With war-time rationing limiting the amounts of certain products available, homemakers used ingenuity and substitution to prepare meals here at home.
This week’s recipes salute the abilities of homemakers of that era to save much-needed ingredients until the correct amounts were available to make a casserole or muffin.
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Egg and Potato Casserole
4 tbsps. butter
4 tbsps. flour
2 cups milk
4 cups cubed potatoes, cooked
6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
salt, pepper and paprika, to taste
1/2 cup or more cracker crumbs.
Melt butter and blend in flour. Gradually add milk and stir until sauce thickens and lumps are removed. Season to taste with the salt, pepper and paprika.
Place alternate layers of potatoes, eggs and sauce in a buttered baking dish.
Sprinkle top with cracker crumbs. Dot with butter.
Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes. Serves 6-8. Store leftovers in a cool spot.
• • •
Cheese Roast
2 cups grated stale cheese
2 cups cooked kidney or navy beans
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1 tsp. chopped parsley
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups stale bread crumbs
2 tbsps. butter
salt and pepper to taste
Drain the beans and mash. Add with celery and parsley to cheese.
Add egg and mix thoroughly.
Melt butter in a saucepan then add crumbs, mixing well and cooking until slightly browned.
Add crumbs to cheese mixture until thick enough to shape into a loaf. Roll the loaf in the remaining crumbs.
Bake in a moderate oven until heated through and nicely browned. A little minced onion may be added to the loaf, if desired, before cooking.
Slice and serve with a tomato sauce or soup.
• • •
Vegetable Chowder
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup chopped celery or green peas
2 tbsps. butter
4 tbsps. flour
4 cups vegetable water and milk
salt and pepper, to taste
Cook bacon and onion together. Cover vegetables with water and cook. Drain water off and retain for later use.
Melt butter and blend in flour. Add 4 cups vegetable water and cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly.
Add bacon, onion and cooked vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Heat thoroughly before serving.
Note: a bit of milk may be added to the vegetable water when added to the butter and flour.
• • •
Jam Pockets
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsps. sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tbsps. melted butter
homemade jam
Mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Beat egg and add milk.
Make a depression in the flour mixture and then pour in the milk and egg, then melted butter. Stir as little as possible in the mixing.
Turn half the batter into well-greased muffin tins. Add 1 tbsp. homemade jam to each muffin and then top with remaining batter.
Bake in a moderate oven for about 25 minutes. Cool before eating. Makes 24 small muffins.
Joyce Walter can be reached at [email protected]
