Feed A Crowd for $5 - Great Depression Hoover Stew | Hard Times Recipe

[@MP-bx3uj]

I love that you're still remembering Clara and giving her credit. Wonderful recipe! I'm so glad you're doing regional and depression meals again!

[@AlphaFemmeXtine]

I loved watching her videos. So nice to see Emmy review this recipe.

[@sweeney60]

I second your tribute to Clara! Seriously choked me up. Clara reminds me a lot of my great grandmother Rose who also lived through the depression. Most of the recipes my mother raised me on are from Rose. I only met her once when I was 7 but she was amazing.

[@hotandsoursoup2664]

Wish I had Clara as my grandma

[@marianocolsin8968]

I read "depressed" instead of depression and i was so confused

[@cute.homunculus]

I loved Clara but, no one really owned Hoover stew to give any kind of credit. Everyone during that time made that.

[@blackburdy5261]

i feel like these depression era recipes might make a comeback, especially with the cost of living rising.

[@gugualex4283]

might ? They are already here

[@cbot375]

Ive been eating lentils with salt, pepper, and diced tomatoes in a cooker. Cheap as fuck and fills you up

[@Louzahsol]

But the economy is great! I heard it from the big guy himself

[@michelleblank2199]

@@Louzahsol that’s false news! (Sarcasm)

[@HO1ySh33t]

our current time still isn't as miserable as 2008, and not even close to 1930. shits only start to hit the fan when you see people lining up in the bank for money they own (so called bank run)

[@YouKnowMeDuh]

FYI, there's a channel called TheWolfePit and he has a MASSIVE amount of recipes that he's posted over the years that can help someone on a reaaaally tight budget. A lot of meals $2 and under. We look at the Great Depression as a thing of the past, but really there's plenty of people who struggle just as hard nowadays. And even more since the start of this year, inflation and whatnot... Plenty of stories there, but one guy I knew of just survived on a bottle of peanut butter for a week or two. Others that simply went without or stole to feed their kids while starving themselves :/

[@lokicooper4690]

This is one of the reasons Breakfast Clubs were started in many schools. So many kids would come to school not having had breakfast because their families couldn't afford it. They wouldn't have lunch either, usually survive on one meal a day. Breakfast Clubs allowed poorer children to at least have a free breakfast while at school.

[@wendybeex7277]

Thank you for letting us know! Gonna go check that channel out.

[@anioro]

I love the Wolfe Pit! I believe Emmy follows him, I remember a loooong time ago she mentioned him bc he sent her an MRE or something

[@thomashester2]

that's exactly who I thought about as well

[@suzierottencrotch7893]

Same with Webber Cooks.

[@injunsun]

Okay, @emmymade, you made me cry a bit here. My late husband used to like to have just macaroni and tomatoes, with butter, salt and pepper. We would also sometimes make fried corn, just corn, fried in butter, with salt and pepper. Sometimes he would want to add some cheese to the macaroni and tomatoes, but... His grandparents came through the Great Depression in the South. And we would often add a little garlic and dried seasonings to the mac and tomatoes. We often cooked dried beans, had those with cornbread, then the next day, we would turn the rest into either a tomato based soup, or chili. He taught me so much, and I miss him terribly. We would always add things to our soups and stews behind each others' backs, and end up with recipes beyond what either of us could do alone. That's love in the kitchen. You are reminding me of that. It hurts, but thank you.

[@RunfromYou13]

My grandma always made this when i was little. Crazy how a meal can mean different things based on the time.. because this was a comfort meal for me! She always did elbow noodles, one jar of homemade stewed garden tomatoes, and a big spoon of butter on top. Yummy!!

[@joshuaharper372]

My dad's family did macaroni and tomatoes as a cheap side dish, but definitely did not include the corn or hotdogs.

[@hayleymariemills]

I make myself noodles, tomatoes & butter as a lunch often! Yum!

[@hayleymariemills]

@Zae first, that IS NOT what were talking about eating. And second, so what? It may have been a "struggle meal" for some but that's the whole point of the video. And I can tell you that it's something I like even though I'm NOT struggling.

[@cosmicpesco]

I grew up on a version of this that my dad made

[@amiekizer7632]

macaroni and tomatoes! minus the corn and weenies of course 🤣 classic Appalachian food!

[@stephgilliam]

Macaroni and tomato was a big thing when I was a kid. My grandma, who grew up in the Depression, cooked it often. Sometimes it had hot dogs or ground beef or smoked sausage, sometimes it had green beans or corn. She always cut over the pan with a paring knife the way you mentioned. I always hated it as a kid, but now that I'm grown, I crave macaroni and tomato sometimes when I miss her.

[@treeskates]

My grandma made this. She called it “More”.

[@slimslamfl]

My gramma raised 3 boys during the Depression and I remember her making stuff like this in the 70s (everybody called it goulash, but it was a direct line to the 1930s) I loved it. My dad, not so much. I guess it reminded him of the hard times. Of course, he and his brothers all went off to WW2, so whether he liked it or not, he'd never turn down food. I still make it. Hot dogs and all.

[@z6886]

We make this, but with hominy instead of regular corn. I've lived off of depression era food my whole life and sadly so has my son. But we do our best and we are thankful for what we have. ❤️

[@z6886]

@Alanah Washington 💕

[@yajt6651]

It is sad when food good foods are unaffordable. There is no shame in simple and inexpensive meals made with love and shared with gratitude ❤

[@z6886]

@@yajt6651 yes as long as food is made with love it tastes great. ❤️

[@about_to_leave_earth]

I feel what you're saying, but there are so so many recipes with simple ingredients that makes our mind blow! Sometimes simple can make the best difference. And as long as you got the love and the passion everything leads to a good way 💕

[@z6886]

@@about_to_leave_earth 💖

[@hannakinn]

This reminds me of a dish my mom made often when I was growing up. She called it Hungarian Goulash. It was hamburger, onions, crushed tomatoes, elbow macaroni, butter, salt, black pepper and paprika. It's an easy recipe for a comfort food dish. You brown hamburger and onions, add canned crushed tomatoes, add separately cooked elbow macaroni, finish with butter add paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Mom always served it with garlic toast or cheese toast and an ice berg lettuce based salad. I actually really like it. Mom no longer eats beef, the last time I visited her I made it for her with plant based beef crumbles. She ate 2 big servings. She's 89 and doesn't usually eat 2 big servings of anything except desserts.

[@SarahE1982]

That's exactly what it reminded me of too! My mom also made it when I was young.

[@mefesta]

You must be from the Midwest, because New Englanders call that American Chop Suey, but I understand from friends it's the same dish. :)

[@chrisblevins5143]

Goulash was a staple in our house growing up, it was made at least twice a month. Usually before payday when groceries were getting low. Love it, it's fantastic and made exactly as you said. Simple, filling and delicious.

[@mistykline2242]

Ate this a lot as a kid . We loved it .

[@imtired6104]

We had this too but my parents added drained canned kidney beans and drained canned corn. I can practically taste it just thinking about it, delicious.

[@mrsdudeandkids]

I tried this for our family to see what everyone would think of it, because it seemed like a nice way to use up the "cheap" hot dogs no one really likes. I added onions when carmelizing the hot dogs, and then just pepper and Italian seasoning while cooking. Much to my surprise, EVERYONE had a second helping and asked me to make it again. Thanks for sharing!

[@sharonchandler4185]

My Mom added a bit of tomato sauce, sometimes half hot dogs, half hamburger. She also added cheese when we had it. I love that you made this video. I was a poor kid in western Canada, daughter of a teacher and a retired teacher....we were poor. I had this as a kid, and make it now...because I'm still poor. Sometimes not enough food to make this, but that's life. Love what you do, and who you are, Emmy. Thank you.

[@pvkat1982]

I can't believe I finally see a recipe for something we used to eat when I was a kid. My dad would make this but always used kielbasa instead of hot dogs. When I would help him make it he'd tell me that I had to cut the kielbasa at an angle cause that made it taste better (my dad was a goofball). Thanks for bringing back lovely memories!

[@rejamrejam]

He was right! It does taste better at an angle. There is absolutely no scientific reason for it, but somehow it's true...

[@unknowndeoxys00]

Maybe more surface area to flavor contact. Sausages sliced at an angle make me think some good and hearty food is gonna go in my belly. Whereas the little coins remind me of after-school/sick day pork and beans 😂

[@TheMimiSard]

Also, looks better. Placebo effects can be good things, with people recovering from illness through placebo power. If good-looking food makes one feel better, it is a good thing to cut diagonally.

[@colliemom22]

My dad made it with kielbasa too!

[@skeetsmcgrew3282]

You eat with your eyes first!

[@LoLoLifeinFlorida]

I actually had an elderly man who rented from me and he always asked me if I could make this for him because it was his favorite, he grew up eating it when he was young. I watched Clara's videos I loved seeing her recipes from the great depression and loved her storys!

[@AK-mf4vd]

Did you make it for him ? How did he like it ?

[@franciscobaca2299]

I love Clara. I still watch her, because she was a beautiful person. Also her stories help ground me when I'm anxious. When I miss my grandparents, I watch her videos and feel like in awe that this lady I never met can make me feel safe and at peace.

[@reneetorgerson3067]

I still watch Clara too she's wonderful.

[@manthony777]

@Francisco, Clara seems very familiar. I agree

[@dt564]

Beautiful comment 💕

[@butterpecanrican_]

Same. Her videos give me a feeling of home and safety.

[@melaniechatham]

Being anxious is no fun😒.And we live in anxious times. I'm glad Clara's videos (or any videos) bring you and others comfort.😘 Hang in there.

[@jragonsong]

Thank you for shouting out Clara. Her videos are so important to me. She was and is a real comfort on my sad day. R.I.P Clara

[@dcrvln264]

Hoover Stew is actually really common and popular here in Brazil. Especially in public schools as lunch/dinner and we call it "Macarrão com Salsicha" I'm pretty sure every brazilian had this at least once in their lives (rich not included lol)

[@FRO8181]

Eu já ia comentar isso. Cresci comendo macarrão com salsicha ❤️

[@dcrvln264]

@@FRO8181 tem gosto de nostalgia

[@EphesianRose]

interesting! thanks for sharing. i love Brazilian bbq.

[@dcrvln264]

@@EphesianRose you have nice taste, Brazilian food is amazing 🤩

[@Specksilver]

@@EphesianRose Brazilian bbq is AWESOME!!

[@peridot1706]

To unclump cooked pasta, pour some of the reserved cooking liquid over it instead of cold water, give a bit of a stir and let it drain. Not only will it separate the noodles but the starchy liquid helps sauces & soups cling to the noodles better so it's a trick to use with many different pasta dishes. I wouldn't recommend using oil, it'll act more like a slick barrier between the pasta and sauce/soup. Also, I loved Clara's videos too!

[@bryanriolo6217]

I have cooked pasta with sauces and so forth hundreds of times and always used oil or butter to help keep the pasta separate. Not once did it ever stop the sauce from sticking.

[@peridot1706]

@@bryanriolo6217 The beauty of cooking is you can do you. Basic food science, there is better adherence with the pasta's own starch which is why rinsing pasta isn't the best move, either. Though, I would agree it doesn't make any difference when it comes to oil-based sauces like pesto.

[@bryanriolo6217]

@@peridot1706 I've never used pesto. Since Emmy is using tomatoes and I often use tomatoes to cook pasta with that is what I was referring to. I am nowhere near being a chef nor do I know much about food science although I respect both very very highly. However I do have my own experience to go on and that experience with pasta and tomato sauce and whatever and cooking it is about six decades long. I think I will go with my knowledge on the subject vis-a-vis myself. And no significant problem with the sauce sticking to pasta even though I always use oil of some kind when actually cooking the pasta to keep it from sticking together. It could be I do things in a different manner from what most people do including Emmy here. And I imagine that putting even just a medium amount of oil on freshly drained pasta might keep sauce from sticking to it. I seldom cook pasta that way.

[@meowmeow5052]

I’ve found you can also yodel as loud as you possibly can and slam the noodles against the wall to unclump them

[@ClanImprobable]

Good to know, thank you!

[@amandaryan1051]

Macaroni & tomatoes is something I remember eating with our elderly neighbors growing up in the 80’s. Must have lots of black pepper! It’s definitely one of those nostalgia dishes, that I make like once a year.

[@Birdbike719]

Mac and tomatoes are delicious. My mom made it and I love it. Especially if you add a pat of butter.

[@gmamah9559]

With bread or saltines and butter!!

[@karmenrosebush]

I always add canned green beans instead of corn

[@debbiesidebottom5020]

@@Birdbike719 my mom added a large can of V8....that made all the difference in the world

[@readytogo3186]

We ate mac and tomatoes when I was a litte girl. Still love it----don't have to add a thing!

[@julieblair7472]

I have definitely eaten similar concoctions often in my time. Browning the hot dogs also keeps the entire dish (especially the pasta) from tasting like diluted hot dog water and makes it much more enjoyable to eat.

[@Kristie27]

I remember this as a kid. My Dad would usually use the same ingredients and sometimes add kidney beans for added protein. Ground turkey was only 30-40 cents a pound back then so he would put that in there if we had it. My grandma would always cut with a pairing knife and her thumb. I actually have the same knife she used to cut over her pan.

[@aylanielsen2728]

growing up in a large family with modest income we ate loads of similar recipes. my mom used to call it "Wurstgulasch" which translates to sausage stew. We never felt as kids that this was "cheap" food - used to be a favourite. I still make this as a comfort food and also great way to use up any leftovers and so so quick to prepare.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

Funny what ends up being comfort foods, one of my favourites from my grandmother is called Marzetti, brown ground beef with some onion, mix with two cans of Campbells tomato soup, put in bottom of casserole, make up two boxes of Kraft Dinner (boxed mac and cheese) and put that on top, bake till it bubbles, if you're feeling generous, grate some cheese over the top first.

[@MrRufusjax]

@@bunhelsingslegacy3549 I know that dish. You must live in Ohio, probably Eastern Ohio.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

@@MrRufusjax Eastern Ontario, actually, but my grandad may have had relatives from Ohio! Thanks for replying, I've never known of anyone else who's ever heard of Marzetti!!

[@MrRufusjax]

@@bunhelsingslegacy3549 We called it Johnny Marzetti growing up. Very filling home cooking.

[@raimohoft1236]

Moms 'Wurstgulasch' is still one of my favorit dishes besides noodles with ketchup based tomato sauce and 'Wrukeneintopf'(yellow/orange turnip stew with pork belly or back). 🇩🇪🙋🏻‍♂️

[@TheSolomonFamily]

I feed this to my fifth grade class every year when we learn about the depression! Most all of them enjoy it and ask for seconds!

[@sarahallegra6239]

What a great idea! Feeding them actual food from the era must really help them learn about the history in a much more interesting and visceral way. That’s awesome!

[@lisamedlyn3818]

I love this idea. I teach 5th grade too.

[@dwlsn93]

Old fashioned “Hamburger Helper.” Healthy version without all the nasty chemicals from the boxed versions nowadays.

[@maggiemae7539]

My 4th grade teacher fed us a cow heart!

[@slimslamfl]

@@maggiemae7539 Mine had me bring in venison for the "city" kids.

[@samanthajudd63]

It’s funny you mentioned Clara; it made me realize that YOU are the modern day Clara! Your videos are wholesome and you give off the same sweet warm vibes as you cook.

[@lissajedi]

I love Clara's channel. She reminds me of my mom, who passed away earlier this year. I remember crying when I found out Clara passed away, and watched the video her family did. She was such a beautiful soul, and will be missed. Thanks for this video Emmy!

[@gigidodson]

Restin peace Claira. My Great Granny had her children during the depression. My Grannys told all the stories about how they lived during those years. Picking cotton and traveling to Oregon and California following the fruit to make eniugh money to survive the winters in Oklahoma where they had dirt farms. Cooking on wood stoves. How cold it was all winter . Till she died she wanted raccoon for Christmas dinner.stuffed with hot peppers. Squirrel and dumplings was regular faire. My grandpa was a twin born in the winter so she kept them on the open oven door in a wooden box to keep them warm. Luckily she could feed them. Thats what she said, she kept her children alive. Im in my 60's now and tell my grandchildren their stories.

[@maeannengo4908]

What does Raccoon and Squirrel taste like? I'm surprised they can be eaten as I thought they might have rabies

[@gigidodson]

@@maeannengo4908 Raccoon was very stringy and greasy. Squirrel tastes like bland chicken or rabbit. Very lean meat. Wasnt a favorite of mine. When youre starving you eat what you can hunt. My dad was a proficient hunter and fisherman. We had deer in the lots of fish in the freezer.

[@heatherinparis]

My mother was born in 1922, second of six children, so was a young woman for a good part of the Great Depression. She learned to make this from her mother and it must have been a family favourite because when she had myself and my sister ( 1948 & 1953 respectively) Hoover stew appeared on our table at least once a month. Her version was like this, macaroni, hot dogs sliced thinly, canned tomatoes but since my father wasn't a fan of canned corn Mother substituted canned green beans. We all thought it was wonderful💚

[@joshuaharper372]

I think I would prefer it with the green beans. Like your father, I don't like canned corn.

[@skyethebard]

@@joshuaharper372 I like canned corn in some recipes, like corn and bean salsa, but I'd prefer green beans in this meal. I think they would stand up to the tomatoes and hot dogs better.

[@heatherinparis]

@@skyethebard I think they do too!

[@ThornsDroighorn]

I love that you use Clara as a reference for this, I remember watching her great depression recipes :)

[@hollytillis4462]

I love the nod to Cooking with Clara such a sweet lady, and thank you for maybe allowing new audiences to be able to be enlightened and delighted by her videos! ❤ She continues to share beyond her time on this earth.

[@alyssawade6767]

I grew up in the Northeastern US, specifically, New England and my family didn’t have a name for this, but we had sliced hot dogs and canned condensed tomato soup mixed with something to de-condense (is that even a word) the soup. I loved it as a kid. This brings back fond memories.

[@beth4928]

"Reconstitute" the soup is the phrase (I think!) My grandma did the same with the condensed tomato soup. Her and grandad were used to very thrifty cuts of meat, such as cheek and tongue. I believe one recipe they made was dripping and sliced tongue sandwiches, served with the soup-enriched stew. The kind of filling food you need when you have 5 children and work on a farm.

[@hannahcollins1816]

I'm 100% going to binge watch Clara's channel after this. Can always use her comforting presence :)

[@johnblocher8431]

I've made Hoover Stew several times and it is much more flavorful than it looks like it will be from the list of ingredients. It was a nice touch to heat/brown the hot dogs, not everyone does that step, but it adds even more flavor to the stew. I would encourage anyone who hasn't tried this to make it. Excellent addition to the hard times series.

[@nicko2183]

I’m 28, my mom taught me how to cut and peel potatoes the same way with a paring knife! I love seeing these hard time videos. It hits home for a lot of people having to stretch their money and food to feed themselves/their families.

[@mimzyc9949]

I loved watching Clara. We ate many of the things she made when I was growing up because they were cheap and easy to make. My mother made something like this but used canned vegetable soup and tomatoes mixed with macaroni. So good and filling

[@lynseyfleming1647]

We used to eat what my mom would call a “hobo” dinner. She would put root veggies and a meat patty in piece of foil and throw it in the camp fire. We ate it rite out of the paper foil. We call what you’re making ( done thing just like it ) goulash 🥰 Much love to you and yours.

[@yellodragon]

Your Hobo dinner was my dad's Boy Scout dinner. Still a family favorite. We don't do the camp fire so much, but it was always a treat to see the foil come off the casserole dish to see carrots, potatoes, onions and peas, and a meat patty! Yum.

[@lynseyfleming1647]

@@yellodragon ya, the campfire was what made it a hobo dinner 😎 you know, because we lived on the streets 😅👀🤷‍♀️

[@ninababy8]

Yes this looks like goulash. We do with ground meat. Yup

[@ladylaura8038]

Clara was so delightful!! Loved listening to her stories about her family 💖💖💖

[@chrisblevins5143]

Clara was, is, a treasure.

[@junglily]

What's the name of her channel? 🥺

[@anrato3866]

Great Depression Cooking! Hope you'll enjoy

[@LovesTheWarriors]

My family, who have always been pretty low income, makes something similar to this, except without the corn, and instead of hot dogs, we just use ground beef. We call it Smorgasbord, and while the kids hated it when we were younger, we absolutely love it now! It makes a ton, too; it's a fantastic way to feed a family of five for three days for like, ten bucks. 😂😂

[@Trassel242]

Do you know why you call it that name? The word is a loan word from Swedish, and basically means a buffet of something. I am Swedish, so I noticed that you call it by a Swedish word, and it made me curious.

[@dzxn3728]

@@Trassel242 Americans use this term to mean "large variety of food". This dish is using pantry leftovers & the beef is fattening making it rich flavored. So I think his family named it that to signify a diverse pantry during hard times. Sort of like Rocky Road ice cream, which is a depression reference.

[@dzxn3728]

We have a very popular book in the US called Charlotte's Web & the rat Templeton uses that word for a big meal, I think thats is where I first saw the word when I was 8. I'm a Spanish linguist now, lol. I love linguistics.

[@zelapetalcliff]

I love the hard time series! It’s interesting to see how innovative people get with food (and gain a new recipe or two for my kitchen)

[@lemonz1769]

I agree that these are interesting videos. I don’t think that just because you’re on a budget means you cant make a delicious and healthy meal. My parents grew up in a very poor county and are some of the best cooks I know. They cook everything from scratch. This dish doesn’t look very appetizing.

[@amoureux6502]

@@lemonz1769 this is just how a lot of budget American meals look

[@maeannengo4908]

Please make more Hard Time recipes. The world needs them 🙏

[@mysticalmind5115]

Absolutely!

[@tammystpierre5921]

You are amazing! With our inflation across the world, we need more recipes like this. I grew up poor! At 56, I’m still alive living off of hotdogs! Bless!

[@valerieschluger]

Thank you for sharing the recipe and mentioning Clara's channel. Enjoy watching Clara's channel. Really appreciated the grandson understanding, insight, love, and helping her.

[@juliaz12345]

I loved Clara. I have her cookbook and it's great. It's one of the first programs that I watched religiously on KZbin. I love the video where she makes traditional couscous.

[@rg20322]

I grew up with such a stew in the 70's and not the exact stew this was a staple. Great Mom working 2 jobs at the time and still cooking dinner. Awesome person.

[@amandasabo139]

Sitting here arguing with my toddler that he has to turn off blippi and let momma watch her emmy, and his response not you emmy my emmy he's now laying here watching with me... 💜💚💜

[@heatherish0588]

Start em young! 😊

[@amandasabo139]

@@heatherish0588 he loves her voice it puts him to sleep 😴 since he was 6 months old he will be 3 in December

[@lifeismagical3123]

Oh my my baby love him and Meekah! No lie that show has made her so smart!

[@meganthings]

Emmy is way better than blippi LOL about the only thing I wish I knew from that guy is what he starts his day with 😂

[@shereeannekerr2154]

@@meganthings and if it's legal haha

[@angelah9745]

My grandmother was born in 1911 and grew up on a farm. She made "poor man's stew". Generally what was leftover in the fridge went in the pot with garden tomatoes, onions, potatoes (or pasta or rice) It was always different and was delicious with her homemade biscuits.

[@rrrosecarbinela]

Mom used to make a dish I've never seen before. Elbow mac, cooked in salted water and drained, add a can of creamed corn and parmesan to taste, mix well. place in baking dish. Cover the top with bacon and bake until bacon is to your taste. The sweetness of the creamed corn goes well with the salty parmesan and bacon. I've never seen anyone else make this.

[@alicerose512]

I'm now deeply afraid that my Mormon grandmother is gonna get ahold of this comment and serve this along green bean casserole and funeral potatoes

[@CricketsBay]

Funeral Potatoes are great, but I've only had the kind that come Dried in a bag. Preheat the oven. Then I fry 1 pound of breakfast sausage in a medium soup pan, pour in 1 quart of heavy cream, 3 cups of water, and 2 tablespoons of dried chives. I heat the liquid/sausage mixture until it's almost boiling, then dump in the Funeral Potato Mix, and pop it in the oven. Put the lid on and stir every 30 minutes until almost all the water is absorbed, then leave the lid off for 30 minutes. I add the cheese on top when it's time to serve and being reheated.

[@cozyeden]

wait…this sounds kind of good

[@tianamariee6287]

@@alicerose512 I've never had funeral potatoes, but I LOVE green bean casserole, I look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners specifically for gbc🤦🏾

[@fagomorphs]

i would try this

[@cdansou01]

Clara was also an inspiration for me when it comes to cooking cheap recipes for families. I watched her “Hard times” series and just recently found she and her grandson published a cookbook with her recipes in it awhile ago. I will be purchasing that when I get the chance❤

[@summercucumber4964]

I've made this before and it's pretty tasty and nice on a cold evening! I like its versatility because you can add any meat you have, any seasonings and veggies you like or happen to have on hand. I like mine a bit soupy so I add some chicken stock or some of the pasta water. Pinto beans go great in this and I can confirm that some parm on top is delicious, or a dash of hot sauce. I definitely agree with adding some extra seasonings if you have them. I use garlic powder, Italian mix, and a touch of cumin.

[@lorimartin3724]

I have to share. You brought back wonderful memories of my Mom cooking. Yes, my Mom was like Clara and cut everything with a paring knife over the pan; and I'm one of six kids so that was a ton of cutting many days LOL. If I say so myself, I'm pretty good at it since that's how I was taught. Thank you for giving me warm feelings of Mom (she's been gone 18 yrs now).

[@JaniceWithTheTarlovCyst]

My hard times recipe is one I make often. I can't eat pasta unfortunately, but I decided to cook dried chick peas, first I soak them overnight then cook them using 5 spice powder, quite a lot actually, and it's incredibly tasty by the time they're cooked. I need to improvise a lot as I'm on a small disability pension and that money doesn't go far. I'll be checking out the playlist later. No hot dogs for me unless they're on sale. A package now costs $7.99! Plus it aggravates the inflammation in my back and can cause migraines; but I still love those unhealthy little things 😅

[@lancerevell5979]

I have seen pasta made with non-gluten veggies.

[@Olive_O_Sudden]

What kind of hot dogs are you buying that cost $8 per pack? I know that kosher franks can get pretty pricey, but chicken weiners are maximum $4 per pound.

[@rabbitttz]

@@Olive_O_Sudden people live in different areas than you. Some places are more expensive. Also, chicken wieners are so gross bc that’s literally what they’re made of.

[@xchasingthefallx]

Do you qualify for SNAP or have a local food bank that you could go to? I wouldn't want you to go without because of dietary restrictions. Especially with the current inflation.

[@MK_ULTRA420]

Eggs, cheese and potatoes are the best staple foods on a budget. Add whatever meat, seasonings and sauces you want. Dessicated beef liver capsules and cod liver oil softgels for supplements.

[@clorofolle]

Protip from an Italian who cooks pasta everyday! With stew-like dishes, you can cook the pasta directly into the broth (be sure to add a little extra water and salt). This way, pasta absorbs the flavours of the rest of the stew, and releases the starches all around, making them mix together pretty beautifully. I do this with stuff like pasta with legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas etc) but also sometimes some kind of pasta with veggies (cauliflower, pumpkin)

[@robylove9190]

I'm a human vacuum cleaner. This actually sounds really good! My mother and grandmother both used a paring knife to cut almost everything.

[@kylieshaye6562]

We used to call my grandpa a human garbage disposal. If you couldn't finish your plate, my grandpa would take care of it lol. Miss him.

[@readytogo3186]

I still use a paring knife----and have never cut my thumb!

[@tianamariee6287]

@@kylieshaye6562 ur grandpa must be related to my husband 😂

[@scottthomas6202]

These are my favorites! My grandmother made a variety of Hoover meals, each one with a series of stories attached about life in the Depression and World War 2...

[@allistrata]

You didn't cut OR freeze your thumb! I really love it when you revisit Clara's recipes for us. ❤️🎀

[@VerhoevenSimon]

I love seeing budget recipes like this, and nice to see you remembering Clara.

[@jackieanderson5689]

Thank you for mentioning Clara. I've watched all her videos...she was a very sweet lady.

[@Yoyocreative]

I love these recipes! They're coming in handy now the prices are skyrocketing. Rice and pasta dishes are my go to nowadays. I'm lucky to have started a kitchen garden last spring, so I have wonderful veggies to use too! Meat isn't always affordable for me, but I add it when I'm able!

[@sarahslovely08]

New editing style? So wonderful I love it. Also I love Clara. Very helpful to feed a big family.

[@mariagarcia-po6kl]

Hi Emmy. It was 12 years ago, when I made the macaroni with hotdogs. It has been a long time since then. But now I am going through hard times now and will do this again tomorrow. I will tell you how it went. I also remember the time my family had to eat just ham and cheese sandwiches 🥪, with chicken soup 🍲. We ate it for two weeks until she got paid. Then the meal were back to norm. God Bless this wonderful woman. Sorry she has past. Stay healthy my friend. Mari'a. 👍👍👍👍👍👍🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💙💙💙

[@kylaluv8453]

My dad grew up eating this as he was born during the depression years. Still one of his favorite meals

[@sarahallegra6239]

I always love seeing these hard times recipes, it’s so fascinating! It really helps bring the history to life. Somewhat interestingly, this is not too dissimilar to a soup I make; although it’s more the method than the individual ingredients. You just want to make sure you have veggies (I often go with tomatoes and kale), protein (vegan chorizo in this case), some carbs (usually quinoa) and then whatever else you feel like! Garlic, onion, a little Tapatio sauce… it gets so thick, it’s more like a stew and the flavors just get better over the next few days as it marries in the fridge. I made it once and ended up with so much I gave a bunch to my neighbors. One of them returned right after finishing her first bowl and asked, “what was that, it was exquisite!” Has to be the best compliment I’ve gotten for something that’s mostly just “throw a bunch of stuff into a pot and let it hang out!” Now I need to make that soup again, haha 😂

[@jjm004]

Seeing old recipes being cooked feels like a leap back in time

[@subn0rma1]

Or forward a few months

[@Megan26Adler]

I love Clara! She was just the sweetest lady, and so calm about everything, much like you Emmy! 🥰 Definitely trying this. Fall is here and I’m ready for some comfort food

[@Alicia-nl9vn]

I really enjoy this series. So interesting to see how creative people can get!

[@heavenbartlett2459]

this reminds me of something my great grandmother made, it was just her home jared tomatos onions and macaroni salt and pepper. admittedly it’s not the most flavorful meal but it fed her five kids then all the grand and great grand kids and it’s such a comfort meal for me when i miss her most that’s what i want.

[@lelou12]

We ate something similar all the time when I was a kid, because mom grew up eating that! I think it's still her fave and she asks for it from time to time. We do it with onions and ground beef instead of the corn and hot dogs. When my mom was feeling a bit fancy, she would put some slices of kraft cheese and broil it.

[@readytogo3186]

We did that sometimes, too (but I don't think we ever added cheese)! I had forgotten until I started reading all these comments. Mmmm, so good!

[@LadyPisces96]

Every time you mention Clara my heart warms up! I love her videos. If there's a heaven, she's up there cooking something delicioius for sure. What a sweet lady she was.

[@oceanstar0515]

My grandma also cut things like Clara did. That brought back so many good memories. 🥰

[@xerk2945]

My grandma cut that way as well. I wonder when that stopped being a thing?

[@xyztia12]

Depends on wha I am cooking I do that too

[@hannakinn]

My grandmother also used a pairing knife against her thumb. My grandmother had a callous on her thumb, she also had scars, evidence of her having cut her thumb in years past. My mom used to cut like that too, she did it less frequently as she aged, actually started using a cutting board in the 1970s.

[@hotandsoursoup2664]

I was brought up to cut my potatoes and everything else that way. I had an old friend who used to say one day you’re gonna cut yourself when I was feeling potatoes and Amber if you’re reading this, it has been over 24 years and I have yet to cut myself

[@leaannmoore4334]

My mom's family is from Eastern Kentucky and we make macaroni and tomatoes all the time. That's what I grew up eating. I grew up in Florida but I also had a fusion of different types of food so it wasn't odd for me to eat typical Eastern Kentucky food that my mom grew up with and my dad being Mexican to eat you know traditional Hispanic food as well. But we enjoy macaroni and tomatoes with cornbread, sauerkraut, fried potatoes, sliced tomatoes and green onions on the side.

[@Blue-en5bl]

It's wild-- this is the closest I've seen from what I grew up on, which was kraft mac with kielbasa and a can of rotel tomatoes. We were pretty poor when I was young, but it was always a comfort food. That same recipe got me through college and occasionally I make some for myself as a super cheap and quick meal if I'm cooking for one. It's neat seeing where my mother may have gotten the inspiration from.

[@shannondore]

We ate the same thing but instead of kielbasa it was chopped up Spam. Will have to try it with the kielbasa. That sounds delicious.😋

[@kylesalmon31]

Clara was amazing! I bought her cookbook and my wife bought me her dvd as well. She is a go to all the time.

[@risboturbide9396]

Almost like Clara's Poor Man's meal! Thank you, Emmy! Cheers 🍻🍻

[@lilaznkami]

Oh, I love Clara's channel! Thank you for honoring her here. May her memory live on.

[@thorwilkinson2565]

I remember eating many meals like this , I also remember eating two bread slices with leftover gravy on them because that’s all we could afford.

[@sambarrett481]

This reminds me of something my mom makes us for dinner every now and then. We aren’t struggling financially or with food by any means, but this always comes out so delicious. Instead of hotdogs she uses spicy sausage and she also puts minced garlic in it as well as some cheese. It’s one of my favorite dishes she makes 😋

[@Amber-zg6ir]

This is very similar to my childhood favorite meal that my grandmother would always make ❤️ She’s now gone but every time I make it I think of her. Elbow noodles, can of whole tomatoes, butter, salt, and pepper. It’s so simple but the most special and amazing meal for me and my family. Thanks to you I’m going to add macaroni and tomatoes to my meal plans this week, and I’m really looking forward to it.

[@phoenixrising3219]

My grandparents grew up in the depression Era. The stories they told us... Anywho, my grandmother used to make elbows and stewed tomatoes. Nothing extra. And we'd eat that. Always was a personal favorite.

[@lougait4362]

Hey Emmy. Long time fan! I wanted to recommend a hard times recipe for you to consider one day. I’m from a Greek family, and my mother grew up eating a dish called Horta. It’s a dish made with dandelion greens and olive oil and lemon. Basically my moms family would go to the park picking leaves to make the dish. It’s very bitter. But it was very cheap for them to make since it was kind of a depression dish.

[@SeansMusicVault]

I've made this gem many times, with thanks to my mom (and Clara and NOW Emmy). One of the smartest uses of ingredients during hard times, and one that I suspect will be good to have at the ready in these uncertain times.

[@goldfishwishes]

I first heard about this from The Wolf Pit here on youtube. he does a lot of money saving meals. A good channel to check out for stuff like this too!

[@heatherish0588]

Love his channel!

[@christenfields4327]

My grandmother made a stew very similar to this recipe. Plussss, she still cuts everything she can in that same fashion. Love you and your work Emmy. Always ❤️

[@lynnscott4729]

This reminds me a bit of a tomato macaroni dish that Bianca over at Vegan Crunk talked about. I can't quite remember what her recipe was, but I morphed it into my own. I just take a can of diced tomatoes (either with onion and garlic, or the Italian seasoned), one can of water, and 1/2 cup of macaroni. Simmer until the pasta is cooked. Sometimes I'd add some extra vegetables or a can of chickpeas for some protein. Easy, cheap and tasty.

[@mr.iowegian]

Dude you are an absolute doll. I have been watching your videos forever. My depression era uncle used to say, before every meal, "Deal small, serve all".

[@Ioveclub]

this stew looks exactly like what my mom makes for us when money is tight. the only difference is she replaces the mac noodles for garbanzo beans, which are equally filling and turn it into something of a yummy, hot salad. i never knew there was an official name for it, you learn something new everyday huh!

[@krismeyer2319]

Omg this kind of dishes gives me so much memories, being from a big family and all. Thanks for giving the dish some credit!

[@heatherwhite2788]

I make something similar that really is good. A pound each of ground beef, mozzarella, and macaroni plus a couple cans of chopped tomatoes, a giant onion 🧅 and Italian seasoning. Cook and then bake. Also feeds a crowd and delicious!

[@ms.rosann]

I love to watch Clara on Sunday afternoon while I’m eating my dinner , especially in the winter time & during Christmas & holidays 🥰 thanks for the recipe 😊

[@singularity___]

!!! I've been thinking about this recipe lately, as I've started incorporating hotdogs more often because they're a cheaper option. I make something similar to this at times, but with rice (cooked in broth with some butter + tomato sauce) instead of pasta and some black beans added, as well as a sauteed onion too. If I have some cheese on hand, I'll add that on top. Sooooo good/filling and pretty cheap to make.

[@lexinwonderland5741]

this will probably get lost in the comments section, but as a cheap and gluten-free option you could cook rice in the liquid of the hoover stew! the rice would absorb a lot of the broth flavor and could thicken it with the free starch. considering i'm living through a similarly devastating economic depression as my great-grandparents, I might try this soon!!

[@grannyfisher3863]

About 20 years ago my husband and I were part of a Christian ministry that often operated on a shoestring. We learned to prepare a dish very similar to this that the other ministers called "Darned If I Know." We made it with hamburger instead of hot dogs, and no corn.

[@mopo3932]

“Getting everything happy together” = meld the flavors. 😊

[@terryesselborn242]

I would definitely like to see more depression era foods Emmy. I love your channel. I need to find Claire's channel and check it out!! Thanks for all your hard work Emmy. 💚💚🎥🎥🍛🍜🥘

[@cynthiac6110]

I love watching Clara's videos. My grandmothers cut over the pan. My mother would too. She was a little girl in the depression. She remembered cans of veggies not having lables. I make a lot of meals I didn't realize were depression era meals. I learned them from my mom. Bless her she would have been 100 this year.

[@fidgetyfl0wer174]

We used to have tomato macaroni when I was a kid. It was just tomatoes, mayo, salt and pepper and served cold like a pasta salad. It's kind of like a southern tomato sandwich but with pasta.

[@mrsfruity76]

Tomato macaroni sounds really good. I definitely love a good tomato sandwich. Sometimes the simple things taste the absolute best!🙂

[@hannakinn]

Mom makes that but calls it pasta salad. She sometimes adds chunks of ham, chicken or adds crumbled bacon. Good cold dish on hot summer days.

[@mollymollie6048]

Love Clara’s videos! She was a treasure, so glad her relative got her to cook for videos, and I love her stories…especially the lady who had the nerve to just come and take vegetables out of their garden! At this point, I wonder if (less popular) chicken (bone in/skin on) or pork would be a less expensive meat choice? (I’ve noticed hot dogs are about $6 a pack where I am.) My Mom grew up during the Depression and WWII, and she used the paring knife the same way, (“why make more dirty dishes?”) nothing went to waste in our house, for sure. Thanks for making this, Emmy…and your ideas are great…you could take a lot of leftovers..whatever you have, or can buy that’s cheap, and still have a hearty meal to serve many (or one or two people for quite a few days) for a small amount of money. Tough times for nearly all of us now…grateful I have the memories of my Mom and Dad and how being kids during those days shaped them to make use of what we had, save, don’t waste (even tho we weren’t poor, and could have been wasteful without any financial issue,) but it gave a good work ethic to me, and a good idea of the “value” of things. Thank you!

[@genera1013]

This looks like something I'd make at home just for a comfort meal lol

[@angelaakahuntersmom1045]

My mom makes something similar instead of hotdogs she does ground beef, and instead of corn she adds frozen bag of mixed veggies. So simple yet yummy!

[@thackblanos]

Who else says "itadakimasu" when Emmy says it but you're not eating anything at the moment like she is? 😂

[@marayaadams]

Me

[@orsie200]

I’m 76 and have been cooking since I was 9 ears old. I often cut against my thumb. This looks very yummy! I loved watching Clara!

[@RedMapleCanada]

This stew looks so delicious! Great sharing, I'm cooking this asap! 👍

[@gaylec258]

Thanks for mentioning Clara's channel. She was so cool and down to earth. Old-fashion and comforting. So sad when she passed. It's the same feeling as the Queen. You want them to stay around forever, but, it's not to be. 😥 My grandmother use to make, what I called Spaghetti Soup. She would cook up spaghetti noodles, add tomato juice, and Cheez Whiz. It just had a nice taste. Over the years I've made the lazy, little bit cheaper version of this. I make a box of Mac & Cheese, add a 15oz can of diced tomatoes, a little bit more butter and a splash of milk. Tastes almost as good, but will never match her's. If I really want to splurge, I season some hamburger meat, roll into balls, cook up in a pan and add to my concoction. Yummier. LOL The way things are now, we really need to embrace these hard-time cooking recipes and techniques. The cost of food is becoming outrageous, so if you are on a limited income, these are perfect. May not be gourmet, but you end up full, and usually have enough for a couple meals.

[@bakarangerpinku]

11:47 lol well my skittish calico cat, Chloe, was convinced (and jumped). She jumps at my vacuum mimicry, too lol. She’s a great audience. Edit: My tortie on the other hand was not convinced. She seemed happily amused. She’s just too smart.