our own hard work) I still cook frugally and collect recipes for very inexpensive dishes. In light of that, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Depression era recipes with y'all. Some of these I've found on the web and where I know the site, I note that by making the name a link. Enjoy!


Depression Cake

1 cup shortening
2 cups water
2 cups raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups white sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a saucepan combine the shortening, water, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease one 9 x 13 baking pan.

Stir the flour and baking soda into the cooled raisin mixture and mix until just combined. Pour batter into the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This is actually a very good cake and it's excellent when frosted with homemade icing.


Another Cake Recipe

1 cup water
2 cups raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup lard (shortening)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Place water, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, lard, nutmeg and salt in a saucepan and mix. 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 350 for one hour.


Rice Pudding

Grease a glass 9" x 13" Pyrex dish with solid shortening. Preheat oven to 300.

½ cup long grain white rice
½ cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk, diluted to make one quart
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon to taste

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 the top with cinnamon again. Let bake until rice is tender, approximately 1 ½ hours. Cool and serve or refrigerate and serve cold.


Meatless Loaf

1 cup rice
1 cup peanuts crushed
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients together and bake in a loaf pan for 30 minutes or until loaf is set.

Meatless loaf sounds like a very odd dish and it is but it's tasty!


Homemade Dumplings
This is how my paternal grandmother made dumplings

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons shortening
3/4 to 1 cup milk
2 quarts broth or more

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add shortening then milk until thick batter is obtained. Drop by teaspoonfuls in boiling broth cover and cook covered 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid while cooking.


Bread For the Poor
That's what the same grandmother called this fried bread

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Water

Stir in enough water to make a batter and pour into greased cast iron skillet. Fry like you would a pancake until brown on each side. Spread with butter and jelly and enjoy. Its also nice when sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

And there's a new blog, Not Just Leftovers - Brand New Meals, about creatively using leftovers. Kudos to Janelle for starting it up!