Chapter III: Part 3

Select large smooth tomatoes; cut them in half, do not peel. Take a broad agate, or enameled pan and melt in it two ounces of butter; cover the pan with the halved tomatoes that have been sprinkled with salt, and pepper, and dipped in meal; whole wheat flour is best. Put cover on pan and let cook until tomatoes are cooked through, but not broken. The fire should be moderate, and it is well to lift the tomatoes occasionally so they will not burn or stick to pan. When cooked, pour in one half cupful sweet cream, let come to a scald, and serve.

ESCALOPED TOMATOES.

Fill baking dish with alternate layers of bread crumbs and cold stewed tomatoes, well seasoned, finishing with bread crumbs on top, and break in bits over the top one heaping tablespoonful of butter, and bake until brown.

TOMATO AND RICE FRITTERS.

Add one teacupful of cold stewed tomatoes to two cupfuls of cold boiled rice; season to taste; bind with one egg well whipped; mould into smooth little shapes, and fry in butter.

DEVILLED TOMATOES.

Take two or three large firm tomatoes, not over ripe, cut them in slices half an inch thick and lay on a sieve. Make a dressing of one tablespoonful of butter and one of vinegar rubbed smooth with the yolk of one hard boiled egg; add a very little sugar, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper; beat until smooth and heat to a boil. Take from the fire and pour upon a well beaten egg whipping to a smooth cream. Put the vessel containing this dressing in hot water while the tomatoes are being broiled over a clear fire. Put the tomatoes on a hot dish and pour the dressing over them.

BREAD STUFFS.

HOME MADE YEAST.

Wash, pare, and soak one large potato. Steep one tablespoonful of hops (loose) in one pint of boiling water; mix one heaping tablespoonful of flour, one teaspoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of ginger; grate the potato into the flour mixture; let the hot water boil briskly for one minute, strain it over the flour and potato mixture, and mix thoroughly; if it does not thicken like starch, place it over the fire for a few minutes, stirring briskly. If too thick, add boiling water till thin as cream. When lukewarm or at 70 degrees, add one half cake of yeast. Raise in a warm place till frothy, beat it down every half hour. Bottle and keep in a cool place.

THREE HOUR BREAD.

Pour one cupful of boiling water over two tablespoonfuls of flour and beat well; when this becomes lukewarm add two teaspoonfuls of sugar and one yeast cake that has been dissolved in one half cupful of lukewarm water. Beat thoroughly, add flour enough to make a thick batter, beat until light and set in a warm place, about 90 degrees F. Keep covered and let rise until light and frothy, with this proportion of yeast it should rise in thirty minutes. When light add one cupful of scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm, and flour enough to make a stiff dough; stir in the flour with a spoon, beating it thoroughly; when the dough begins to stiffen, cut in the flour with a bread knife; add flour until the dough slips easily from the board, and does not stick to the hands. Then knead the dough on a slightly floured board until smooth, elastic, and full of air bubbles. Knead it firmly, but lightly, using only the wrist movements, put back in bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place until it doubles in bulk; shape into loaves, or biscuit; brush lightly with melted butter, and place in warm buttered pan. Let rise, closely covered, until loaves have doubled in bulk. Bake in an oven hot enough to brown one teaspoonful of flour placed on a piece of paper, in five minutes. If biscuits are to be baked, the oven should be hot enough to brown flour in two minutes. Let the bread bake from forty-five minutes to one hour. The first quarter of the time the bread should rise, but not form a crust; the second quarter the crust should form; the third the crust should become golden brown; the fourth should complete the baking. Place the loaf to cool uncovered, and in such a position that the air can circulate freely around it, bottom and all.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD.

Make a sponge of one half cupful lukewarm water, one half yeast cake dissolved in one fourth cupful lukewarm water, and one cupful of white flour; cover; and set in warm place,--about 90 degrees F.--until light and foamy; add one half cupful scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm, one half teaspoonful of salt and whole wheat flour to make a stiff dough; knead thoroughly, put into warm place, let rise until it doubles in bulk; mould into a loaf, put into a warm buttered pan, and keep closely covered in warm place until it rises sufficiently to double in size; put into a hot oven; at the end of fifteen minutes lower the temperature of oven and bake at least forty-five minutes longer. This makes one loaf.

ENGLISH UNFERMENTED GRIDDLE BREAD.

This bread is usually made from whole wheat flour. It is cooked on a griddle, hence its name “Griddle Bread.” The griddle should be made thoroughly hot before placing the dough on it, and sprinkled with a little fine white flour. Measure the meal, and for every two level measures of meal allow one measure of boiling water; have the meal in a mixing bowl, and use a wooden spoon for stirring. Make a hole in the center of the meal and pour the boiling water into it, stirring all the time till it forms a mass or lump. No kneading is required. Sprinkle the paste-board with fine white flour and turn the mass onto it. Roll out into cakes, making the cake about half an inch thick. The edge should not be ragged, but dredged with fine flour and pressed with the knuckles to an even thickness. Dredge fine flour on each piece, rub it well in with the fingers, then turn it on the other side with the knife and do the same, so that the surface has a fine smooth appearance. As each piece is prepared, place it on the hot griddle plate. Two or three minutes is sufficient time to prepare the bread from the moment the water boils. The time for the cooking necessarily varies according to the heat of the fire, which should be kept at an even temperature; twenty to thirty minutes will be found the average.

TEA ROLLS.

Make a sponge of one cupful of lukewarm water, one cake of yeast, one fourth cupful sugar, and flour enough to make a soft dough. When sufficiently raised add a little over a cupful of softened butter, and three fourths of a cupful of luke warm milk and enough flour to keep it a sponge. Beat well and let rise; then add beaten white of one egg and enough flour to knead. Knead thoroughly and let it rise again; work down; place in a buttered bowl; let it rise again, turn onto a board, roll, and cut. Shape to suit fancy, in finger rolls, bread sticks, or cleft rolls; place in pans and let rise; bake in hot oven. For Cinnamon Rolls, make as above only roll out one fourth inch in thickness and spread with softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, and currants. All bread stuffs brown better if brushed over with melted butter.

WHOLE WHEAT MUFFINS.

Take one and one half cupfuls of whole wheat flour, one cupful of common flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, mix, and sift together; beat up one egg and add one cupful of milk; add one tablespoonful of melted butter and stir into the dry mixture; bake in gem pans in a hot oven for about twenty minutes.

CORN MUFFINS.

Mix thoroughly one cupful of white flour, one half cupful of fine yellow corn meal, one eighth cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of baking powder; then beat one egg and stir in one cupful of sweet milk; stir into dry mixture; then add one tablespoonful of melted butter; beat well, and bake in muffin tins.

GRAHAM OR RYE GEMS.

To one and one half cupfuls of graham, or rye flour, measured after sifting, add one eighth cupful of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one half cupful of white flour and mix thoroughly; then add one cupful of sweet milk and two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and stir quickly. Put in hot gem pans, bake for twenty-five minutes in hot oven.

BAKING POWDER BISCUITS.

To one pint of sifted flour add two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; sift together twice; then rub in one tablespoonful of shortening until fine, like meal. Mix in gradually enough milk to make a soft dough, cutting it in with bread knife; when stiff enough to be handled it should look spongy in the cuts, and seem full of air; turn it out on a well floured board, toss with knife until well floured, pat with rolling pin, and when dough is about half an inch thick, cut it into rounds and bake at once in hot oven.

PUFFS.

Sift one teaspoonful of baking powder into two cupfuls of flour; with one half teaspoonful of salt; add two cupfuls of milk and two eggs, beat the yolks and the whites of the eggs separately. Bake in gem pans in quick oven.

POP-OVERS.

With one cupful of flour, mix one saltspoonful of salt; add slowly one cupful of milk; when a smooth paste is formed add one cupful more of milk and one egg beaten thoroughly; beat well; cook in hot buttered gem pans or earthen cups in a quick oven for half an hour, or until the puffs are brown and well popped over. The more the milk and flour are beaten the lighter the puffs will be.

WAFFLES.

Sift together one pint of flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder, one teaspoonful of salt; add one and one fourth cupfuls of milk to smooth the batter; then add the well beaten yolks of three eggs; beat well; then whip in one tablespoonful of melted butter; and add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, cutting and folding these in. Have waffle-iron hot and well greased; butter as soon as taken from the iron. Sugar can be added at the same time, if relished.

BOSTON BROWN BREAD.

Take one pint each of whole wheat flour and Indian meal, one cupful of molasses, three fourths cupful of sour milk, and one half teaspoonful of soda, one and one half pints of cold water, mix; put in steamer on stove over cold water, which is afterwards brought to the boiling point and kept constantly boiling until bread is done; steam for four hours, and brown in the oven. Just before putting in the steamer add one cupful of seeded raisins.

BANNOCKS.

Two teacupfuls of oatmeal, or barley meal, sifted with two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; add two beaten eggs, one tablespoonful of sugar and one pint of milk with a little salt, sifting in the meal. Mix and bake on a griddle.

GRIDDLE CAKES.

To one cupful of flour, add one saltspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of baking powder; sift thoroughly; add milk enough to make a batter like a thick cream; then whip in one teaspoonful of melted butter. One egg may be well beaten and added, though it is not necessary.

This receipt can be varied by using graham, corn, or whole wheat flour, in proportions of two thirds graham or wheat to one third white flour. Corn should only be one third corn to two thirds white flour.

HOMINY GRIDDLE CAKES.

To one cupful of sweet milk, add one cupful of warm, fine, boiled hominy; add one half teaspoonful of salt, two eggs,--whites and yolks beaten separately,--one teaspoonful of melted butter. In mixing add well beaten whites of eggs last. Use flour enough to make thin batter. Can be cooked either as griddle cakes or waffles.

RAISED GRAHAM GRIDDLE CAKES.

One cupful of graham meal, one cupful of flour, one half yeast cake dissolved in one quarter of a cupful of lukewarm water, mix with this one pint of milk scalded and cooled, and let it rise over night. In the morning add one tablespoonful of molasses, and one saltspoonful of soda. If the batter is too thick add a little warm water.

INDIAN MEAL GRIDDLE CAKES.

One pint of Indian meal, one teaspoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of butter, add gradually to this sufficient boiling milk to wet the meal; when cool add two well beaten eggs, and sufficient cold milk to make a thin batter.

BREAD GRIDDLE CAKES.

One pint of stale bread crumbs; pour over them one pint of hot milk; add one tablespoonful of butter; when the crumbs are soft rub through a strainer and add the beaten yolks of two eggs, one cupful of flour, and two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. If the batter is not thin enough add a little cold milk.

RICE GRIDDLE CAKES.

Take one cupful of sweet milk, one cupful of warm boiled rice, the yolks of two eggs beaten until light, one tablespoonful of melted butter, and flour enough to make a thin batter; stir in lastly the whites of the eggs beaten stiff and dry. Bake on a hot griddle.

SOUR MILK GRIDDLE CAKES.

Sift one half teaspoonful of salt and one teaspoonful of soda into one pint of flour; add one scant pint of sour milk or cream, the beaten yolks of two eggs, and lastly the whites beaten very stiff. Bake on a hot, well greased griddle.

BREAKFAST FOODS.

WHOLE WHEAT.

Sift one cupful of whole wheat meal into one pint of boiling water; add salt to taste. Cook in double boiler and steam from one to two hours, until meal is thoroughly cooked. Very nice when cold fried in delicate slices and served with maple syrup.

Graham, rye, oat meal, or corn meal can be cooked in same way, only they require longer cooking. Corn requires the most time. Corn and oat meals need a larger quantity of water.

SANDWICHES.

CHEESE AND EGG SANDWICHES.

Beat two eggs in a bowl for two minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of milk, one eighth tablespoonful of salt, a sprinkle of white pepper; melt one half tablespoonful of butter in a small frying pan, pour in the eggs, stir until they begin to thicken, then sprinkle over one tablespoonful of freshly grated bread crumbs and two tablespoonfuls of cheese, stir for a few minutes longer, remove and put one tablespoonful of this preparation between two thin slices of bread.

EGG SANDWICH.

Break two eggs in a small bowl and beat until they foam; add a sprinkle of salt. Place a small frying pan over the fire with one tablespoonful of butter; as soon as butter is melted pour in the eggs, stir until they thicken, then remove. Butter four thin slices of bread, cover two with the eggs; lay over the remaining two slices; trim them neatly and cut them slantingly in half.

NUT SANDWICHES. No. 1.

Mix equal parts of grated Swiss cheese and chopped English walnut meat. Season with salt and cayenne. Spread between thin slices of bread slightly buttered, and cut in fancy shapes.

NUT SANDWICHES. No. 2.

Shell one half pint of peanuts and roll them fine with the rolling pin. Stir the yolk of one hard boiled egg to a cream with one half tablespoonful of butter, add one teaspoonful of French mixed mustard, one quarter teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, one half tablespoonful of unsweetened condensed milk, one half cupful of finely chopped red apple, the finely chopped white of an egg, and the nuts. Put one tablespoonful of this mixture between two thin slices of bread; trim them evenly all around, and cut them slantingly into two pieces.

PLAIN CHEESE SANDWICH.

Butter the bread; lay thin slices of cream cheese to cover, add a lettuce leaf, and cover with another piece of buttered bread.

COTTAGE CHEESE SANDWICH.

Use crisp, square crackers, wet the cottage cheese with sweet cream, season to taste, and spread on crackers.

OLIVE AND CAPER SANDWICHES.

Chop olives very fine, add one third as much of finely chopped capers; mix thoroughly with a little soft butter; season with celery salt, cayenne, a very few drops of lemon juice, and a little of the grated lemon peel. Spread on thin squares of buttered graham bread.

CHEESE AND MUSTARD SANDWICH.

Grate one fourth pound of cheese and mix one half teaspoonful of salt and mustard, with a dash of cayenne pepper; melt one tablespoonful of butter and blend with seasoning; then stir thoroughly into the cheese; if liked, a teaspoonful of lemon juice may be added. Spread on thin slices of whole wheat, or white, bread.

BOILED EGG SANDWICHES.

Chop the whites of hard boiled eggs very fine; blend the yolks with a little cream or melted butter, season to taste, and spread on buttered white bread.

TOMATO SANDWICH.

Cut thin slices of brown bread; spread with French mustard; then a layer of cream cheese; sprinkle lightly with salt; peel and slice some small, solid, ripe tomatoes. Cover the prepared bread with the slices; form into sandwiches and cut in broad strips. Serve with water cress.

TOMATO AND EGG SANDWICH.

Chop the whites of four hard boiled eggs very fine. Mash the yolks and blend with a little thick cream, some tomato pulp, salt, pepper, and a tiny pinch of sugar. Spread on thin slices of brown, buttered, bread.

CHOCOLATE SANDWICH.

Melt one ounce of grated chocolate; whip in a little hot cream; add one half teaspoonful of vanilla flavoring, a little confectioner’s sugar, and the yolk of one egg. Stir until it begins to thicken, then whip in the whites of the egg beaten to a stiff froth.

Spread on thin slices of sponge cake, or white bread and butter.

MUSHROOM SANDWICHES.

Stew a few large mushrooms in one ounce of butter; cover closely and cook slowly so that they shall not burn; mash them with pepper, salt, and a dash of nutmeg; cut thin slices of whole wheat bread, butter and spread with the mushroom paste. Cut into finger sandwiches.

PINEAPPLE SANDWICH.

Cut small sweet sponge buns in slices; spread them with grated pineapple; sift with fine sugar; press two slices together and spread soft icing on top and sides.

ITALIAN SANDWICHES.

Make a mixture of chopped olives, grated cheese and chopped English walnuts in the proportion of two fifths each of cheese and olives to one fifth of nuts; then make a dressing of five tablespoonfuls of malt vinegar (or six, if ordinary vinegar is used) bring to a scald and stir into the well beaten yolks of five eggs; set the egg mixture back on the stove and stir constantly until it becomes as thick as cream; then remove from the stove and beat in one tablespoonful of butter, whipping until the butter is dissolved and thoroughly blended. Season to taste with salt, pepper and mustard; if liked add a dash of cayenne. Stir in the chopped olives, nuts, and cheese. Spread between crisp square crackers, or thin slices of whole wheat bread.

FRUIT SANDWICHES.

Slice whole wheat or graham bread very thin, butter, then spread with a layer of chopped raisins, or candied cherries wet with orange juice.

GRAHAM SANDWICHES.

Chop olives; add a little chopped parsley and a little finely chopped celery; mix with mayonaise dressing to which has been added a few drops of onion juice and a very little French mustard; spread thin slices of graham bread very lightly with butter; then put a layer of the mixture; cover with another slice of buttered bread and cut into strips or squares.

RUSSIAN SANDWICHES.

Spread zephyrettes (crackers) with thin slices of cream cheese; cover with chopped olives mixed with mayonaise. Place a zephyrette over each and press together.

CAKES AND ICINGS.

CAKES.

Thin cakes require a hotter oven than those baked in thick loaves. Cakes with molasses in them burn more quickly than others. Thin cakes should bake from fifteen to twenty minutes, thicker cakes from thirty to forty minutes, and very thick loaves about one hour. If only the yolks of the eggs are used the cake is richer, if only the whites it is lighter. Have all ingredients ready, then see that fire and oven are right, and mix carefully. The secret of fine grained cake is in the mixing. First always cream the butter by beating, then add sugar slowly, creaming carefully, then add the well beaten yolks of eggs. Sift the flour and baking powder together three times, at least, then add alternately in small quantities the flour and milk, and last of all the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, working them in as lightly as possible.

ONE EGG CAKE.

Cream one half cupful of butter in a warm bowl adding slowly one cupful of sugar, whip the yolk of one egg and add to butter and sugar. Have ready two cupfuls of flour into which has been sifted two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; put flour and baking powder through sifter three times. Add flour and one cupful of milk slowly and alternately to butter mixture, adding last of all the whites of egg beaten stiff and one teaspoonful of flavoring. Bake in loaf in moderate oven for thirty minutes.

ORANGE CAKE.

Cream one third cupful of butter with one and one half cupfuls of sugar; add the well beaten yolks of three eggs and one teaspoonful of flavoring, beat well; add alternately, in small quantities, two heaping cupfuls of flour, into which two rounded teaspoonfuls of baking powder has been sifted, and one cupful of milk; last of all add the whites of the three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, folding them into the dough lightly. Bake in shallow pans for about twenty minutes, or until cake shrinks from the pan. Put together with orange icing.

IDA’S CAKE.

Beat the whites of four eggs very stiff and set in refrigerator to chill; cream the yolks; add one cupful of sugar and a teaspoonful of lemon extract; sift flour until very light, and sprinkle in one cupful slowly, stirring lightly; then fold in the whites of the eggs as delicately as possible. Bake in moderate oven.

ANGEL FOOD.

Sift one cupful of flour and one half teaspoonful of cream of tartar together, sifting at least six times; add one cupful of sugar, sift again; beat the whites of seven eggs stiff; chill; then whip in the flour and sugar; flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla extract. Bake in moderate oven.

WATER SPONGE CAKE.

Beat the yolk of one egg, add one half cupful of sugar and beat again, add one half teaspoonful of lemon juice and three tablespoonfuls of cold water, then two thirds of a cupful of flour into which one half even teaspoonful of baking powder has been sifted, and lastly the whites of the egg beaten stiff. Bake in shallow pan or in small tins.

TEA CAKES.

Tea cakes that are much esteemed in southern households are made from the yolks of six eggs, half a pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of flour and one teaspoonful of baking powder mixed with the flour. They should be rolled thin and baked in a quick oven. Frost with a thin icing or sprinkle while hot with granulated sugar.

POOR MAN’S CAKE.

Take three good-sized apples, pare, chop them fine, put them into a saucepan with two cupfuls of molasses, and boil until the apples are soft--say for three minutes--remove, and add one cupful of sugar, one egg, and one half teaspoonful of ginger, cinnamon allspice, clove and nutmeg, one cupful of strong coffee in which one and one half teaspoonfuls of soda are dissolved; two and one half cupfuls of flour.

This cake will keep all winter. These proportions make three large cakes.

COFFEE CAKE.

One cupful of brown sugar, one cupful of molasses, one half a cupful of butter, one beaten egg, one half a cupful of strong coffee, one tablespoonful of ground cinnamon, one teaspoonful of ground cloves, four cupfuls of seeded raisins, one cupful of thinly sliced citron, four cupfuls of flour into which has been sifted one teaspoonful of soda. Bake in moderate oven.

CREAM CAKE.

Dissolve one half teaspoonful of soda and mix with one scant cupful of sour cream, beat one egg and stir in, add a scant cupful of sugar and one and one half cupfuls of flour. This can be baked as a loaf, or in gem pans, or used for layer cake.

FRIED CAKES.

Two cupfuls of sugar, four eggs, one cupful of sour cream, and one cupful of buttermilk, one teaspoonful of soda, nutmeg to taste, flour enough to make a soft dough; roll until one half inch thick, cut in rounds, cutting out small ring in center; fry in hot cocoanut butter. The fat should be deep enough to float the cakes and hot enough to cook quickly; when nicely browned, drain, then powder with confectioner’s sugar.

SUGAR COOKIES.

Mix one half cupful of creamed butter with one cupful of sugar, beat to a smooth cream. Whip one egg light and add to sugar and butter; add one teaspoonful of flavoring and one fourth cupful of milk with flour enough to make sufficiently stiff to roll thin, having previously sifted through the flour one half teaspoonful of baking powder. Roll a little at a time, cut out and bake about ten minutes in hot oven.

JUMBLES.

Two eggs, six tablespoonfuls of butter, six tablespoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of lemon extract, a pinch of soda sifted in flour enough to make a dough stiff enough to roll. Roll very thin, cut and bake in quick oven.

GINGER SNAPS.

To one cupful of molasses add one half a cupful of water, in which has been dissolved one teaspoonful of soda; one cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one cupful of butter with flour enough to roll. Cut and bake in quick oven.

SOFT GINGERBREAD.

Dissolve one teaspoonful of soda in four tablespoonfuls of hot water, mix with three fourths of a cupful of molasses; add four tablespoonfuls of melted butter and one and three fourths cupfuls of flour with ginger enough to flavor; bake in gem tins.

MACAROONS.

One pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten to a paste; mix with them one and a quarter pounds of powdered sugar, the grated rind of two lemons and the whites of six eggs. Drop on buttered paper and bake a light brown in a moderate oven.

LADY FINGERS, NO. 1.

Beat two eggs until light; add one teacupful of sugar, a little salt, and flavoring to taste. Use one teacupful of flour sifted with one teaspoonful of baking powder, making the dough of a consistency that can be rolled. Cut into strips the size of the finger and bake.

LADY FINGERS, No. 2.

One half pint whites of eggs, beaten very stiff; add gradually one half pound sugar, beating well all the time, add the yolks of the eggs and mix together lightly; then stir in very lightly one half pound of flour. Transfer the mixture into fingers on sheets of paper. Dust with powdered sugar, and put on pans and bake in hot oven. Watch them very carefully, as it only takes a few minutes to bake them. When cold they may be removed from the paper by placing them on the table face down, and washing the bottom of the paper with a wet sponge. Now turn back to their proper position and they can be easily removed. Join them in pairs and keep them covered until used.

ÊCLAIRS.

Put into an enameled saucepan one quarter pound of butter, one quarter pint of water, and a few drops of lemon juice; bring all to a boil; while boiling mix in smoothly one quarter pound of flour, draw back the saucepan from the fire and add to the mixture three well beaten eggs. Bake on greased tins in hot oven about twenty minutes. When done make a slit in side of each and quickly fill with either thick custard, or stiff whipped cream that has been sweetened and flavored; then as quickly as possible pour some chocolate frosting over the top. Serve when cold.

CREAM PUFFS.

Boil with a large cupful of hot water half a teacupful of butter, stirring in one teacupful of flour during the boiling; set aside to cool and when cold stir in four eggs, one at a time without beating; drop on tins quickly and bake in a fairly hot oven. When baked fill in with a cream made by beating together three tablespoonfuls of flour, one egg, and half a teacupful or more of sugar, according to taste; stirred into half a pint of milk while boiling, and flavored to liking.

FRUIT JUMBLES.

Beat to a cream one cupful of butter; add gradually one and one half cupfuls of sugar, the yolks of three eggs beaten, one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, one half teaspoonful of ground cloves, one half a nutmeg, grated, the juice and rind of one lemon, three tablespoonfuls of sour milk, in which has been mixed three fourths teaspoonful of soda; one cupful of seeded and chopped raisins, the beaten whites of three eggs, and about three and one half cupfuls of flour; either roll and cut out, or drop by the spoonful on a buttered sheet.

CHOCOLATE STRIPS.

Cream three tablespoonfuls of butter, add gradually one cupful of sugar, add three tablespoonfuls of melted chocolate, one teaspoonful of vanilla and one cupful of flour, beat thoroughly, spread very thin on well buttered pans, bake in a quick oven, brush with the white of egg as soon as you take from the oven, cut into strips one inch wide while hot.

MISS FARMER’S SPONGE CAKE.

Beat the yolks of four eggs until thick, add gradually one cupful of sugar, and beat for two minutes; add three tablespoonfuls of cold water, mix and sift thoroughly one and one half tablespoonfuls of corn starch, one scant cupful of flour, one level teaspoonful of baking powder, one fourth teaspoonful of salt; add to the first mixture the whites of four eggs beaten stiff, and one teaspoonful extract of lemon. Bake in a buttered angel cake pan for forty-five minutes, or in a shallow cake-pan for thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven.

VELVET CAKE.

Cream one half cupful of butter, add gradually one and one half cupfuls of sugar, add three egg yolks well beaten and one half cupful of cold water, mix and sift thoroughly one and one half cupfuls of flour, one half cupful of corn starch, two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder; add with the beaten whites of four eggs; cover with opera caramel frosting.

ICINGS.

SOFT FROSTING.

Boil one cupful of sugar and one third cupful of water until it will string, pour slowly on the beaten white of one egg, beating constantly until cool; flavor to taste.

CREAM ICING.

Two tablespoonfuls of cream and one half teaspoonful of flavoring, add sufficient confectioners’ sugar to make stiff enough to spread. Any kind of fruit juice may be used instead of cream. Orange is very nice.

ORANGE ICING.

Yolk of one egg, grated rind and juice of one orange; confectioners’ sugar to make thick enough to spread.

OPERA CARAMEL FROSTING.

Cook one and one half cupfuls of brown sugar, three fourths cupful of thin cream and one half tablespoonful of butter until a ball is formed, when the mixture is tried in cold water. Beat until ready to spread.

DESSERTS.

PASTRY.

Sift one cupful of flour and one saltspoonful of baking powder together. Rub in two tablespoonfuls of shortening, mix quite stiff with ice water, using about one fourth cupful. Turn out on a floured board, pat, and roll till one fourth inch thick, then distribute one teaspoonful of butter over the surface. Sprinkle with flour and fold over and over, roll out again into a long strip, then roll like a jelly roll, and cut from end as needed, and roll out from end. The secret of good pastry is to thoroughly chill material.

For all fruit and custard pies brush bottom crust with white of egg before putting in filling. The crust will then remain dry and delicate.

A RICH PUFF PASTE.

One quart of flour and one pound of butter; sift the flour and work in the yolk of an egg well beaten; mix with ice water and roll out to the thickness of an inch or less. After the butter has been worked in cold water to extract the salt, place it on one half of the dough, folding the other half over it, set away for fifteen minutes in an ice chest, or other equally cold place, and then roll out into a long strip, which fold into three parts by turning over each end and rolling each fold; repeat this operation six or seven times. The colder the dough can be kept while being worked in this way, the better will be the results.

MINCE PIES.

To one cupful of water add one cupful of molasses, one cupful of sugar, one beaten egg, one cupful of vinegar, two and one half Boston crackers, rolled fine, one cupful of stoned raisins, butter the size of an egg, one quarter of a teaspoonful of cloves; two thirds of a teaspoonful of cinnamon; two thirds of a teaspoonful of allspice.

This will make three pies. The pies should bake slowly, taking about three quarters of an hour. A grating of nutmeg should be added to each pie before putting on upper crust. The egg, cracker, and slow baking thickens this apparently thin mixture.

FRUIT PIE.

Carefully wash two thirds of a cupful of dried currants, add equal quantity of seeded raisins; with one cupful of sugar and one cupful of water; place in saucepan and boil gently for one half hour; remove from the fire and add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg to taste; two chopped apples, one tablespoonful of rolled crackers, half a cupful of chopped, sweet pickled peaches, or any preserved or spiced fruit; bake with two crusts. This will make two pies.

CREAM PIE.

Make a boiled custard, with one pint of milk, yolks of two eggs well beaten, and three tablespoonfuls of sugar, place in double boiler and thicken with one tablespoonful of flour that has been blended with melted butter, add one half teaspoonful of vanilla, let cook until flour is thoroughly done (if too thick a little more milk can be added). Have ready a baked pastry, fill with the mixture; then whip the whites of the two eggs to a very stiff froth and add one half cupful sugar and a few drops of flavoring, spread over the pie; set in oven just long enough to set the frosting and touch it with delicate brown. Serve cold. A chocolate pie can be made after the same method by omitting the yolks of the eggs and beating into hot milk one-fourth cake of chocolate.

CUSTARD PIE.

Beat three eggs until light, add three tablespoonfuls of sugar and beat again. Then grate sufficient nutmeg to flavor, and add three cupfuls of scalded milk. Bake slowly in single crust; as soon as the custard puffs and a knife blade can be dipped in and comes out clean, it is done.

LEMON PIE.

Beat the yolks of three eggs until thick, add one cupful of sugar and the grated yellow rind of one large lemon (be very careful not to grate any of the white of the lemon skin or it will make pie bitter), also the juice; beat until thick and light colored, then add one tablespoonful of corn starch, dissolved in a little water. Pour into a pie shell and bake slowly until it puffs. Beat the whites of the eggs until light, then gradually add three tablespoonfuls of sugar and beat until stiff. When the pie is slightly cooled, cover with this frosting, return to oven, and let it get a very delicate brown. Serve cold.

SQUASH PIE.

To one and one half cupfuls of prepared squash, add one cupful of scalded milk, one half cupful of sugar, one saltspoonful of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg and cloves, and one egg well beaten, pour in egged crust, and bake thirty minutes, or until it puffs up all over. Sweet potato may be used in place of squash. To prepare squash or sweet potato, steam and mash.

RIPE CURRANT PIE.

To one cupful of the fruit, washed and removed from stems, add one cupful of sugar; one cupful of cream, and one tablespoonful of flour; bake with only an under crust.

NEUFCHATEL CHEESE PIE.

One Neufchatel cheese, one teacupful of sugar, grate the rind of one lemon and use with it one half of the juice, half a teacupful each of rolled cracker crumbs, and currants, four eggs, one tablespoonful melted butter, half a teacupful of cream, or rich milk, half a nutmeg grated and one saltspoonful of salt. Crumble the cheese and cracker crumbs well together, beat the eggs with the sugar and add to cracker mixture, following with the butter and cream. If the cream is very rich the butter may be omitted. Lastly, add lemon, nutmeg and currants. The currants should previously be washed, dried and dusted with flour. Mix all well together and put into well buttered patty-pans that have been lined with puff-paste. Bake fifteen or twenty minutes in a quick oven. They will puff up, but must not be permitted to get too brown.

PINE-APPLE TART.

Line a pie plate with pastry, and fill with mixture made of one ounce of butter, and one half cupful of sugar beaten to a cream; the well beaten yolks of five eggs, a grated pineapple, one teacupful of cream and add last of all the whites of the eggs beaten stiff and folded in lightly, with a little more sugar.

ALMOND PEACH PIE.

Line a pie dish with puff or good plain paste, lay halves of canned peaches, with the stone side up all over the bottom of the crust; fill the cavity where the pit was with a spoonful of chopped almonds; sprinkle with sugar and pour over a very little of the peach juice; cover with a crust, and bake till a nice brown; serve with, or without cream.

PUDDINGS.

IRISH MOSS JELLY.

Pick over and wash carefully one half cupful of Irish Moss. Put it into one pint of boiling water, add the thin yellow rind cut from one lemon, and one cupful of sugar; simmer until the moss is dissolved, add the juice of lemon and a grating of nutmeg, and strain into a cold, wet, mould. Set away to harden; serve plain, or with cream. Orange may be used in place of lemon, though a dessert spoonful of lemon juice used with the orange improves the flavor. This Irish Moss may be substituted in place of gelatine in all delicate puddings calling for that animal product; it is to be had at any druggist’s.

SAGO MILK.

Soak a cupful of sago in a quart of cold milk; put in a double boiler with one cupful of sugar; cook until the sago is dissolved; pour it into a dish, and stir in ten drops of the essence of lemon or vanilla. Serve it hot or cold.

SAGO JELLY.

Soak a cupful of sago in a quart of cold water over night; boil in double boiler for an hour; then uncover it for the water to boil away. Add two cupfuls of sugar and the strained juice of a lemon; pour it into a dish in which it may be served. Serve it cold, with smooth fresh cream, sweetened and flavored.

ORANGE FOAM (FOR TWELVE PERSONS).

To the juice of twelve oranges (the small, tart ones are best) add the juice of one lemon, the grated yellow rind of two oranges, and three cupfuls of sugar. Whip till very light the yolks of twelve eggs; then whip in the prepared juice. Whip the whites of eggs as stiff as possible (keep them well chilled while whipping) and beat in lightly, yet thoroughly, the prepared mixture. Serve in punch glasses with lady fingers. Place half of a lady finger in bottom of each glass. The amount of sugar used may vary according to the flavor of the oranges. If the foam is not stiff, then add more whites of eggs. It is difficult to give exact quantities because the flavor and juiciness of the fruit varies so. This should be prepared just before serving.

NEAPOLITAN PUDDING.

Dissolve a cupful of currant jelly in a cupful of hot water; thicken with dissolved corn starch (be careful not to use too much corn starch, only just enough to make it stiff when chilled). Have ready a chilled mold, pour in the mixture as soon as the starch is thoroughly cooked, and the white of one egg, whipped till very stiff, is added to the mixture. Then make an equal quantity of strong sweet lemonade, bringing this to a scald, thicken the same way, adding egg in same manner; pour this as second layer in mold. Then take two cupfuls of milk, bring to a scald, sweeten, and thicken as before, then add the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, whipping in one half teaspoonful of vanilla flavoring, add to previous layers in mould (the layers can be placed in order to suit fancy), set away to chill thoroughly, and serve with whipped or plain cream. Other fruit flavors can be used in same way--pineapple or apricot syrups are very nice.

FRUIT MANGE.

To one pint of boiling water, add the juice of two nice, though any sauce may be used--brought to a scald, add one tablespoonful dissolved corn starch with sugar to taste; let boil until starch is well cooked, remove from stove and add the whites of two eggs, beaten stiff; pour into wet mould, and chill. Serve with cream and sugar.

LEMON SNOW.

To one pint of boiling water, add the juice of two lemons, and two tablespoonfuls of corn starch, well mixed with one and one fourth cupfuls of sugar; strain, and cook until thick. When partly cooled, beat vigorously with a wire egg beater or spoon, add the whites of three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, whip in thoroughly, and pour into a chilled, wet mould; when firm and cold, turn out and serve with cold boiled custard and jelly, or cream and sugar.

ORANGE SOUFFLÉ.

Make a boiled custard with the yolks of five eggs, a quart of milk, and sugar to taste. When cool pour it over four sliced oranges, from which all seeds and tough fibre have been removed, and to which has been added one cupful of sugar, and grated rind of one orange. Place this in baking dish, cover with a meringue made of the whites of four eggs; then place the dish in a shallow pan of cold water and put in oven until the meringue is a golden brown. Serve cold.

ORANGE CUSTARDS.

Beat the yolks of six eggs with one and one half cupfuls granulated sugar till light; add to this two cupfuls of orange juice, the juice of one lemon, and the grated peel of one orange; fill in small cupfuls and place in steamer, when solid set away to chill; serve on boiled rice, over which pour a pint of rich cream, sweetened and flavored with a little grated peel of orange.

CHESTNUT CREAM.

Roast the chestnuts, then grate to powdered flakes, heaping lightly in middle of pudding dish, surround with apricot jam, and serve with whipped cream.

PEACH CAKE.

Have sponge or plain cake baked in two layers; cut or slice canned peaches; cover a layer of the cake with the cut peaches; put on another layer of cake and more peaches and turn over all well sweetened and flavored whipped cream.

STEAMED CABINET PUDDING.

Use one tablespoonful of butter to grease a three pint pudding mould. Take one cupful of fruit; raisins, candied cherries, or preserved fruits, as you prefer; sprinkle one half the fruit in the buttered mould, then break in stale cake or bread crumbs, mixing with it the rest of the fruit, filling the mould lightly. Then whip up three eggs, add to them three tablespoonfuls of sugar and three cupfuls of milk, pour over the cake and fruit mixture. Let stand one hour, then steam for one and one fourth hours. Serve hot with creamy sauce.

COLD CABINET PUDDING.

Make a custard of one pint hot milk, yolks of three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sugar; thicken with corn starch. Flavor with teaspoonful of vanilla. Decorate a mould with candied fruit; cover fruit with custard; cool, add a layer of lady fingers or stale cake, then a layer of fruit and more custard, and chill; continue until the mould is full. Serve with whipped cream and candied cherries.

PRUNE WHIP.

Wash thoroughly one half pound of prunes and soak three hours in enough water to cover; cook in same water until the consistency of marmalade. Rub through a sieve, sweeten. Whip the whites of four eggs, and add the prunes (which should be thoroughly chilled); beat until well mixed; pile lightly on a buttered platter, and bake until a delicate brown. Serve with whipped cream or soft custard.

WASHINGTON PIE, CHOCOLATE FILLING.

Make a plain cup cake, and bake in two layers. For the filling, beat the yolks of two eggs till light, and add one half cupful of sugar; stir this into one half cupful of milk; melt two ounces of chocolate and stir into the milk; put on stove, and cook till it thickens; beat till cool, flavor with vanilla and spread on the cake between layers and sprinkle confectioners’ sugar on top. Plain Washington pie has simply a dressing of whipped cream, sweetened, and flavored with vanilla, between the layers.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE.

Make cake the same as for any good layer cake. For the filling take one cupful of thick sweet cream, whip until stiff, add four tablespoonfuls of fine grained granulated sugar and one pint of strawberries, crushed slightly, and sweetened. When cake is perfectly cold spread between layers. This should not stand long before serving.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE PIE.

Three eggs, one and one half cupfuls of sugar, two cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of pure cream of tartar, one half cupful of cold water, one half teaspoonful of soda. Beat the eggs thoroughly with the sugar, add one cupful of flour with even teaspoonful of pure cream of tartar, then water, and another cupful of flour. Enough for two pies.

Filling--Pure, sweet cream, beaten until stiff; sweetened to taste; flavored with vanilla. Cut open pie, fill, and pile some cream on top. Two cupfuls of cream will fill two pies.

STEAMED FRUIT PUDDING.

Make a dough of six heaping tablespoonfuls of flour; pinch of salt, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, two tablespoonfuls of cream, and water enough to make a soft dough; mix as lightly as possible. Then add one pint of any preserved or stewed fruit that is desired, the fruit should be well sweetened; steam for forty minutes. Be particular to keep the steam at regular heat, not letting it die down. Serve with syrup, made of the fruit juice, or hard sauce.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE.

One quart of rich, sweet, cream; whipped to a stiff foam; sweeten, after whipping, with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and flavor with scant teaspoonful of vanilla extract. Line a glass bowl with separated lady fingers, and heap the whipped cream lightly in the bowl. Chill, and serve within an hour.

CONNECTICUT INDIAN PUDDING.

Add to three tablespoonfuls of cornmeal, three fourths of a cupful of molasses and a little salt; mix well; put one generous quart of milk in double boiler; when scalding hot add the meal and molasses; stir till free from lumps; let cook for five minutes; then butter well a baking dish, grate the rind of two or three oranges; put a layer on the bottom of the dish; pour in the liquid and put the rest of the grated peel on top; add one tablespoonful of butter to one fourth cupful hot milk; pour over pudding; bake three hours in a moderate oven; eat with rich cream, or hard sauce.

CHINESE PUDDING.

Whip one pint of cream and set it in a pan of cracked ice; add one half cupful of chopped preserved ginger, one half cupful powdered sugar; one half cupful of cold boiled rice.

Dissolve one half cupful of Irish moss in boiling water, using as little water as possible; strain, and stir into the cream mixture; stir until it thickens. Set away to harden, and serve with ginger sauce.

BANANA PUDDING.

Make one quart of strong sweet lemonade, bring to a scalding point, add juice of one orange. Thicken with dissolved cornstarch, the same as any cornstarch pudding; being careful not to make too stiff. Have ready the whites of two eggs, beaten very stiff. When the corn starch is thoroughly cooked, set the dish off the stove and whip in the eggs. Then slice in two bananas, pour in moulds, set away to chill thoroughly, serve with cream and sugar. This is quite as delicious as any gelatine pudding.

CREAM RICE PUDDING.

Two cupfuls of milk, two tablespoonfuls of rice, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one half saltspoonful grated nutmeg, one half cupful stoned raisins. Stir frequently. When it begins to thicken add more milk, sweetened and spiced; when rice is tender add one half cupful cream and remove from oven. Serve cold.

SWEET POTATO PUDDING.

Peel and grate the potatoes. To one quart of them add two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of butter, three fourths of a cupful of sugar and one cupful of sweet milk. Cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs, stir well, then add the other ingredients, stirring briskly. Bake one hour. Serve hot without sauce.

OAT MEAL PUDDING.

To one cupful of cold boiled oatmeal, add one cupful of sugar, three cupfuls of milk, two well beaten eggs, one tablespoonful of vanilla and one half cupful of seeded raisins; bake in moderate oven about three quarters of an hour.

SNOW BALLS.

Cook one cupful of rice until tender. Wring small pudding cloths (one third yard square) out of hot water and lay over a small bowl. Spread rice one third of an inch thick over cloth. Put an apricot in the center, filling in each half of apricot with rice. Tie tightly and steam ten minutes. Remove the cloth carefully and turn the balls out on a platter, and serve with apricot sauce. Canned apricots may be used. If fresh fruit is preferred steam the apricots tender before removing stones.

CREAM PUDDING.

Stir together one pint of cream, three ounces of sugar, the well beaten yolks of three eggs, with scant teaspoonful of vanilla flavoring. Whip the whites of the eggs very light and add last, stirring lightly. Pour into baking dish that has been well buttered and upon which has been sprinkled bread crumbs to the thickness of ordinary pie crust. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of pudding, set dish in shallow pan half filled with water, and bake the same as any custard.

FRENCH BREAD PUDDING.

Butter small thin squares of bread and spread with jam, or tart jelly; place them in a buttered pudding dish; have the dish about one half full; pour over a boiled custard (using the yolks only for the custard); beat the whites of two eggs, adding gradually two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; beat one large tablespoonful of the jam or jelly used; heap on top of the custard and brown slightly in the oven.

SAUCES FOR PUDDINGS.

APRICOT SAUCE.

Take one cupful of apricot juice, thicken with one teaspoonful of corn starch and sweeten with one half cupful of sugar; let boil until clear.

HARD SAUCE.

Beat together one half cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar until it is creamy and white; flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla extract.

CREAMY SAUCE.

Cream one half cupful of butter, then stir in one cupful of powdered sugar, a little at a time, and beat until very light. Then add one fourth cupful of cream or milk and one scant teaspoonful of vanilla flavoring. Just before serving set the bowl in a pan of hot water, and as soon as the sauce is smooth and creamy remove from fire. It should not be heated enough to melt the sugar.

GINGER SAUCE.

Chop finely one fourth cupful of preserved ginger; add one cupful of water and a quarter cupful of sugar, and boil for five minutes. Pour it over the well beaten whites of two eggs, add two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, and chill.

CURRANT JELLY SAUCE.

Put four tablespoonfuls currant jelly in a saucepan with one teaspoonful of butter; let it heat and melt slowly; pour over one half cupful of boiling water, moisten one teaspoonful of cornstarch with a little cold water; add to the other ingredients and cook five minutes; add the juice of one orange, grated peel of one half orange and one and one half tablespoonfuls blanched almonds finely chopped.

EGG SAUCE.