Years ago, my mother added to my collection a book of recipes from the WWII and Depression Era. Quite interesting to paw through recipes on how the whole "waste nothing" lifestyle ate. I present to you several recipes for food as well as beauty products! I hope you enjoy it!
Uncle John's Navy Hash
Cold baked potatoes
Cold pot roast or whatever you have
Assorted leftover vegetables: carrots, cabbage, celery
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
Soda crackers, crushed
This is a real good way to use up leftovers, and it tastes great, too. Cut potatoes, meat and vegetables in to pieces. Fry meat and onion together until onion is cooked. Add potatoes and vegetables and fry till hot. Stir in beaten eggs to bind all together. Add crushed crackers. You might want to serve this with some ketchup, but it's good and filling all by itself.
Did you ever wonder how they made lard?
How To Render Lard
Grind pork fat or chop into pieces. Put into large roasting pan and bake most of the day in a slow oven. Squash fat occasionally with a potato masher. Let it cool a bit. Carefully strain through cheesecloth and then pour fat into jars. Cover and store in a cool place or better yet in the ice box. Save the browned cracklings and use for flavoring as you would bacon.
Hard Soap
7 lbs. tallow3 lbs. rosin
2 lbs potash
6 gal. water
Mix ingredients; boil 3-5 hours. Our into wash tub; let stand overnight. Cut into bars and lay in the sun 2-3 days to harden. This will last an ordinary family a year and save on money spent on soap.
Wrinkle Cream
1 oz white wax2 oz. strained honey
2 oz. lily bulb juice
Melt ingredients together, cool. Apply to the face every night and it is said your wrinkles will disappear.
Hair Setting Lotion
1 c. flax seed3 c. water
Simmer seeds and water together for a few minutes. Strain and thin to desired consistency.
Hair Darkening Rinse
1 qt. water1/3 c. sage leaves
Pour boiling water over sage and steep for 2 hours. Strain, pour over hair. After 1/2 hour, rinse.
Aren't you glad all we have to do is go to the nearest drug store?!
