Chapter II: Part 2

Heat an earthen pan slowly and melt in it a tablespoonful of butter; add a teaspoonful of salt, a smaller quantity of pepper and a small onion minced very fine; or in place of the onion, use parsley, and sweet herbs, or a combination of all together as you prefer. Drop in the eggs one at a time; do not stir, but let them brown a little; turn carefully and brown on the other side. In Spain and Mexico they are served in the dish in which they are cooked, and as hot as possible.

SWISS EGGS.

Cover the bottom of a dish with two ounces of fresh butter and on this scatter grated cheese; drop the eggs upon the cheese without breaking the yolks, season to taste. Pour over the eggs a little cream and sprinkle with about two ounces of grated cheese; set in a moderate oven for ten or fifteen minutes.

FRENCH OMELET (PLAIN).

Beat the yolks of six eggs to a cream, and beat whites to a stiff froth, add two tablespoonfuls of cream, or rich milk, to the yolks, season to taste, whip in the beaten whites lightly. Have omelet pan well oiled with butter and moderately hot; cook slowly until browned slightly on the bottom, then set pan in upper grate in hot oven. Serve on a platter garnished with parsley.

DRESSED OMELETS.

A nice variety can be given omelets by filling supplied just before folding.

TOMATO DRESSING.

Five tomatoes stewed down, and seasoned with salt, pepper and butter. Spread on omelet just before folding.

OMELET, WITH FRENCH PEAS.

Heat and drain one can of peas, season with salt, pepper and butter. Cover the platter and serve omelet on peas.

MUSHROOM FILLING.

If fresh mushrooms are used, select the small variety; peel and slice them, stew until tender in butter; season to taste and spread on omelet before folding.

FOAMY OMELET (SWEET).

Beat the yolks of six eggs to a cream, add one half cupful of cream, one tablespoonful of sugar. Whip the whites to a stiff froth, and add one half to the mixture; have frying pan moderately hot, melt one teaspoonful of butter in pan; be careful not to brown, and pour in the mixture. Cook carefully, lifting pan from fire frequently so it will not scorch on the bottom; when nearly set, pour over the rest of whites of eggs, and sprinkle with powdered sugar, then set in oven until whites of eggs set; have ready a hot platter, slip omelet on to platter, lay spoonfuls of jelly on omelet and double quickly. Serve at once. This omelet without sweetening is very nice with savory dressing, such as minced herbs heated in butter.

BREAD OMELET.

Crumble a cupful of stale bread and soak in half a teacupful of milk. Then beat quite smooth, and add half a teaspoonful of salt and five beaten eggs. Butter a shallow pudding dish well, pour in the mixture, and bake in an oven about ten minutes, serving at once in the same dish, as it falls quickly.

VEGETABLE OMELET.

Chop an onion finely, together with two crisp heads of lettuce, season with salt and pepper, and stir in six well beaten eggs, add three tablespoonfuls of cream. Pour into hot, buttered spider, and when thickened, but not hardened, fold over and serve on hot platter. Parsley may be used, if preferred, in place of lettuce.

CHEESE OMELET, NO. 1.

Break three eggs into a basin; whip them till well mixed; add pepper and salt, and two ounces of grated cheese; melt one tablespoonful of butter in frying pan; when the butter is quite hot pour the mixture into the pan; as soon as it begins to set, draw the thickening portion from the bottom of pan with a silver fork, letting the liquid substance cover the pan, do not stir; repeat this operation until it is all sufficiently cooked; then turn onto a heated platter, garnished with parsley, or cress.

CHEESE OMELET, NO. 2.

Mix to a smooth batter three tablespoonfuls of flour with half a pint of milk. Beat together four eggs, a little salt and one fourth of a pound of old cheese grated. Add these to the flour and milk and mix all, beating briskly for several minutes. Put three ounces of butter on a frying pan, and when it is boiling hot pour in the mixture and cook to a nice brown on both sides, turning carefully. Serve on a hot dish.

EGG AND ASPARAGUS.

Cut about two dozen stalks of asparagus into inch lengths and boil tender. Drain, pour over a cupful of drawn butter; stir until hot, turn into a baking dish. Break about six eggs on top, put a bit of butter on each, with salt, and pepper; put into a quick oven until the eggs are “set.”

DEVILLED EGGS.

Boil the eggs for twenty minutes, remove the shells, cut each egg in half without breaking the whites; take out the yolks and pound them in a mortar, adding cayenne, salt and curry powder. Stuff the whites with this paste and join the eggs to their original shape. Cut off just sufficient of each broad end to enable them to stand, and arrange them thus on a dish in a bed of cress or parsley.

EGGS ON TOAST.

Put one tablespoonful of butter in a chaffing dish, and when bubbling add one tablespoonful of flour, one half teaspoonful of salt, one half saltspoonful of pepper, and, gradually, one cupful of milk. Add the whites of three hard boiled eggs, chopped fine. When hot, pour over three slices of toast. Rub the yolks through a strainer over all and garnish with parsley.

SAVORY SAUCES AND GRAVIES.

Nut butter is an excellent substitute for meat essence in gravies, stocks, and sauces. It should be used in the proportion of one tablespoonful to one quart of water.

BROWN SAUCE.

Heat a pint of thin cream; when boiling add a tablespoonful of flour, browned in the oven and rubbed to a smooth paste with a little cold milk; salt to taste; cook thoroughly for ten minutes; then add one cupful of hot, stewed, strained tomato. Beat thoroughly.

TOMATO SAUCE, NO. 1.

Melt one tablespoonful butter, add one tablespoonful of chopped onion, fry until delicate brown; then add one tablespoonful of flour; gradually pour in one cupful of clear soup stock and one half cupful of strained juice of tomato. Season to taste, and cook until it thickens. Nut or dairy butter may be used.

TOMATO SAUCE, NO. 2.

Put one half can of tomatoes, one cupful of water, two cloves, two allspice berries, two pepper corns, two sprigs of parsley, one teaspoonful of mixed herbs, over to boil in granite saucepan; fry one tablespoonful of chopped onion in one tablespoonful of butter till a delicate brown; then add tomato mixture and one heaping tablespoonful of corn starch that has been dissolved in cold water. Simmer ten minutes, add one half teaspoonful of salt, and one half saltspoonful of pepper, add a dash of cayenne, if liked. Strain.

WHITE SAUCE.

To one pint of milk add one heaping tablespoonful of flour blended with one tablespoonful of melted butter; boil until it thickens, salt to taste, add one half cupful of cream. If too thick, thin with hot milk.

CHEESE SAUCE.

Flavor white sauce by adding grated cheese, and stir until the cheese is quite melted.

DUTCH SAUCE.

To four ounces of butter add the well beaten yolks of three eggs, a teaspoonful of flour, a dessertspoonful of lemon juice and salt to taste; put in double boiler and stir gently until it thickens; do not let it boil or it will curdle. This sauce is very nice with asparagus or cauliflower.

DRAWN BUTTER.

One half cupful of butter, rubbed well with two tablespoonfuls of flour; put into saucepan with about one pint of boiling water, stir constantly until well melted. Add one tablespoonful of chopped parsley.

BUTTER SAUCE.

Season a cupful of flour with pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix it with water into a thin paste, and work in a piece of butter about the size of an egg. Put the paste into a pan over the fire, and boil it for a quarter of an hour, then take it off, and add some fresh butter in small portions at a time, continually stirring the contents, to prevent the butter from rising to the surface. Afterwards add lemon juice to flavor, and mix thoroughly. This sauce may be used with almost any vegetable. Another way of making butter sauce sometimes called oiled butter, which is generally liked, is to take as much fresh butter as will be wanted, and melt it, but do not let it brown. Skim it, pour it out, let it rest a minute, then drain it from the curd at the bottom, and serve.

BROWN BUTTER GRAVY.

Take one bay leaf, and a teaspoonful of chopped onion and simmer fifteen minutes in one pint of water. Brown two tablespoonfuls of flour. Put one heaping tablespoonful of butter in frying-pan, melt, browning slightly, add flour, then the strained water that is flavored with onion and bay leaf; let boil, if too thick add more hot water. Salt and pepper to taste.

CHEESE DISHES.

AN ENGLISH MONKEY.

Soak one cupful of bread crumbs in one cupful of milk about ten or fifteen minutes. Melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one cupful of cheese broken into small pieces; stir until melted; add the crumbs and one beaten egg, one half teaspoonful of salt, a few grains of cayenne, and a piece of bicarbonate of soda as large as a pea. Cook for five minutes; serve on wafers.

RICE AND CHEESE.

Take one pint of boiled rice and one cupful of grated cheese; add to the cheese a dash of cayenne pepper and soda the size of a small pea; mix thoroughly. Place the rice and cheese in alternate layers in buttered baking dish. Sprinkle bits of butter over the top and bake in hot oven until brown.

WELSH RAREBIT.

Take one fourth pound of good rich cheese, grate it, add one half cupful of milk; put in a double boiler. Mix one half teaspoonful mustard, one saltspoonful of salt, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and soda the size of a small pea, to a smooth paste with a little milk; add the yolks of two eggs, and beat well. When the cheese is melted stir in mixture of egg and seasoning, add two teaspoonfuls of butter, and cook until it thickens, stirring constantly. Pour over toast, or heated square crackers and serve at once.

CHEESE PUDDING.

Grate one half pound of cheese and add a dash of cayenne, and soda the size of a pea; add six ounces of grated bread, using crust and all; mix with pepper and salt to taste, melt two ounces of butter in one gill of boiling milk and pour over the mixture (cook in double boiler and stir until cheese is melted), then beat in the yolks of three eggs, beat whites of eggs stiff and add them to the mixture (after it is set off of the stove), then pour into a greased pudding dish and bake in moderately hot oven.

CHEESE STRAWS.

Sift one cupful of flour, one half teaspoonful of baking powder, a dash of cayenne pepper, and salt thoroughly. Then work in two tablespoonfuls butter, add three fourths of a cupful of grated cheese and mix to a soft dough with milk. Roll out lightly on a floured board, cut in strips the length of a pencil, also make some small rings. Bake in a hot oven until delicate brown. Put sticks through one or two of the rings. Nice to serve with salads, or for lunch boxes.

ESCALOPED POTATOES, WITH CHEESE.

Slice cold boiled potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper; prepare a good cream sauce; put a layer of sauce, then one of potato into a shallow bake dish, having the last layer of sauce; cut some thin strips of cheese about two and one half inches long, lay them on top of the potatoes, sprinkle with bread crumbs, put into a good oven till slightly browned and the cheese is somewhat melted.

CHEESE PATÉS, NO. 1.

Make a good short crust, roll it out very thin and line as many patty pans as will be required; fill them with stale bread crumbs, or dry rice. Cover with crust and bake in a quick oven. When cooked, remove the lid and take out the bread, or rice; fill up the case with cheese mixture; brush round the edge with egg and cover with the lid. Serve very hot.

Cheese Mixture.--Grate one half pound of good rich cheese, add a dash of cayenne pepper and a tiny speck of soda, mix with white sauce to the consistency of cream, stir over the fire until the mixture is thick, remove from stove, and add one well beaten yolk of egg. Fill the cases while hot and serve at once.

CHEESE PATÉS, NO. 2.

Cut rounds of bread two and one half inches thick and with a sharp knife or smaller cutter cut the center nearly through; spread all over with soft butter, put into a quick oven till a delicate brown, grate enough dry cheese to make one large cupful; season with salt, cayenne and a very little dry mustard; moisten with cream and stock till you have a smooth paste, adding a few drops of onion juice; fill the centers of the bread rounds; the cheese must not be too soft; put in a quick oven till cheese is melted, then draw to the edge of the oven; put a spoonful of beaten white of egg on top of each center, let color for a moment and serve.

CHEESE RELISH.

Fill a baking dish with alternate layers of grated cheese, in which you have mixed a tiny speck of soda, a dash of cayenne pepper, and bread crumbs, placing crumbs in bottom of dish. When filled, pour over it rich milk, or cream, in proportion of one half pint to each cupful of crumbs. Salt to taste and bake for twenty minutes in a reasonably hot oven.

CHEESE PUFF.

Butter liberally two slices of bread and place one in bottom of baking dish; grate one fourth pound of cheese and sprinkle half of it over the buttered bread with a little salt, a dash of cayenne pepper, and soda the size of a pea; then add another slice of buttered bread and the rest of the grated cheese; season as before; whip two eggs to a froth and beat into one pint of milk; pour it over the bread and cheese mixture and bake a delicate brown; serve hot.

CHEESE WAFERS.

Take a quarter of a pound each of flour, butter, and grated cheese; mix them thoroughly with one quarter of a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper. Mix with yolk of egg and water to a smooth stiff paste; roll this out to the thickness of half an inch, then cut into pieces about three inches long and one inch wide. Bake these until they are lightly browned, and serve them as hot as possible.

CHEESE CUSTARDS.

Six tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, two of butter, four eggs, one cupful of milk with a teaspoonful of corn starch stirred into it, salt and pepper to taste. Beat the eggs very light and pour upon them the heated milk (with a pinch of soda), having thickened with the corn starch. While warm add butter, pepper, salt and cheese. Beat well and pour into greased custard-cups. Bake in a quick oven about fifteen minutes, or until high and brown. Serve at once, as a separate course, with bread and butter, after soup, or before serving dessert.

SALAD DRESSINGS, AND SALADS.

CREAM DRESSING.

To one pint of boiling cream, add two ounces of flour, stirred to a smooth paste with two ounces of butter; cook two minutes. Remove from sauce pan and add one ounce more of butter, stirring until cool and perfectly mixed; then season to taste with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and mustard (blending the mustard first in a little lemon juice). Add sliced olives; or, if preferred, use one tablespoonful of chopped parsley and one half teaspoonful of finely chopped onion; the olives are best with cabbage, and onion and parsley with mixed salads.

PLAIN DRESSING.

Beat one egg very light; add one tablespoonful of vinegar and cook in double boiler until thick; place one tablespoonful of butter in a bowl and pour the hot custard over it; beat until smooth, then add mustard and salt to taste--one half teaspoonful of mustard, and saltspoonful of salt is the usual proportion,--with half a teaspoonful of sugar to blend. Set away to cool. Just before using, add sufficient sweet cream to thin to the consistency of rich cream.

MAYONAISE DRESSING.

To the yolks of two eggs add a scant teaspoonful of mustard, equal quantity of salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper, stir, then add, very slowly almost drop by drop, one teacupful of olive oil. The mixture should be as thick as butter, then add one tablespoonful of lemon juice, if too thick, thin with sweet cream. For cabbage or potato salads it is well to add one half cup of sweet cream, while for tomato, aspic or plain, no cream should be used.

FRENCH DRESSING.

Mix one half teaspoonful of salt, with one half saltspoonful of pepper and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice; then add slowly, stirring briskly, one half cupful of oil. Very nice for plain salads.

COOKED SALAD DRESSING.

Mix one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of mustard, one teaspoonful of salt, a speck of cayenne and the yolk of one egg; add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and one half cupful of milk. Stir over boiling water until it thickens. Take from the fire and add the beaten white of the egg and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice.

AUNT SUSAN’S SALAD DRESSING.

Beat together one level teaspoonful of mustard, one heaping teaspoonful of sugar, one dessertspoonful of melted butter, one half teaspoonful of salt and the yolk of one egg; add one cupful of milk and cook in double boiler until it thickens; stirring all the while. When thick add lemon juice or vinegar to taste. This dressing can be kept any length of time by bottling, not necessary to seal.

SALAD CREAM.

Heat one half cupful of vinegar and one half cupful of sugar. When very hot add one half cupful of sour cream into which the yolks of two eggs have been beaten. Stir well, remove from the fire and then chill before using.

Very nice on cabbage salad.

SPRING SALAD.

In a salad bowl put a layer of fresh watercress, then a layer of thinly sliced cucumbers, then a layer of tomatoes with a teaspoonful of chopped chives. Repeat the process and put a border of watercress round the bowl. When ready to serve pour on a French dressing and toss until well mingled.

STUFFED TOMATO SALAD.

Select good sized, smooth, solid tomatoes, scald and skin quickly, slip into ice-water to chill, then carefully remove center without breaking under part; remove seed pulp with your finger, then fill with a chopped mixture of onion, cucumber, parsley, and cress; cover with mayonaise dressing and serve on platter garnished with lettuce leaves, or parsley. One should use judgment in regard to any mixture given in receipt of this nature, and omit any article not pleasing to individual tastes, for instance some prefer to omit parsley, others do not like onion, etc.

PLAIN TOMATO SALAD.

Choose smooth round medium sized tomatoes, scald, and skin quickly. Set away to chill, serve on lettuce leaves with thick mayonaise dressing.

TOMATO ASPIC.

To one quart of strained tomato juice, add one bay leaf, one teaspoonful of chopped onion, and one teaspoonful of salt; let boil ten minutes, strain through fine sieve, or cheese cloth. Set back on stove and thicken with two or more tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, previously dissolved in one third cup of cold water; let boil until clear, turn into wet mould, and set away to chill. Serve on lettuce leaves with thick mayonaise dressing.

SUMMER SALAD.

Take two small heads of nice tender lettuce; tear, do not cut, add one pint of wax or string beans, that have been cooked till tender. Add one medium sized cucumber, sliced thin, and one young onion, two hard boiled eggs, sliced, add a dash of cayenne pepper, cover with mayonaise or French dressing.

ITALIAN SALAD.

Select two small heads of crisp tender lettuce, wash carefully; pare and slice one medium sized cucumber; cut fine one third cupful of parsley; wash one bunch of water cress; clean six crisp round radishes but do not pare, slice thin; slice very thin as much onion as suits your taste, mix all together and dress with oil, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper, mixed thoroughly until the lemon cuts the oil; this result is obtained more quickly if your oil is thoroughly chilled and is added slowly to the lemon juice and salt; add pepper last. This is a delicate and delicious summer salad.

STRING BEAN SALAD.

String, wash and break into inch lengths one quart of tender beans, boil in salted water until tender; drain thoroughly, then mix with one cupful of French dressing, and let stand until cold. Serve on lettuce leaves, and just before sending to the table add a little more dressing.

LIMA BEAN SALAD.

If fresh beans are used boil until tender in salted water; in winter use the California dried beans and soak over night, then boil gently till tender; drain, and when cold sprinkle with salt and pepper; add one tablespoonful of chopped parsley and a few drops of onion juice; pour over a French dressing, or, if you prefer, a mayonaise; arrange on crisp lettuce leaves, garnish with hard boiled eggs.

NUT AND CELERY SALAD.

To three cupfuls of finely cut celery, add one cupful of chopped English walnuts; dress liberally with mayonaise dressing, thinned with cream. Garnish with celery leaves and slices of lemon.

PLAIN CELERY SALAD.

Wash and finely cut the celery, and cover with mayonaise creamed dressing. Serve with slices of lemon.

POTATO AND CELERY SALAD.

Cut in dice one pint of cold, boiled, potatoes, add two cupfuls of finely cut celery. Pour over one half cupful of French dressing; let stand twenty minutes. Then cover with mayonaise and garnish with celery leaves and sliced lemon.

POTATO SALAD NO. 1.

Cut cold boiled potatoes into small dice, add one tablespoonful of onion juice, or tablespoonful of chopped onion (if onion flavor is liked). Sprinkle with celery seed and dress with oil, salt, cayenne, and lemon juice, the same as Italian salad.

POTATO SALAD NO. 2.

Arrange a parsley border and lay on slices of boiled potato, add a few drops of onion juice, or bits of finely chopped onion, or celery; then add finely chopped whites of hard boiled eggs; ornament the top with chopped parsley and yolks of boiled eggs, and dress liberally with French dressing. Chill before serving.

POTATO SALAD NO. 3.

Slice five or six cold boiled potatoes, one cucumber, a dozen olives, and three small onions, into a bowl; add half a teacupful of capers, a few chopped meats of English walnuts, and cover with mayonaise dressing.

BEET SALAD.

Boil small sized beets till tender in salted water; remove the skin, scoop out the center--leaving the sides one quarter of an inch thick; pour over them a French dressing to which has been added a few drops of onion juice; stand aside for an hour. Chop up four stalks of crisp celery and one cucumber; add one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, one half teaspoonful of onion juice and the chopped pieces of the beet taken from the centers; mix all together, drain the beets, and fill with the mixture; arrange on water cress, pour over it a French dressing.

CABBAGE SALAD.

Select a solid, white, head of cabbage, cut in half; then slice as finely as possible, with sharp knife or cabbage cutter the quantity desired; let stand in cold salted water for half an hour, drain thoroughly, and dress freely with cream dressing, to which has been added a dozen sliced olives, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley.

SALAD OF GRAPE FRUIT AND WALNUTS.

Remove the pulp carefully from the grape fruit and add walnut meats in proportion of one half to the quantity of pulp; make a dressing of three tablespoonfuls of oil, with salt to taste, a dash of cayenne pepper, and one tablespoonful of lemon juice; pour this over the grape fruit and walnuts, and serve very cold.

A SWEET SALAD.

Slice bananas, and place in pudding, or salad dish, alternate layers of banana and strawberries, covering each layer liberally with sugar. Cover with whipped cream. Instead of strawberries, oranges may be used.

ORANGE SALAD.

Beat the yolks of four eggs until very thick and light colored, then beat into them, gradually, one cupful of sifted, powdered sugar and half a level teaspoonful of salt; beat until the sugar is dissolved. Next add the juice of two lemons and beat again. Peel and slice thin, six bananas. Peel four oranges, cutting close to the pulp, pick out the seeds, and slice oranges across in thin slices. Put into a deep glass dish a layer of bananas, then of the dressing, then of the orange, then again a layer of each in the same order with banana on the top, and pour the remainder of the dressing over it. Set on ice and serve very cold.

SALMAGUNDI.

Cut into neat strips three cold boiled potatoes, one carrot, one large beet, one half of a small cauliflower--all boiled and cold. Pile in attractive order on a flat dish; chop a cucumber pickle fine and strew over the pile, cover with raw tomatoes, pared and sliced; surround with crisp lettuce leaves as an outer bordering and pour mayonaise dressing over all. Pass a boat of dressing with the salad, also toasted crackers and cheese.

LETTUCE AND GRAPE FRUIT SALAD.

Tear a head of washed lettuce into pieces. Pare and divide into carpels one grape fruit. With a pen-knife slit the white skin that envelops each carpel; take hold of the two ends, bend it back, and the fruit will fall out in little pieces, remove the seeds. Pour fruit and juice over the lettuce, and serve with a French dressing.

VEGETABLES.

CREAMED VEGETABLES.

Take equal quantities of carrots, turnips, asparagus, peas and cauliflowers. With a vegetable scoop cut the carrots and turnips into pieces a quarter of an inch square, or turn them into the shapes of olives, filberts, &c. Divide the cauliflowers and asparagus into small, neat pieces. Cook the vegetables separately in plenty of water; when tender drain and dry them; cover with white sauce and serve.

ESCALOPED ONIONS, CAULIFLOWER, OR ASPARAGUS.

Boil until tender, then put in baking dish and pour over sauce made of one tablespoonful of butter rubbed into one and one half tablespoonfuls of flour, pour over it one pint of hot milk, and cook until it is like a custard. Sprinkle thick with bread crumbs and bake one half hour. Cut the vegetables into small pieces before pouring over the sauce.

ASPARAGUS.

BAKED ASPARAGUS.

Place the asparagus with the root ends together in a baking dish; sprinkle in salt and black pepper; mix two tablespoonfuls of flour smoothly with soft butter to make a thin paste; spread it over the asparagus; cover the dish with a plate; lay a weight on it; cook it until the asparagus is very tender. It may be served in the dish in which it is baked.

ASPARAGUS ON TOAST.

Cut away the hard ends; wash, then tie lightly together in a large bunch with the heads all one way; set in deep kettle with the heads up, fill with salted water to within two inches of the top of the asparagus; cover and let boil until the stems are tender; the steam will have cooked the tops. Have ready bread toasted a delicate brown in the oven. Cut toast in strips about two inches wide, lay it on hot shallow dish or platter, butter liberally, drain the asparagus and pile it on the toast; sprinkle liberally with butter, pepper, and salt, and serve with cut lemon.

ASPARAGUS WITH WHITE SAUCE.

Make a good crust and line a baking dish, fill with cooked asparagus, dress with the white sauce; cover with top crust; and bake in hot oven.

ASPARAGUS PIE.

Make a good crust and line a baking dish filled with cooked asparagus, dressed with the white sauce; cover with top crust; and bake in hot oven.

ASPARAGUS PUDDING.

Beat together four eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, pepper and salt. Add three tablespoonfuls of flour mixed with one third teaspoonful of baking powder, then a scant cupful of milk, and finally the boiled, chopped tender tops of two bunches of asparagus. Put into a well greased mould with a top, cook in a pot of boiling water two hours; turn out and pour over it a cupful of drawn butter.

BEANS.

CREAMED STRING BEANS.

Cut the ends and string them. Put them in a covered saucepan with water, and cook till tender, drain, and remove any strings that may have adhered, then place again in the pan, add one cupful of cold milk, and salt to taste; thicken with flour mixed smoothly with soft butter to the consistency of thick cream; let them cook until the sauce is thoroughly done, add a dash of pepper, and serve in hot covered dish.

WAX BEANS.

The yellow wax bean is very nice when young, prepare as you do any string bean, stew until tender, letting liquor boil away and seasoning with salt, pepper, and butter.

BOSTON BAKED BEANS.

Small navy beans are the best. Carefully pick over and wash one pint, soak over night in enough water to cover; in the morning place in a kettle with fresh water and boil for fifteen minutes; skim out of this water, and put into an earthen crock, add one large spoonful of molasses; one teaspoonful of mustard, salt to taste, and a large heaping tablespoonful of butter with water enough to cover; place a cover on the crock and set in the oven, cook them all day. They need to be watched at intervals of half an hour to see that the water is visible at the top of the beans; the last hour, if the oven is moderate, no more water should be added.

DRIED LIMA BEANS.

One cupful is sufficient for a family of five. Wash and put to soak over night. Steam in double boiler, with just water enough to float, until thoroughly tender. Salt to taste and add one tablespoonful of butter and a dash of pepper.

Dried beans can be freshened in an hour by soaking in hot water, and renewing the water as soon as it cools.

FRESH LIMA BEANS.

Boil until tender in just water enough to float, when nearly done, uncover and let water simmer away, add one cupful of sweet cream, and salt to taste just before serving. If you do not have cream, use milk, thickened with one teaspoonful of flour mixed with one tablespoonful of soft butter.

SUCCOTASH.

Take one cupful of cold cooked lima beans; add one half can of sweet corn, or equal quantity cut from cob; season to taste and add one teaspoonful of butter and one cupful of milk; cook until the corn is tender. Serve in hot, covered dish.

CORN.

ROASTED CORN.

Steam the ears until tender, then strip them, turn each ear in a flat plate in which there is a sufficiency of melted butter; then place them on a gridiron over a clean coal fire, and turn them until they are well toasted.

CUT CORN.

Steam the ears until tender, then strip them and cut the corn from the cob; add butter and seasoning to taste; place in hot covered dish; set in steamer until thoroughly heated through and serve very hot.

GREEN CORN--STEAMED.

Select nice full ears; and place in steamer with the husks on. Steam an hour or more until tender then strip the ears; cutting off both ends; heap the corn on a hot shallow dish and set in the oven a minute or two to dry.

CORN FRITTERS.

In the summer when fresh corn can be had, grate the corn from the cob and mix in proportion of one cupful of grated corn to three well beaten eggs; salt to taste and fry in hot butter by spoonfuls; serve hot. They are much more delicate and delicious than where flour and milk are used. The corn supplies both the milk and flour in its own substance. Grated, or very tender, canned corn can be used in the same way in the winter season.

BAKED CORN.

Chop as fine as possible the contents of one can of corn; add a heaping tablespoonful of butter; season to taste; add one pint of milk; put in baking dish; place in oven and bake until a nice brown.

CORN PUDDING.

Cut enough uncooked corn from the cob to fill a pint measure; place in covered sauce pan with a pint of cold milk; let cook until tender; then add two tablespoonfuls of flour smoothly mixed with cold milk. Stir until the mixture thickens; add two tablespoonfuls of butter; set it off to cool.

Beat the yolks of four eggs in a large bowl; beat whites separately to a stiff froth; then mix well with the yolks, add to the warm corn and milk mixture, put into a hot buttered baking dish and brown in quick oven.

CORN ON TOAST.

Take pieces of bread four inches square and fry a delicate brown in butter; then heap on the bread a large tablespoonful of stewed or canned corn and heat through thoroughly; serve very hot.

CORN PATÊS.

Chop finely half a can of corn; stir in bread crumbs until stiff; season with salt and pepper; fill patê shells two thirds full and lay piece of butter size of hickory nut on top of each filling; then pour over each one a tablespoonful of cream; place in oven and bake till delicate brown; serve hot. Very much like oysters.

If creamy dressing is preferred, omit the bread crumbs, and thicken the cream with a little flour and butter before pouring over the corn, use a little more cream to each shell.

CABBAGE.

TO BOIL CABBAGE.

Wash in cold water, and pick over very carefully. Put whole in a covered boiler, with the stem end down, sprinkle well with salt, pour over it a cupful of cold water, boil until it is very tender, then uncover it for the water to boil away; set it on the back of range to dry, take off the coarse outer leaves, serve it in a hot, deep, dish. Cut the cabbage into halves or quarters and lay butter on each piece.

CABBAGE IN WHITE SAUCE.

Cut a head of white cabbage in pieces two or three inches large, put them into a covered saucepan with salt, one cupful of cold water, and flour mixed to a smooth thin paste with soft butter; boil until the cabbage is very tender.

CABBAGE IN MILK.

Chop coarsely one-fourth large or one-half small head of cabbage; put over in saucepan with enough salted water to float; let cook until nearly done, then drain; add one quart of rich milk and cook until tender; add salt, pepper, and butter to taste.

HOT SLAW.

Chop one half large, or one small head of cabbage; put over in saucepan with salted water; cook till tender, but not soft; drain, add one-half cupful of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, with one tablespoonful of butter.

BAKED CABBAGE.

Boil a firm, white, head of cabbage until tender, drain, and set aside until cold. Then chop fine; add two well beaten eggs; one ounce of butter; salt, and pepper, with three tablespoonfuls of cream; bake in moderate oven.

EGG PLANT.

ESCALOPED EGG PLANT.

Steam a whole egg plant until it is soft throughout; cut it in half, lengthwise; put each half into a vegetable dish; cut it in squares; sprinkle them with salt and moisten with Worcestershire Sauce; spread butter over them; dredge with powdered crackers; strew with pieces of butter and brown in a quick oven.

BAKED EGG PLANT.

Peel and cut in pieces enough egg plant to fill a quart bowl; steam until it can be mashed smooth; stir in two tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of salt, and one half teaspoonful of black pepper; put it into a baking dish; smooth it over, dredge it with powdered cracker; strew it with pieces of butter; and brown it in a quick oven.

FRIED EGG PLANT.

Cut it crosswise into thin slices; fry them immediately in boiling cocoanut butter or vegetable oil; sprinkle both sides with salt and black pepper; cover the frying pan with a tin cover; set it on the back of range to steam until the egg plant is very tender; serve on a hot shallow dish.

EGG PLANT IN EGG AND CRACKER.

Cut it in thin slices across; fry it immediately in hot cocoanut butter or vegetable oil; lay the slices on a cold dish; sprinkle both sides with salt and black pepper; pour beaten egg over to moisten both sides; turn each slice in powdered cracker; fry them a second time in the boiling fat; lay them on a hot dish; serve them brown and crisp.

EGG PLANT BALLS.

Prepare as for baked egg plant; roll a tablespoonful into round balls in the palms of the hands, flatten them, pour beaten egg over them to moisten both sides, turn each in a plate of powdered crackers, fry them brown in boiling fat, and serve them on a hot shallow dish.

PEAS.

GREEN PEAS.

Do not wash peas, as it spoils their flavor and makes them less nutritious. Peas should not be shelled until immediately before using.

TO BOIL PEAS.

Put them into a covered saucepan, with cold water enough to float them; boil them until the peas are tender; then uncover them for the water to boil away; set them at the back of range to dry; serve them in a hot, covered, vegetable dish, with a tablespoonful of butter laid on them; or, if liked, one cupful of cream may be added just before removing from saucepan.

PEAS IN WHITE SAUCE.

Put the peas into a saucepan, with one cupful of cold water, and one teaspoonful of flour, mixed smoothly with soft butter to make a thin paste. Cover the saucepan, and boil the peas until they are very tender; add one-half cupful of cream and serve in a hot, covered dish.

PATÊS WITH PEAS.

Make little shells of puff paste and dress with peas stewed tender, to which has been added cream, thickened slightly with flour and butter.

PASTRY WITH PEAS.

Make little shells of pie crust and fill with young peas cooked tender and seasoned with pepper, salt, and butter; the peas should be carefully drained before filling the shells.

POTATOES.

BOILED POTATOES.

Boiled potatoes are more nutritious when boiled in the skin. They should be placed in a kettle with a sufficient amount of cold water to cover them, salted to taste, cooked in an uncovered kettle, and the water permitted to boil away; then let kettle remain on the back of range where they will keep hot, until the potatoes are dry and mealy. Peel before serving.

NEW POTATOES.

Small new potatoes with white skins need not be peeled, but should be buttered liberally and served in a hot dish.

MASHED POTATOES.

Boil until tender and place in colander, have ready a large bowl with tablespoonful of butter and half a cupful of cream; mash through the colander into a bowl, then whip potatoes and seasoning thoroughly with a fork, as a spoon destroys the delicacy; place in dish and set uncovered over steam to heat thoroughly. Serve quickly.

POTATO CROQUETTES.

To one pint of hot mashed potatoes add one tablespoonful of butter, one half saltspoonful of pepper, one half teaspoonful of salt, one dash of cayenne, one half teaspoonful celery salt, and a few drops of onion juice. Beat until very light. When slightly cooled, mix in yolk of one egg; add one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. Shape into croquettes, roll in fine bread crumbs, then in a mixture of egg and milk, roll again in bread crumbs, let stand about fifteen minutes in a cold place, then fry by plunging in very hot fat for a moment. Do not fry more than three at a time, in order not to chill the fat. Drain carefully.

POTATO PATÊS.

Take a tablespoonful of warm mashed potato in the palm of your hand, shaping it like a ball; then with a teaspoon take out a good part of the center. Fill this potato patê shell with minced onion and celery cooked tender in butter, and add a grating of cheese; season to taste, then cover it over with potato; dip into melted butter and egg; place in a shallow baking pan and place in a hot oven, let come to a nice brown; serve on platter garnished with parsley.

SARATOGA CHIPS.

Select medium sized potatoes, pare, wash, and slice them very thin; dry with a napkin. Have kettle of cocoa butter, or oil, heated to right temperature (see “Important Notes”) and sprinkle potatoes in kettle; do not crowd; when a delicate brown, skim out, and place in sieve in a warm place to drain; sprinkle lightly with salt.

PRINCESS POTATOES.

Boil and mash the desired quantity; while the potatoes are still warm spread them half an inch thick on a plate and set away to cool. When ready to use them, cut the potato into strips an inch wide and two inches long; dip the strips into melted butter, and then into well beaten egg, finally placing them in a baking pan and browning them in a hot oven.

WACHTMEISTER POTATOES.

Select potatoes of medium size and perfect shape; scour the skins, and steam until tender, then place in oven until skin is slightly toughened; remove from oven and open at one end, carefully removing contents, do not break the skins. Have ready a bowl of whipped cream; mash the potatoes and mix freely with whipped cream. Stuff back in potato skins and set in shallow dish, open ends up; place back in oven and let them get thoroughly hot, then serve. One who has been a strict vegetarian for years finds salt a poison; and it is omitted intentionally in the “Wachtmeister” receipt. It can of course be added to potato in mixing for those who desire it.

POTATOES IN WHITE SAUCE.

Peel and quarter potatoes, put them into saucepan (with salt, if desired) add flour and butter, mixed to a smooth paste, in the proportion of one tablespoonful of flour to two of soft butter, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and just water enough to float potatoes; cover the saucepan and cook until potatoes are very tender.

LYONAISE POTATOES.

To one tablespoonful of finely chopped onion, add seasoning to taste; place in frying pan with two tablespoonfuls of butter and let fry a light brown, being careful not to burn. Have ready one quart of cold boiled potato cut in small dice, add and turn delicately with fork until potatoes have absorbed the butter; just before removing from fire add one tablespoonful of chopped parsley. Serve very hot.

ESCALOPED POTATOES.

Pare, wash and slice enough potatoes to nearly fill a baking dish; season to taste, fill the dish with cold milk and add one large tablespoonful of butter distributed over the top, bake in moderate oven, keeping dish covered until potatoes are nearly done. Then remove cover and brown.

FRENCH FRIED POTATOES.

Peel and cut in strips medium or small potatoes, wash, then dry with a clean towel. Have ready a kettle of cocoa butter thoroughly hot, drop in potatoes and cook until a delicate brown; if salt is used sprinkle slightly when taken from the fat, let drain in wire dish in the oven one minute, then serve in hot dish.

FRIED POTATOES.

A nice way to fry potatoes is to dip them in egg and then in bread crumbs; then fry until brown.

POTATO SCONES.

Boil potatoes in salted water; three good-sized potatoes making a sufficient supply for moderate family; drain and mash; mix with just enough flour to enable you to roll out the mixture, cut with biscuit cutter and bake on an ungreased griddle, turning frequently. The scones should have the thickness and consistency of wheat pancakes.

POTATO PEARS.

Cook five potatoes and rub through a strainer. While hot add two tablespoonfuls of butter, one half teaspoonful of salt, one fourth teaspoonful of celery salt, one fourth teaspoonful of pepper, a few grains of cayenne, and one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. Beat thoroughly and add yolk of one egg. Shape in the form of pears. Beat one egg, slightly diluting with two tablespoonfuls of milk. Roll the pears in the egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat; dry on brown paper. Insert a clove at the blossom and stem of each pear. Garnish with parsley.

POTATO PANCAKES.

Grate six large potatoes; drain, and add pint of cream or milk, two well beaten eggs, one tablespoonful of flour, and beat well. Melt one teaspoonful of butter in frying pan, pour in a thin layer of batter; as it cooks loosen it from the pan, when a delicate brown, turn, and brown. Serve hot.

SWEET POTATOES.

BAKED SWEET POTATOES.

Wash carefully, cutting out any bruised spots; place in steamer. When they are tender put them in a quick oven to roast to a delicate crust.

ESCALOPED SWEET POTATOES.

Pare medium sized potatoes; cut into halves or into three slices, according to size; place a layer in a baking pan, add bits of butter, pepper, and a generous sprinkling of sugar; then add another layer of potatoes and seasoning. When all have been used, add enough boiling water to show through them, but not quite enough to cover them. Cover the pan and bake one hour in a moderate oven; then remove cover and bake one half hour longer until the potatoes are nicely browned on top. Serve in the dish in which they are baked.

SWEET POTATO CURRY.

Pare potatoes and cut into dice, about an inch in size; sprinkle with curry powder and brown in two tablespoonfuls of butter. When they are half cooked salt, pepper and cover with soup stock; boil until tender.

SWEET POTATO CROQUETTES.

Boil, peel, and mash six large sweet potatoes; season with salt, a tablespoonful of butter, one of sugar and a little pepper. When cold, mold into croquettes, dip into beaten egg, then into finely rolled bread crumbs, and fry brown in hot fat.

GLACED SWEET POTATOES.

Cut cold boiled, or steamed potatoes, into slices about an inch thick and season to taste. For one pint of potatoes, melt one fourth cupful of butter and add one tablespoonful of sugar. Dip the slices into this liquid and lay them on a large pan. Cook for twelve minutes in a very hot oven, or until they become a rich glossy brown. Serve hot.

FRIED SWEET POTATOES.

Peel and slice sweet potatoes about one fourth inch thick; fry in deep fat for about ten minutes, drain on a brown paper in warm oven for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt; serve hot.

BROWNED SWEET POTATO.

After potatoes are steamed until tender, peel and cut them in lengthwise strips; brown in hot cocoanut butter or vegetable oil.

WARMED UP SWEET POTATOES.

Any left over cold steamed potatoes can be made into a relish by peeling, slicing and frying a delicate brown in butter.

ONIONS.

Steam old onions; stew young onions.

TO STEAM ONIONS.

Put them whole into a baking dish, covered with a plate; set it in a hot oven to steam for three or more hours; take off the coarse outer skin and serve the onions in a hot, covered, vegetable dish, with butter, salt, and black pepper.

STEWED ONIONS.

Peel young onions and put them into a covered saucepan; add salt, one cupful of cold water, flour mixed smoothly with soft butter to make a thin paste, and one tablespoonful of chopped parsley; stew them until they are thoroughly tender; serve them in a hot covered dish.

YOUNG ONIONS IN WHITE SAUCE.

Select the young onions with green tops, cutting off the coarse part of the top; boil until tender; drain; place in vegetable dish and sprinkle with pepper and salt; add teaspoonful of butter; have ready one pint of milk, scalded and thickened with heaping teaspoonful of flour blended with melted butter, boiled sufficiently to thoroughly cook flour. Pour over the onions and serve.

BAKED ONIONS.

Bermuda, or large Spanish, onions are the best for baking, although the ordinary white onion will do; set them without peeling in a large pan of salted water, to which add one cupful of milk; boil until tender; drain and remove skins, put in baking pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper; add a very little of the water they were boiled in, and set in oven to brown. Pour melted butter over them and serve.

FRIED ONIONS.

Peel large onions; slice them very thin in rounds; sprinkle them with salt and red pepper; brown them in boiling cocoa butter, or vegetable oil; cover the frying pan with a tin cover; set it on the range to steam until the onions are very tender; serve them heaped on a hot, shallow dish; garnish them thickly with sprigs of fresh parsley to neutralize the odor after they are eaten.

ONIONS IN MILK.

Peel small white onions; nearly fill a quart bottle; put in two tablespoonfuls of soft butter mixed to a paste with a tablespoonful of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, and one half teaspoonful of white pepper; pour in a pint of cold milk; cork the bottle; set it in a saucepan of cold water over the fire to boil an hour or more; serve it turned into a hot covered dish.

Wash the leaves in cold water; shake out each leaf, and heap them on a colander to drain.

SPINACH.

TO BOIL SPINACH.

Put the leaves into a kettle to boil twenty minutes; then uncover the saucepan so as to boil the juice nearly away; turn the spinach into a colander; drain them into a hot vegetable dish, in which is butter, salt, and black pepper; turn it into the butter and salt; serve it with poached eggs on the top.

CHOPPED SPINACH WITH EGGS.

After spinach is boiled and dried, chop it in the saucepan very fine with a knife; set it over the fire again to dry; stir in butter, salt, and black pepper; break in two or more eggs; stir them with the spinach and let them cook until it looks quite dry; serve it in a hot vegetable dish.

SPINACH SOUFFLE.

Boil and dry spinach; chop it very fine in the saucepan and let it dry; stir in two tablespoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, and one half teaspoonful of black pepper; let the butter be absorbed. Beat the yolks of two eggs in a large bowl, beat the whites to a stiff froth, mix them well into the yolks, stir in the hot seasoned spinach with a fork, and bake it in a hot buttered dish in a quick oven until the top is well browned.

TOMATOES.

TOMATO ON TOAST.

Use stale bread, cut in reasonably thick slices; dip in sweet milk, then in beaten egg, seasoned with salt and pepper; fry in butter till a nice brown. Have ready a quart of tomatoes that have stewed gently until reduced one fourth; season to taste; add one tablespoonful of butter and pour over fried toast. Just before serving place a poached egg on each slice.

STUFFED BAKED TOMATOES.

Select good-sized, smooth, solid fruit; wash, do not pare; cut out the hard center and remove seed pulp with finger. Fill in with mixture made of two cupfuls of bread crumbs, wet with one tablespoonful of melted butter; add two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion, one cupful of chopped celery, season to taste; heap the filling in tomatoes and put a piece of butter on top; place in earthen pie dish to bake. They should be in the oven until well browned on top; serve on squares of bread that have been fried a nice brown, in butter.

FRIED TOMATOES.

Wash and slice the tomatoes, without paring; sprinkle with seasoning, dip in flour, cook in frying pan with butter, a liberal supply of grease is required. Cover for a few minutes, so the tomatoes may steam through, and not brown too quickly, as they need to be well cooked; turn and brown on both sides. Serve on toast.

FRICASSEED TOMATOES.