I'm no stranger to YouTube - nowadays, no one is. Last Wednesday, while streaming videos of the Backstreet Boys, I came across a plethora of wonderful videos pertinent to the other love of my life: food! I know what you're thinking: how could a six-minute video about food be worth my time?"" Well, it is when the video is narrated by Clara, the wonderful 93-year-old great-grandmother behind the video series, ""Great Depression Cooking."" She peppers her recipes with stories of good ol' times. Clara posted her old family recipes, along with her own expertise of the world, just in time for another serious economic recession.
Given the current state of the economy, this video series is useful for anyone without money stashes in the mattress. It's also good for students looking to downsize an already tiny budget. We're already poor, why not take a few tips from Clara to stretch our pennies? I've picked out my favorites, so pick up a few potatoes, onions and eggs, grab your pan and get cooking!
Egg Drop Soup
Soup is a delicious and cheap alternative to going out when you're trying to cut back on spending. And I'm sure making it from scratch is cheaper and tastier than a few cans of Campbell's heated up in the microwave. Per Clara's instructions, dice an onion and a few potatoes and brown them in a pot with olive oil. Add water, bring to a boil and add a few eggs. Stir the pot so the eggs scramble. For a special treat, pour over toasted French bread.
Pasta with Peas
As with soup, Clara starts with diced onion and potatoes in a pot with olive oil. When browned, add peas. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Poor Man's Feast
In this recipe, Clara makes a special-occasion meal out of basic items you can find in any grocery store. The only ingredients are lentils, rice, small slices of steak and bread. Cook lentils and rice in a pot and bring to a boil. Soak the very thin slices of steak in olive oil and lemon juice, then fry. Add a salad and you'll have a full meal for any special day.
Cucidati (Sicilian Fig Cookies)
According to Clara, this special Sicilian cookie was too expensive to attempt during the Depression, but was a special treat in her family when it was over. Due to the number of ingredients (about twelve), it is understandable why it was only possible to make these treats after the Depression. Ingredients include flour, sugar, lard, milk, baking powder, eggs, powdered sugar, vanilla, assorted nuts, candied fruit, fresh fruit and figs. After mixing all of the ingredients with both a grinder and a food processor (and adding the secret ingredient - whiskey), the mixture must be refrigerated overnight. After baking, you're left with a batch of hearty cookies that are actually good for you!
What makes Clara's recipes so great is that you can find all of these ingredients in any grocery store or even convenience store. Hello, Open Pantry. The only caveat is that dorm kids need a stove, but I'm sure you can make it work if you're really inspired.
Clara makes it a point in every video to tell the viewer how cheap and nutritious each meal is. She also mentions that if she can basically live off these dishes, you can too, encouraging a more basic way of life that harkens back to the good old days.
