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Green Tomato Mincemeat, and Other Depression Era Recipes

By Capper's Staff
Published on February 22, 2012

My father talks about how during the depression era, his family would eat the potato peelings at one meal and the potatoes at the next meal to keep from going hungry.They collected dandelion greens to eat. They had a vegetable garden and fruit trees.

Here are some recipes from that time:

GREEN TOMATO MINCEMEAT

1 peck green tomatoes (cut up)
5 pounds brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons ground cloves
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons allspice
1 cup vinegar

Bring to a boil.

Add:
1 pound raisins
1 pound currants
1/2 peck apples (cut up)
Cook until thick.
Put into canning jars and seal.

 MOLASSES COOKIES

1 cup molasses
1/2 cup soft shortening
21/2 cups flour
13/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

Allow dough to stand at room temperature 20 – 30 minutes. Roll out very thin. Cut rounds with floured cutter. Bake about 7 minutes at 350 degrees.

ONE EGG CAKE 

Combine:
1/2 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg
2 cups flour (sifted)
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sides pull away from edge of pan.

Meredith Sorenson
Fairport, New York


Back in 1955 a call went out from the editors of the then Capper’s Weekly asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first My Folks title – My Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from Capper’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available to our growing online community.