Depression Era Cooking and Recipes

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Back to the Depression Era of Frugal Cooking

In this uncertain economy I have noticed many people talking about Depression Era Cooking. Today's cooks are looking back to the Great Depression to see what people did to survive. How did they cook? How did they keep their families fed? There is an undertone of anxiety about what is in store for our country and our families. How will we make ends meet if things get really bad? I hope to provide some insight into this question with some suggestions for cheap easy meals and some Great Depression recipes. Click here if you are looking for a frugal cookbook.
This photo is of a woman and the storage of her garden produce. (public domain)

Frugal Cooking

Frugal Meals

U.S. Food Administration, Ration Diet
Buy This Allposters.com

During the first World War, the American government went to work to help homemakers learn how to be frugal in their cooking. Booklets and pamphlets were distributed with the reasons why people needed to be frugal, along with frugal recipes. There was a world war, crop failures, and famine in Europe. America needed to feed her fighting troops overseas and also her allies.

American homemakers were taught to save:

Wheat-use more corn
Meat-use more fish and beans
Fats-use just enough
Sugar-use syrups

The US Food Administration advised about food:

1. Buy it with thought
2. Cook it with care
3. Serve just enough
4. Save what will keep
5. Eat what will spoil
6. Home grown is best

When the Great Depression hit about 10 years later there was some history and knowledge in place of how to make frugal meals and how to get the most out of your food supply.

How do you preserve the harvest?

Putting Food By

You may elaborate in the comments section.

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Gardening and Canning

Gardening Ensures a Fresh, Frugal & Healthy Food Supply

Fresh fruits and vegetables could not easily be shipped overseas so families were encouraged to grow them to supplement their diets here at home. At harvest time the produce could be canned or dried to help the family stay well fed and nourished during the winter. They canned tomatoes and tomato juice, green beans, peaches, cherries and many more fruits and vegetables. Many families grew cucumbers for pickle making as well. Produce such as potatoes, carrots, onions and pumpkins would keep for a long time. Making jams and jellies was another way to preserve the harvest.

Back to Basics 5-Piece Home Canning Kit

Home Canning Set

Back to Basics 286 5-Piece Home Canning Kit

Amazon Price: $5.85 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

All of the Back to Basics essential canning tools in one simple kit. Includes: Canning Funnel, Jar Wrench, Jar Lifter, Kitchen Tongs, and Magnetic Lid Lifter.

Water Bath Canning

Porcelain Water-Bath Canner with Rack

Columbian Home 0707-1 Granite Ware 21-1/2-Quart Steel/Porcelain Water-Bath Canner with Rack

Amazon Price: $18.97 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

Amazon's Product Description: Six generations of Americans have been using Granite Ware canners to preserve fruits and vegetables. The dark porcelain surface and steel core absorbs energy and evenly distributes heat to the contents. The result is a canner that heats rapidly. The canner is perfect for preserving tomatoes or fruit, processing 7 quart jars at a time.

7-Quart Aluminum Home Steam Canner

Home Canning Set

Back to Basics 400A 7-Quart Aluminum Home Steam Canner

Amazon Price: $34.95 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

The Back to Basics Steam Canner helps save you time and energy during canning season. Uses less water than conventional water bath canners thus reducing preheating time significantly. Simple and easy to use for both the novice and seasoned canner.

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Bell Home Preserving Book

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Amazon Price: $12.34 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

The Bell company is the expert when it comes to preserving your harvest, the gold standard if you will. This book is the "bible" of home preserving.

Putting Food By

For Frugal Meals

Putting Food By: Fifth Edition

Amazon Price: $9.65 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

Another classic book on preserving food including freezing and canning. This edition includes fresh content on freezing, convenience food, and gifts.

Do you do any gardening?

Do you grow any of your own food?

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Many Communites have Community Gardens

Gardening and Canning Can Save Money

Community Gardens

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com

Build Community and Grow Your Own

Many towns and cities are starting Community Gardens.

In tough times it is good to get to know your neighbors. A community garden is a great way to get to know people and learn to share and work together. You could probably grow different crops and then do some trade and bartering.
Community Gardens
Ben and Dee Andrews believe strongly in the value of locally grown food and the benefit of growing some of it yourself.

That belief fueled their successful effort to win a $5,000 grant to help the Guide Meridian/Cordata Neighborhood Association start a community garden. Work is expected to start early March, with the beds ready for planting early May.

Families have signed up for half of the 50 raised beds planned for the garden, and efforts are under way to spread the word to other would-be gardeners in the north end of town. Organizers hope to hold events at the garden, involve children, and provide any surplus bounty to needy residents.
American Community Gardening Association
Starting a Community Garden

There are many ways to start a community garden. Whether you're working with friends, neighbors, or a local organization, there are many things you'll want to consider before you ever dig the first hole.

This fact sheet is designed to give many different groups the basic information they need to get their gardening project off the ground

Grow Your Own Food

Victory Gardens

Seeds and Books on Seeds

Heirloom Seeds

Heirloom seeds are very valuable because you can save the seed from year to year. Some companies will even buy the heirloom seeds back from you. If you have a small farm this can be very profitable. How bad do you think it will get? Check out Survivalist Seeds for their perspective.
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Squash is Very Easily Grown

Bountiful and Nutritious

What did our Grandmothers and Great Grandmothers cook?

Depression era recipes

Soups provided a good hot meal and were a way to use up leftovers so they didn't get wasted. This is still true today. Into the stockpot goes the bones, fat and any other part of the meat that no one eats. Throw in onion skins for color. Toss in carrot peelings and the ends snapped off of fresh green beans. All of this would otherwise be wasted and it can add nutrients to your stock. It will all be strained out and you will be left with a flavorful and nutritious base for soup.

Here are some soup recipes historically used when times were hard. All of these recipes come from government pamphlets which are in the public domain. All the recipes were designed to show housewives how to economize on wheat, meat, fats and sugar. It was very important not to waste food.

Photo is the Volunteers of America Soup Kitchen in Washington D.C. Great Depression (public domain)

Vegetable Soup

Depression Era Soup, Simple and Nourishing

VEGETABLE SOUP

1 qt. boiling water
½ cup carrots
½ cup cabbage
1 cup potatoes
1 cup tomato juice and pulp
1 tablespoon minced onion
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons fat
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
4 peppercorns
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat onion, pepper, salt, bay leaf and peppercorns with tomatoes for 20 minutes. Strain. To juice and pulp add other ingredients and cook slowly 1 hour. Add parsley just before serving.

Cream of Carrot Soup

Another versatile Depression Era Recipe

CREAM OF CARROT SOUP

2 cups diced carrots
2 cups water
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fat
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt

Cook the carrots in the water until tender. Melt the fat, add dry ingredients, add gradually the 1 cup water in which the carrots were cooked and the milk. When at boiling point, serve with a little grated raw carrot sprinkled over top of soup. Any vegetable, raw or cooked, may be used in the same way. (cauliflower, cabbage, peas, turnips, etc)

Potato and Cheese Soup

Old Time Cooking

POTATO AND CHEESE SOUP

2 cups cooked diced potatoes
2 cups water in which potatoes were cooked
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons onion juice
2 tablespoons fat
3 tablespoons flour
1½ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
¼ cup grated cheese

Dice potatoes and cook slowly until very tender. Rub through strainer, using potato and the 2 cups of water. Melt fat, add dry ingredients and gradually add the liquids and onion juice. When ready to serve, sprinkle parsley and cheese over top.

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's

Frugal Cookbook

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's and More From Your Kitchen Today, Vol. 1 (Stories & Recipes of the Great Depression)

Amazon Price: $17.65 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

Amazon Product Description: "Rita Van Amber, a child of the Great Depression, is passionate about preserving the authentic personal history of that era as it happened in homes across the country. Her project was born from a desire to commemorate the women who so valiantly struggled to feed their families and make do in the midst of barren cupboards and discouraged husbands, as she saw her mother do firsthand. Her daughter and co-author, Home Economist Janet Van Amber Paske, learned economical and nutritious cooking at her mother's knee and shares her recipes and techniques in the bonus section."

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's and Low-Fat Pantry Cooking, Volume II

Frugal Cookbook

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's and Low-Fat Pantry Cooking, Volume II (2 Cookbooks in 1)

Amazon Price: $15.75 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

The second book in this series includes stories of those who lived through the Great Depression. There are recipes that ended up becoming comfort food but yet are simple and inexpensive to make. Also includes tips on making good use of your pantry.

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's, Volume III

Frugal Cookbook

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's, Volume III

Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

Third in the series includes more stories from Great Depression survivors and authentic recipes of the times.

Stories And Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's, Volume IV

Great Depression Recipes

Stories And Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's, Volume IV (Stories & Recipes of the Great Depression)

Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

Rita and Janet are a mother-daughter team with skills in story telling, home economics, and editing. This makes for a fresh perspective on the Great Depression, its survivors, and the food. There are new stories here, told in the dialect of the times.

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's, Volume V

Great Depression Recipes

Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's, Volume V

Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

This book is the 5th and final in the series, with more stories, more recipes, a recipe index for the series, and a tribute to WWII veterans. The author relates some of her personal experiences that prompted her to write these books.

Depression Era Cooking

Old Time Cooking

Clara's depression era recipes have become very popular on YouTube. Now you can buy her cook book and DVD.


Clara's Kitchen: Wisdom, Memories, and Recipes from the Great Depression


Great Depression Cooking with Clara (season 1)

Three Types of Lentils

Depression Era One Dish Meal

Lentils with Rice and Tomatoes, A Meatless Meal

LENTILS WITH RICE AND TOMATOES

¾ cup lentils
1 cup rice
1 quart tomatoes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon bay leaf
¼ teaspoon sage

Soak lentils over night; drain; add one quart fresh water and one teaspoon of salt. Cook slowly until tender. Add other ingredients. Steam or bake for 45 minutes.

Serve with fruit or a dessert and bread and butter.

Corn on the Cob

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com

Corn, Rice, and Cheese Casserole Recipe

Meatless Cooking

RICE WITH CORN AND CHEESE IN BROWN SAUCE

½ cup rice
1 cup cheese
1 cup corn
1½ cup milk
¼ cup fat
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Melt fat until brown. Add flour and seasonings. Heat until brown. Add milk gradually. When at boiling point add other ingredients. Place in baking dish and bake 45 minutes.

Serve with fruit or a dessert and bread and butter.

Little Heathens:

Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression

Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression

Amazon Price: $7.29 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

This is a chronicle of the author's childhood in Iowa during the Great Depression. It is very interesting to read about the things they did to make ends meet and keep everyone fed and happy. The author, her siblings, and her mother lived with their grandparents. She says the only things her grandparents spent money on were tea," coffee, sugar, salt, white flour, cloth and kerosene." Most everything else was produced on their farm or done without.

A Good Day's Work: An Iowa Farm in the Great Depression

Life During the Great Depression

A Good Day's Work: An Iowa Farm in the Great Depression

Amazon Price: $16.00 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

This is a book about life on an Iowa farm during the Great Depression. This was when farms were beginning to modernize, transitioning from using horses to tractors, all at a time when the economy was suffering and everyone was experiencing scarcity and poverty. Even though times were hard, the book does recount happy times too.

Kate Aitken's Canadian Cookbook

Kate Aitken's Canadian Cookbook

Kate Aitken's Canadian Cookbook


Kate Aitken was considered the Canadian Martha Stewart of her time. She had a national radio show, and was the Women's Editor of the Montreal Standard. She had quite a following. From the 1930s to the 1950s she was a role model for Canadian women, helping them with recipes and homemaking tips. Kate called her book "a handy, inexpensive guide to healthful daily living." It includes not only recipes but nutritional advice, cooking tips, and advice to brides. See her recipe for "Mock Filet Mignon" below.

Mock Filet Mignon

One of Kate Aitken's Cheap Easy Meals

The great depression years were a time of substituting and making do. Many "Mock" recipes were invented such as this one, basic but tasty.

I made this recipe tonight and tested it on my family. I had made the "pucks" earlier and had them in the freezer so tonight I just had to make the mashed potatoes. Everyone liked it and said they would eat it again. Even my son who doesn't like bacon liked it. He did ask me if I would try it with turkey bacon so next time we will try that. The potato patties did spread out and were a little greasy from the meats but it all tasted good. Mock Filet Mignon was a success here. July 30, 2010

Mock Filet Mignon

INGREDIENTS
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/3 cup chili sauce
1/4 tsp dry mustard
Dash of pepper and paprika
1 small onion (1/2 cup) finely diced
6 strips bacon (about 1/4 pound)
2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup hot milk
1/2 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine meat, chili sauce, mustard, pepper, paprika and onion, mixing well. Shape into 6 pucks about 2 inches tall. Wrap strip of bacon around each; fasten with toothpick. Set aside.
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling water until soft enough to mash, about 20 minutes.
Beat potatoes with hot milk and salt. Form into six flat patties big enough to hold the mock filets; place on baking sheet. Top with meat.
Bake 10 minutes in 450F oven; reduce to 350F and bake 30 minutes, until bacon is crisp and meat is cooked through.

Kate Aitken Cookbooks on eBay

What Kate Aitken Cookbooks does eBay have?

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Great Depression Recipes

Old Time Cooking

One of my grandmothers would often make fried hamburger patties with brown gravy. The gravy was served over a piece of bread. She also made delicious Applesauce Cookies which she handed out on Halloween.

My other grandmother would make a mixture of elbow macaroni, stewed tomatoes and cottage cheese. I never liked it but my brother did. Mom says they would also make "hamburger" patties out of eggs and oatmeal. She doesn't remember what else was in them but she says they were pretty good. Grandma would serve plain boiled potatoes and boiled pork. Meals were made with ingredients that were inexpensive and far from fancy. Grandma lived on a farm and kept chickens. She made the most wonderful strawberry rhubarb jam. I wish I had that recipe!

Mom would make us creamed dried beef gravy over toast. Sometimes it would be creamed tuna on toast. I think this recipe originated in the Depression era.

Grandma's Applesauce Cookies

Grandma's Recipes

GRANDMA'S APPLESAUCE COOKIES

3/4 cup soft shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts

Mix thoroughly, shortening,brown sugar and egg. Stir in applesauce. Sift together four, salt, soda, and spices and stir in. Mix in raisins and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F or 10 to 12 minutes.

Yield: 4 dozen

Pattern MISSES' APRONS

VINTAGE RETRO STYLE

Simplicity 4282 Sew Pattern MISSES' APRONS 6 Styles VINTAGE RETRO STYLE

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Did your grandmothers wear aprons like this? Mine did.

* Simplicity Pattern
* Misses' Aprons - 6 Styles
* Vintage / Retro Style
* Size S, M, L

Depression Era Meatless Recipe

Meatless Cooking for the sake of being frugal

WELSH RAREBIT

1 cup of cheese
1 cup of milk
¼ teaspoon of mustard
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon of fat
1 teaspoon of salt
1 egg

Put milk and cheese in top of double boiler over hot water. Heat until cheese is melted. Mix other ingredients. Add to cheese and milk. Cook five minutes, stirring constantly, and serve at once on toast.

Depression Era Breakfast

Meatless Cooking

POLENTA

1 cup cooked cornmeal mush
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup cheese
1/8 teaspoon pepper

While mush is hot, place ingredients in layers in baking dish. Bake 20 minutes.

My mom would sometimes make cornmeal mush for breakfast. She would slice the cornmeal mush, fry it and serve it with butter and syrup. She was born in 1929 and grew up during the Great Depression so maybe this was a hold over from that time.

Depression Era Techniques for Cutting Down on Sugar

Frugal Cooking

Our grandmothers knew how to prepare many dishes without sugar. In their day molasses, sorghum, and honey were commonly used for sweetening. There are many methods of supplying the necessary food value and sweetening without using sugar.

Dried fruits, raisins, dates, prunes and figs, which contain large amounts of natural sugar, may be added to desserts and cereals instead of white sugar. Maple sugar and maple syrup were used when available.

Eggless, Butterless, Milkless, Sugarless Cake

One wonders if it was tasteless too

EGGLESS, BUTTERLESS, MILKLESS, SUGARLESS CAKE

1 cup corn syrup
2 cups water
2 cups raisins
2 tablespoons fat
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1½ cups fine cornmeal, 2 cups rye flour; or, 3½ cups whole wheat flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder, or, ½ teaspoon soda

Cook corn syrup, water, raisins, fat, salt and spices slowly 15 minutes. When cool, add flour, soda or baking powder, thoroughly blended. Bake in slow oven 1 hour. The longer this cake is kept, the better the texture and flavor. This recipe is sufficient to fill one medium-sized bread pan.

Crumb Spice Pudding

Depression Era Sugarless Dessert

CRUMB SPICE PUDDING

1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 pint hot milk
Let stand until milk is absorbed.

¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup molasses
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
½ teaspoon mixed spices, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, mace and ginger
2/3 cup raisins, dates and prunes (steamed 5 minutes)

Mix and bake 45 minutes.

Nabisco-Ritz Crackers

For Depression Era Mock Apple Pie

Nabisco-Ritz Crackers, 4/11.3oz Packs

Amazon Price: $6.98 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

Great for a snack or at a party. Good with cheese or a spread. Ritz Crackers are what you need to make Mock Apple Pie. 3 pounds

Mock Apple Pie

Great Depression Recipes

Mock Apple Pie

Depression Era Cooking

When searching for Depression Era recipes I kept seeing a recipe for Mock Apple Pie made with Ritz Crackers,which supposedly originated during the Great Depression. I had to do a little research on that because I didn't know when Ritz Crackers were introduced.

I learned that Ritz Crackers were introduced by the National Biscuit Company in 1934. In 1935 they introduced Mock Apple Pie using Ritz Crackers. This was not a totally original invention. Housewives were using soda crackers to make pies as early as the 1800s. Using Ritz Crackers was new. Mock Apple Pie really was a recipe from the Great Depression and it still enjoys some popularity today.

This recipe was created by Nabisco and was found on the back of Ritz Cracker boxes. Now it can be found at: The Kraft Foods Website

MOCK APPLE PIE~DEPRESSION ERA RECIPE

What you will need:

pastry for 2-crust 9-inch pie
36 RITZ Crackers, coarsely broken (about 1-3/4 cups crumbs)
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cream of tartar
Grated peel of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

HOW TO MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Roll out half of the pastry and place in 9-inch pie plate. Place cracker crumbs in crust; set aside.

MIX sugar and cream of tartar in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in 1-3/4 cups water until well blended. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes. Add lemon peel and juice; cool. Pour syrup over cracker crumbs. Dot with 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 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. Cool completely.

Depression Era Mentality

Make do with what you have.

My grandparents raised their family during the Great Depression. This left a mark on them for all their lives. They lived in a tiny, run down house and drove an old pick up truck. When my Granddad died and Grandma moved into a nursing home, Mom and her sister cleaned out their house. Tucked away in drawers and closets they found brand new dresses that Grandma never wore. There were brand new sets of sheets and pillow cases that were never used. She was wearing threadbare dresses and using threadbare sheets and saving the new things until they were absolutely needed.

Also tucked away in drawers and in the pockets of coats, and hidden here and there, they found money. A twenty dollar bill here, a fifty there until they had several thousand dollars. That was my Granddad, distrustful of banks and wanting to make sure his girls got his money. My grandparents lived extremely frugally even when they no longer had to.

Hobos

Great Depression

Hobos during the Great Depression

public domain photo

Hobos and the Depression Era

Photos of the Great Depression

What is a hobo? Here is what Wikipedia on Answers.com says, "A hobo is a term which is often applied to a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless. The term originated in the Western-probably Northwestern-United States during the last decade of the 19th century. Unlike 'tramps', who work only when they are forced to, and 'bums', who do not work at all, 'hobos' are workers who wander."

This page on Answers.com gives a pretty complete explanation of what hobos were. It explains when the word surfaced, the etymology of the word, its history and more.

This term may be somewhat politically incorrect today. The closest example we have today might be "homeless" but hobos and homeless are not quite the same thing.

During the Great Depression hobos would ride the trains. Some were looking for work, some were running away from something and some were looking for a new start where things might be better. Sometimes they would come up to houses and ask for a handout. If they got a handout they would mark the house to let other hobos know that this was a house where they could get something to eat.

We lived near a railroad track in rural Iowa and I remember my mom talking about the hobos and how they would mark your house if you gave them a handout, but I don't remember a hobo ever stopping at our house.

Wikipedia on Hobos:

To cope with the difficulty of hobo life, hobos developed a system of symbols, or a code. Hobos would write this code with chalk or coal to provide directions, information, and warnings to other hobos. Some signs included "turn right here", "beware of hostile railroad police", "dangerous dog", "food available here", and so on. For instance:

* A cross signifies "angel food," that is, food served to the hobos after a party.
* A triangle with hands signifies that the homeowner has a gun.
* Sharp teeth signify a mean dog.
* A square missing its top line signifies it is safe to camp in that location.
* A top hat and a triangle signify wealth.
* A spearhead signifies a warning to defend oneself.
* A circle with two parallel arrows means to get out fast, as hobos are not welcome in the area.
* Two interlocked humans signify handcuffs. (i.e. hobos are hauled off to jail).
* A Caduceus symbol signifies the house has a medical doctor living in it.
* A cat signifies that a kind lady lives here.
* A wavy line (signifying water) above an X means fresh water and a campsite.
* Three diagonal lines mean it's not a safe place.
* A square with a slanted roof (signifying a house) with an X through it means that the house has already been "burned" or "tricked" by another hobo and is not a trusting house.
* Two shovels, signifying work was available (Shovels, because most hobos did manual labor).

Even in Hard Times it is Good to have Treats!

Hershey's Chocolate

Is there a depression coming?

What can we expect?

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Depression Era Recipes in the Blogs

Depression Era Cooking

Flying squirrel and other Depression era treats
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Don't blame fun Forum recipes
I enjoyed hearing back after asking my Depression-era parents if they had ever eaten the mashed potato candies featured not too long ago in the Forum. My son and his peers really enjoyed having 7-Up cake at his 15th birthday party -- more tied in to my ...

Recipe Binders

For the Frugal Cook

Avery Binder Retro CAN LABELS Shopper Coupon Saver binder


Don't see a recipe binder here that you like? Just click on the banner below and choose from the thousands of binders available in the Zazzle marketplace. It's a pretty certain thing that you'll be able to find a binder that you like. Recipe binders are really great for organizing your recipes. A frugal cook is an organized cook!
Custom Binders

Do you think we are headed for another Great Depression?

Do you think we are already in a depression?

There is truly nothing new under the sun and history seems to move in cycles. Maybe we can learn from our grandparents how to weather unsettling economic times

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