Flat-Broke Food: The Grand Finale

By now, you've worked your way through a week's worth of foods that are a triple threat: frugal, easy to make and most of all -- tasty. Need more ideas? You'll find my personal list on the Brickworks blog: A Dozen Frugal Cookbooks You've Never Heard Of (Plus Two You Have). There are many more dishes out there to try, especially in cookbooks that detail other countries' cuisines. Thanks to a Denver restaurant, New Saigon, I've been inspired to fool around with Vietnamese food (lighter, spicier, lots of fresh veggies.). Thai food is also on my culinary horizon, after some preliminary messing around with curries and Thai noodles. Oh, the burden of getting to cook delicious, interesting food! (limp hand to forehead)

Enjoy the journey. We'll be back with more recipes and ideas around May Day, then will present a Week of Barbecue just in time for Memorial Day weekend. Come on back and visit -- or better yet, sign up to 'follow' or subscribe to e-mail, so you don't miss a single, succulent bite.

Flat-Broke Food: Whacky Cake!

I hope you've been enjoying this week of frugal food. Many of these recipes are from our cultural past -- it may confuse us sometimes, but Americans have been very fortunate to be able to choose from so many cultures for our food and pastimes. How could our country have gotten so far, without all these different contributions to the cultural pot? The answer is -- we couldn't.

The last in this particular batch is a cake that grew out of shortages, particularly WWII and the Depression. Eggs were not always obtainable, unless you lived on a farm; milk could also be scarce. And much of the country's snacks, including chocolate, went to the troops.
    Enter a moist, chocolaty cake that undoubtedly emerged out of desperation from some housewife's creative mind. It takes less than ten minutes to stir up -- and it can be mixed right in the pan. (She must have been busy.) Either her pantry was empty, or she was just 'out:' this cake uses no eggs -- milk -- butter -- chocolate chips. And it's low in fat. (Take note -- great for vegans, those watching their weight, or people with allergies.) 
     The magic ingredients: cocoa -- and vinegar!

WHACKY CAKE
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons oil (1/4 cup, plus one tablespoon -- I use olive oil)
1 cup water

Set your oven to 350 degrees. Pour the dry ingredients into a 8" square or round pan -- mix, and shape three wells in the dry stuff. (You can also mix in a bowl.) Pour the liquid ingredients in, water last, and quickly mix. Bake for 30 min., or until a toothpick is dry when inserted in the center.
    This recipe can be easily doubled for a 9x 13 pan or bundt/angel food cake pan; it may take up to 45 min. to bake.

This cake is tasty served as-is, or with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Or, for you spendthrifts out there who can afford butter and cream (!!!), add an easy frosting. It's very similar to that used for German chocolate cake.

FAST & EASY ICING
1/3 cup softened butter or margaine
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup coconut

Mix butter, sugar and cream together; add nuts and coconut. Frost your cake while it's still warm. Watch your guests gobble it down...and smile to yourself.

Flat-Broke Food: Chowder en Pisces

Fish-head stew. It's what Charlie's mom served in the movie Chaplin, when they were dead broke and about to get thrown out of their flat. Fish heads are certainly cheap: I just saw salmon heads at our local Vietnamese fish market for less than $1 a pound. (And salmon is running about $8-12/lb around here in Colorado -- $5.99/lb on sale.) 
    But can they be tasty?
    Yes -- if you follow a few standard rules. First, get them as fresh as possible. Next, look for the biggest heads you can find -- like salmon or sturgeon. (Salmon cheeks are actually considered a delicacy!) Ask the meat department clerk at your local grocery store. They may be discarding the heads when they process fish, and will be glad to sell them cheap -- or even give them away.
   Finally, cook them first to remove the meat: scrub the heads in warm water with a little vinegar, cover with fresh boiling water, and gently simmer until the meat is firm and flakes easily. Pull the meat off, and use it in your favorite recipe. (Discard any fat - it's what gives it that fishy taste -- preferably to your dog or cat!)
     Once it cools, pour out the cooking water on any plants that could use the extra nutrients. The bones can be buried near plants, as well.

This fish is wonderful in pasta or a casserole. Or try it in a chowder, like this 'receet' inspired by one in Stories and Recipes from the Great Depression of the 1930s, Vol. III, by Rita Van Amber.

STURGEON HEAD CHOWDER
approx. 2-4 pounds meat from larger fish heads
           (Two sturgeon heads will give you about 3-4 pounds meat. Substitute 2-3 pounds salmon heads, if you prefer, or other fish heads. Prepare the heads first, using the instructions above. If you think this will bother your guests or family, tell them after the meal -- or not at all. This is our secret.)

6-10 cups chicken broth
     (or use water and 5 chicken bouillon cubes. 
          A few cups of meat gravy, plus water, can be substituted)
5-8 potatoes
1 onion
3 carrots

3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk 

Start the broth; while it's heating, dice the meat and chop the vegetables. Dump everything into the simmering broth, and let cook for about 30-45 min. (Or 3-4 hours on low in a crockpot.) Add more water as needed to keep it at soup consistency.
     Mix flour in milk, pour it in and stir until the soup thickens. "Do not boil after you add the milk mixture; keep it just below the boiling point. Salt to taste and add all the pepper your family can enjoy. I like it to warm me as it goes down..."
     (thanks to Carl Holland for his contribution. Serves from 4-8)

Flat-Broke Food: Emergency Pantry

 We all hit times when things are looking a tad sparse in the food department. That's not so bad -- for one thing, it means that you're cycling through your food supplies without wasting much. For another, it gives you a fresh place to start from.


First, figure out what you've got. Check the frig -- freezer -- shelves.

Second, tidy up. This is a perfect chance to wipe down shelves and scrub out the veggie crisper. Your kitchen will look and smell better for it. (While you're at it, scrub the floor, too. Makes you feel very efficient.)

Now you're ready. Begin with the basics. Eggs, butter, milk and flour can make pancakes and bread. Biscuits are not difficult, either. Olive oil is healthier than many other types, and can be used in a variety of ways. Popcorn (great for snacks), oatmeal, dry beans (pintos are cheapest around here) and rice keep a long time -- buy them in as large a package as you can afford. (Noodles are good, but can be made by hand. Buy macaroni or pasta instead, if your money is tight.) Add brown and white sugar, baking powder/soda and salt, and you've got a solid start.
     Coffee and tea are nice to have around, as well -- but if need be, you can wait on those. Grinding your own coffee beans gives a fresher taste, and using a 'British-style' tea (we Americans are such wimps in this department) gives you a stronger cup.

Next, add as few or many spices as you can afford. Dried onion and garlic flavor any dish nicely. I also rely on cinnamon, nutmeg, marjoram, basil, oregano (look for a good Italian blend, if you prefer), curry and chili powder, mustard. A bottle of hot sauce is a must; add bottles of ketchup, barbecue sauce, steak or Worcestershire sauce when you can, as well as a jar of onion soup mix. (Dole the latter out sparingly to zip up homemade soup, or add a tablespoonful to your meatloaf.)

Now look at what fresh vegetables you can afford. Root veggies, like onions, carrots and potatoes, are a standard, and generally cheaper than the others. (Tip: buy a bunch of green onions, if the larger ones are expensive -- they'll flavor your food nicely, and add color.) A bunch of spinach not only will serve for salads, but is good chopped into soup, stews or casseroles. For fruit -- what's on sale? If nothing looks appealing (or cheap enough), bananas are usually the next option. (Don't forget canned peaches, pears, oranges, either.)

And finally on the list: a loaf of bread, corn and flour tortillas.  Crackers, if you can. A few extra cans of vegetables, corned beef hash, soups, etc. will fill out your cupboard and give you quick meals at short notice.

The ten things I think should always be in a pantry? I'd add these, too.

This basic pantry can help you head in all sorts of culinary directions, at surprisingly little cost.

Flat-Broke Food: Scraping Bottom - Kratser, Schmorn and Toad In The Hole

Desperate for food? There aren't many of us at that point. Fortunately, soup kitchens and food pantries are a help for people who honestly don't know where their next meal is coming from. During the terrible Thirties and Forties of the Great Depression, a lot more had that uncertainty to deal with.

Some of their recipes can help you stretch basic ingredients even further.

Take Schmorn, for example. This all-in-one skillet pancake was a staple for families then, and is still a great basic breakfast. And all you need is milk, eggs and flour. P.S. It also can use up leftover breadcrumbs.

SCHMORN 
(also known as Schmarren or Kratser)
   "It can be made from any number of eggs, a little more milk than you'd use for scrambled eggs, a little sugar, salt and powder and enough flour to make a thin batter, like a very thin pancake batter. [Mom] fried it in butter in a hot black iron skillet, stirring and turning it until it was a golden brown.
   "My husband's mother made it by adding bread crumbs to the egg-milk mixture, with a pinch of salt, sugar and no baking powder, until all liquid is absorbed."
           (Julie Weiss)

   'The mother of a Whitehall lady' gave another version: "My  mother heated 2 cups of milk, broke up dry bread, as much as could be absorbed and poured three or four beaten eggs with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar and fried it in a pan. Good!"


These recipes resemble 'Dutch Baby' pancakes. Use a little meat, and your 'Kratser' comes closer to the traditional Yorkshire pudding.

KRATSER
"These dishes were made many times a week and the families never tired of them."

"Fry bacon cut into small pieces. Pour over it a batter made of 3 eggs, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup flour and seasoning. Stir and turn until it is a gold brown, like omelets. Pork cracklings were also used in this dish."
  (all recipes are from Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's by Janet Van Amber Paske)

One supper dish my family loves uses the same Yorkshire pudding/popover-type batter -- but with sausages. It's called, aptly:

TOAD IN THE HOLE

• 1-2 teaspoons butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk 

*1/2 - 1 pound sausages

Turn the oven to 450 degrees, put the butter in a 9" square or round baking dish, and heat it until the butter is melted. In the meantime, quickly stir the other ingredients together. (Speed is important here.)  Pour the batter into the hot pan, and drop in one larger sausage for each person, or 2-3 breakfast sausages. (They will 'peek' out of the batter as it bakes around them.) Bake 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is set and dry on top. Serve right away for up to 4 people

Flat-Broke Food: Popcorn, Caramel Corn & Popcorn Balls

     What's cheap, low-calorie (if you don't load it with butter, that is) and gives you a nice hit of fiber along with its crunchiness? Few snack foods can compete with popcorn in this department. It played a weekly role at our house, late Sunday afternoons. We had a huge Tupperware container, and Dad would pop it full of warm, salty popcorn which we enjoyed while watching Bonanza and Ed Sullivan. That popcorn hung around for after-school and between-times snacking until Wednesday or so...until the process repeated itself.

    Not only has popcorn been the last-minute meal for many an office worker, but it was featured in meals during the Depression. Ever had popcorn and milk? It's a surprising combination of warm and cold, salty and sweet. (And it's fun to see how many kernels you can jam in your glass.)

Commercial microwave popcorn is the easiest to make, but doesn't produce as much bang for the buck. Try making your own microwave popcorn. You'll need:

small paper bag
1 teaspoon olive or other oil
1/3 cup popcorn (adjust to your taste)

That's it. Pour popcorn in the bag and sprinkle oil on top. Fold top over a few times, and microwave 2 minutes on high, or until the kernels stop popping. Open the bag (careful of the steam), salt and butter to your heart's content.
    You don't even have to use oil -- Mark Bittman, of the New York Times' Diners' Journal, does it straight. (Go here for his report.)

     Once your popcorn is done, you can add all sorts of flavorings, from parmesan cheese to pizza spices. (Some good ideas are here, thanks to Donna Freedman.)
     My favorite, though, is caramel corn -- crunchy, sweet, lower calorie than many desserts, and still that wallop of fiber in every bite. There are a lot of recipes out there for oven or stove caramel corn. (Frugal Upstate's got a good one. Simply Recipes' version is pretty good, too.)
     But it's far easier to do it via microwave. This recipe makes great caramel corn -- and automatically cleans up when you throw away the paper bag! I've served it warm as a dessert course to raves, but it also is perfect for a home movie night or picnic. The recipe first made its way down through the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) chapter in our area; I've used it for years. As always, adjust to your own taste.

WILLO'S CARAMEL CORN

large paper grocery sack
4-5 quarts of popped popcorn (take out any unpopped kernels, if you see them)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white or brown Karo syrup
1/2 cup margarine or butter (1 stick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (hold this back for a bit)

Put all but the popcorn in a 6-8 cup measure or bowl -- microwave at high 3-4 min. until the butter is melted, and it's boiling. Add baking soda, and stir until light and foamy. Put the popcorn in the bag, and pour the liquid mixture on top -- turn the edges over a few times, and gently shake the bag.
    Put the whole bag in the microwave. (It will fit awkwardly, if it's anything like mine.) Microwave 1 1/2 min. at high; shake the bag. Microwave again 1 1/2 min. Take the bag out, shake it one more time, then pour into a large bowl. Use a spatula to gently break apart the clumps. If you like Cracker Jack, try adding a cup or so of peanuts and/or chopped nuts to the mixture.

Finally, there are popcorn balls. Some people associate these with Christmas, but my mom always hands them out at Halloween. Cousins have been known to drive for miles just to get one of her popcorn balls. Again, there are lots of recipes out there for making popcorn balls -- most involve concocting a liquid syrup that eventually hardens. (Paula Deen's version is like this.) The Mama doesn't mess with that -- her version goes straight for the culinary jugular, in a style similar to Rice Krispies squares.


MA'S POPCORN BALLS

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 standard package marshmallows (about 40)
6 cups popped popcorn (take out any unpopped kernels -- i.e., 'old maids')

Put the butter and marshmallows in a large pan, on top of low to medium heat. Clear a spot on a cookie sheet, or nearby counter. Gently stir the marshmallow mixture until it's melted -- this is going to be a while, usually 7-10 min. Quickly mix the popcorn in and take it off the heat. Butter your hands. (Yes, slather them with butter -- or use the leftover paper from your butter/marg.) Working quickly, grab handfuls of the popcorn mixture and shape them into balls, then put on a sheet or counter to cool. (Some people like to shape the popcorn around a center surprise, like red hots, chocolate chips, M&Ms and such -- but purists just prefer the straight ball.) Continue until the mixture is used up -- cook gets to scrape out the pan! Wrap your popcorn balls in wax paper; this recipe makes 8-16 popcorn balls, depending on how large you make them. (It's easier to make a batch at a time, rather than doubling.)

(photos from Paula Deen and Simply Recipe websites)


While you're at it, go to the Rice Krispies website for the basic recipe, plus more ways to use this versatile snack. Yum.

Flat-Broke Food: Jager Kohl and other Meaty Dishes

 It's tough being a meat-eater when your pocket's empty. Beef, especially roasts and steaks, is inexorably heading toward $10 a pound (if it hasn't already gotten there in a lot of areas.). Pork, veal and lamb are trotting right along behind it.
   The answer: look for dishes that use small amounts of meat, yet speak their flavor out strongly. Like Jager Kohl, a German "Hunter's Cabbage" that's almost a hash, almost a stew: delicious, either way. This and the other recipes are from Ann Rogers' A Cookbook for Poor Poets and Others. As she points out, "Poor poets, unless they truly are vegetarians, need meat...it is better for them than suppers of fortified bread and martinis. They need meat because it is good for them to say, 'I had steak for dinner last night,' and mean it because it is true."

JAGER KOHL
1/2 pound bacon or sausages
3 large potatoes
1 small head cabbage
2 tablespoons flour
salt, pepper and a dash of cider vinegar
1/2 pint sour cream or yogurt

Fry the bacon/sausage; drain off most of the fat and add thick slices of potatoes and cabbage. Sprinkle flour over top, along with spices, then add enough water to barely cover. Cover and simmer 45 min. - 1 hour. Serves 4, with the sour cream/yogurt alongside. "Rye bread and butter and a salad of apples and raisins rounds out this meal."


(Another version of this dish is here -- with polish sausage.)

Pocket-Poor heads in the same direction, but features onions, instead of cabbage.

POCKET POOR
2 1/2 pounds sweet onions
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
3/4 cup rice
1/2 pound smoked sausages

Peel and thick-slice potatoes and onions; add the rest, and bring to a boil in water just to cover. Season with a little salt and simmer slowly for about 30 min. (Check periodically, and add more water if the rice doesn't have enough.) Serves 4. 

or try a Dutch Dish -- same idea, just faster. My Dutch aunt Wilmetta says this reminds her of food she ate as a kid in rural South Dakota.

DUTCH DISH
For each person, use:
1 each small onion, apple and potato
2-3 slices bacon   (I've substituted 1/2 cup of cut-up pork loin or stew meat, with good results)
pepper

Fry bacon until cooked, but not crisp. While it's frying, peel and grate the vegetables and apple. Break up the bacon, drain off some of the fat, add the veggies and fry at low temperature until done. "Turn out on a hot plate and grind lots of pepper over the top. Eat as is or with fried eggs...and hot, strong coffee."



(Try Flat Broke Foodie for a reverie on butchers and meat. Some other tasty budget meals here, too.)