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SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
MILITARY RECIPE FIELD BREAD

Take five quarts of flour and one and two-thirds tablespoonfuls of yeast powder; mix thoroughly while dry, adding a little salt to suit the taste; then mix in well one tablespoonful f dripping or lard; then add water, and in small quantities at a time, until a biscuit dough is made; knead slightly. Take a Government mess pan and cut off about one inch and a half of the rim, leaving a rough edge. Into this mess pan put dough enough to fill it two-third full; cover with another mess pan. A hole should previously have been dug in the ground eighteen or twenty inches in diameter and depth, and a fire burned in it five or six hours. Then take out all the cinders except a bed two or three inches deep; upon this place the mess pans and surround and cover them with hot cinders; over all spread a covering of earth, and leave for five or six hours. The bread will not burn, as in rising it will not reach the bottom of the upper mess pan. The rough-cut edges of the low mess pan afford egress to any gases that may be disengaged.

"What are you giving so that others may live? Eat less wheat, meat, fats, sugar. Send more to Europe or they will starve."

1 cup cranberries, chopped
1 cup raisins
1 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons flour mixed with 1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons fat

Mix all. Bring to boiling point and place in double crust pastry.

4 1/2 pounds of flour
2 1/2 pounds of lard
1 oz salt

Rub lard and flour together in the hands and mix well; add sufficient water to make a moist dough. Have everything cool and work as little as possible.

25 pounds pumpkin
6 pounds sugar
20 eggs
1 nutmeg
1/8 ounce cloves
1/8 ounce ginger
1 ounce salt
2 cans evaporated milk.

Peel and clean the pumpkin; cut into pieces about 2 ounces each; pour 1 inch of water into a boiler, then put in the pumpkin. One inch of water will be sufficient, even though the boiler be filled with pumpkin, as pumpkin contains much water. Boil slowly until done, about 40 minutes. Then mash well, add the beaten eggs, sugar, milk, and spices, and mix well; make the pies without a top crust, and bake slowly. This recipe may be improved by the addition of a small amount of cream.

4 to 6 sweet potatoes
2/3 cup dark corn or maple syrup
1 orange, sliced
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped nut meats

Peel sweet potatoes; then slice into a buttered casserole, arranging them in layers with orange slices and chopped nut meats. Dot each layer with butter and season with salt and pepper. Pour syrup over them. Bake in moderate oven for 1 hour. A little water or orange juice may be added if needed. Serves 4 to 6.

70 pounds turkey, undrawn or 50 pounds dressed and drawn
4 pounds onions, minced, browned
2 pounds fat, butter preferred
15 pounds bread crumbs
2 pounds flour

Singe, then clean the turkey well, saving heart, liver, and gizzard, which should be cooked and then minced for use in gravy or dressing. To make the dressing, moisten the bread crumbs with water, mix with onions and giblets, and season with pepper and salt, sage, thyme, or other spices. The bread may be soaked in oyster liquor and oysters added to the dressing. Celery, currants, or raising may be used instead of onions. Lemon juice or nuts may be added. Stuff the turkey well with dressing. Sew up with strong thread and tie wings down to the body. Make a batter with the flour and fat, season with salt and pepper and rub the turkey with it before placing in oven. Roast in a slow own (200-250 F. -- 18 to 20 counts). After the turkey has been in the oven about 20 minutes, add a little hot water and baste every 15 minutes until done. This generally requires about 2 1/2 hours, depending upon the quality of the fowl. Last few minutes of cooking should be at high heat to brown the outside of the turkey. Carve and serve hot with gravy.

From : Manual of Mess Management,
Military Service Publishing Co., 1941.