Straight from my grandma-ma's kitchen:

"Here is a nice cheap stew (or chowder) to make if many people are to be fed. It comes from the depression days, and can be made for a modest price, making it ideal for gatherings, soup kitchens, and the like.

Hoover Stew

12-16 Large potatoes
6 quarts Milk
2 whole large onions
2 cloves garlic
3/4 lb shelled cooked peas
3/4 lb cooked, blanched, or fresh corn
1 lb cooked, drained and cut up ham, bacon or sausage*

Optional:

1 fair-sized chopped red pepper
1 fair-sized chopped green pepper

Cook, drain and cut meat.
Cut the eyes off of the potatoes, and further slice them into large flat pieces, skinning if so desired. Put them, along with a pinch of salt in just enough boiling water to cover the pieces for 5 minutes, then remove from fire and drain.
Slowly warm milk, onion, and garlic in large pot over a slow fire, taking care to stir it often and not to burn it, and when very warm to the touch (110 degrees on a thermometer) add in the potatoes and peas. Let simmer on slow fire 10 to 15 Minutes, stirring often, then add corn, meat, and peppers. Let the whole simmer another 20-30 Minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Serve hot and let stand to cool, individual servings may be hastened with a very little flour stirred in, if so desired.

Add fresh ingredients to the unserved portion after supper is over, and keep warm on back burner (or in a crock pot) and you will have a batch of stew all winter long that can be put out at a moment's notice.

Serves 10-15 people, depending on serving size.

*A like amount of boned and prepared Chicken, Beef, or fish can also be used to make this dish suitable for lent. Likewise, if meat is unavailable or not wished for, 3/4 lb of carrots can be used, along with 1/4 cup chopped greens, to make a fine vegetarian stew where the meat is hardly missed.

To make less, amounts can be halved or quartered, but watch it carefully while cooking as the cooking time will go down. In higher altitudes it may need to cook longer, due to the thinner air."

Happy eating.
Chaz