WWll Menu

WWll Menu

WWII Recipes

During World War II, cooks made the best of rationed ingredients and others in short supply by making cakes without milk, butter, eggs or white sugar. Substitute sweeteners were used; lard or shortening replaced butter. Called War Cakes, they often were dark and heavy boiled raisin cakes that were sweetened with brown sugar and flavored with spices. This recipe is from "Square Meals: America's Favorite Comfort Cookbook" by Jane Stern and Michael Stern.

War Cake No. 1

1 cup dark brown sugar
1-1/4 water
1/3 cup shortening
2 cups raisins
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

In a saucepan, mix sugar, 1-1/4 cups water, shortening, raisins, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Boil 3 minutes; cool. Dissolve soda in the 2 teaspoons water and add to the mixture. Blend salt, soda, flour and baking powder and add to the raisin mixture. Pour into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes.

This War Cake was sweetened with honey, which wasn't rationed. The recipe comes from "Grandma's Wartime Kitchen: World War II and the Way We Cooked" by Joanne Lamb Hayes.

War Cake No. 2

2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup honey
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for a light topping (optional)

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cream shortening in a large bowl and beat in the honey, eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Transfer batter to a greased and floured 8-inch square cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar.

To stretch their allowance of meat, homemakers added ingredients to increase the quantity. In this eggless meatball recipe, from "Fashionable Food" by Sylvia Lovegren, rice is added to ground beef to increase the volume.

Porcupine Meatballs

1-1/2 pounds ground meat (a mixture of beef, pork, or ground sausage, as desired)
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon oil or shortening
1 cup water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1-1/2 cups milk

Combine ground meat, rice and 1 teaspoon salt. Shape into meatballs. Heat oil or shortening in a Dutch oven and brown meatballs on all sides. Add water, cover and roast for 1 hour.

Remove meatballs to serving bowl and keep warm. Combine flour, allspice and 1/2 teaspoon salt with the milk. Add milk mixture to drippings in the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Spoon over meatballs and serve. Yield: 6 servings.

Many cookbooks published during World War II helped homemakers feed their families despite food rationing and shortages. In "Thrifty Cooking for Wartime," published in 1942 by the MacMillian Co., author Alice B. Winn-Smith offered this recipe for a meatless casserole.

Nut Casserole

2 quarts of water, salted
1 cup spaghetti or macaroni
1 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup grated cheese
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 cups thick tomato juice or canned tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

Drop the spaghetti or macaroni into boiling salted water and cook until tender (not soft). Drain and lightly mix with the peanuts, grated cheese and onion; place in a greased casserole. Season the tomatoes with the salt and pepper, and pour them over the spaghetti. Mix the melted butter with the bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until nicely browned.

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