Depression days were sad, happy, and also hectic, yet most of us came out of them with a better understanding and compassion for people.
I believe that one of the hardest parts of the depression was not being able to buy some of the little treats we wanted.
To help us satisfy our sweet tooth we had a favorite cookie recipe. We used our favorite sugar cookie recipe, then we substituted one cup of Karo syrup plus two tablespoons of sugar for each cup of sugar. It didn’t matter if it was dark or light, they still tasted good and Karo syrup was cheaper.
Meat wasn’t too plentiful and we made what I called the end of the garden stew. By taking some of all the vegetables I had in the garden, I boiled them in lightly salted water with one fourth cup of butter or oleo. When tender I thickened them with a milk thickening. When served with baking powder biscuits it was delicious and filling.
Evelyn Williams-Hall
Sioux City, Iowa
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.
