Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book Part 85

COLESLAW

Shred the cabbage fine and then chop one green pepper. Place in water to crisp. Make a mayonnaise dressing by placing on a plate

Yolk of one egg, One teaspoon of mustard, One-half teaspoon of paprika, One teaspoon of sugar, One teaspoon of vinegar.

Work to a smooth paste and then add the oil slowly at first and then faster until all the oil is thoroughly incorporated, beating it quite hard. Add the salt to taste. Now add the vinegar to reduce to desired consistency; then drain the cabbage, turn on a cloth and let dry before pouring over the dressing. Use three-quarters cup salad oil.

MINCE PIE

Two cups of flour, One-half teaspoon of salt, One teaspoon of baking powder, Two teaspoons of sugar.

Place in a mixing bowl and then sift. Now rub three-quarters cup of shortening and mix to a dough with about six tablespoons of water.

Divide the dough, then roll out and cover a pie plate. Use one and one-half pounds of mincemeat to fill. Cover with a crust and then wash with beaten egg. Bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes.

NOTE.--To wash the pie use one-half of beaten egg, using the balance in the chicken filling.

You know there is a great little story told about the pie-loving New Englanders, and as the story goes, there are only two kinds of pie, namely, "'Tis mince and 'tain't mince." So, as Grandma Perkins says, "This is all mince."

HOW TO PREPARE THE MINCE

Twelve medium-sized apples, One-half pound of candied citron, One-half package of seeded raisins, One pound of sh.e.l.led peanuts, Three-quarters pound of suet, One pound of dried peaches, One lemon.

Put all through the food chopper and then place

One quart of syrup, One pound of brown sugar,

in a preserving kettle and bring to a boil. Cook for ten minutes and then add the prepared fruits and suet that have been put through the food chopper and add

One package of seeded raisins, One tablespoon of cinnamon, One teaspoon of ginger, One teaspoon of cloves, One-half teaspoon of allspice, One-half teaspoon of nutmeg, One-half teaspoon of salt, Three-quarters cup of strong cider vinegar.

Stir to mix thoroughly, then cook for ten minutes. Cool and then fill into fruit jars. Pour one tablespoon of salad oil on top; adjust the rubber and lid and seal. Process in hot water bath for twenty minutes and then cool and store.

This mince will be found to be most delicious, and it will keep until used. Grandma Perkins's grandad was a Hiram Teesdale, of Gloucester, England, and this recipe is over 400 years old. The original recipe was named Christmas Mynce Pye, and on the holidays, a great pye of Gloucester mynce, made by good dame Teesdale, was always sent as a t.i.the from the county to the good Queene Elizabeth, and in this way royal favor was conferred on this family by the queen, who was delighted with the wonderful concoction.

Black walnuts and hazel nuts were used in the original recipe, but as these nuts are quite expensive, the peanuts will do just as well.

CHRISTMAS GOODIES

In the days of long ago, before the day of heated apartments and water-heated homes, the housewife used the cellar as the cold-storage room. To-day this is impossible. For the householder who has an outside enclosed laundry or summer kitchen, the problem of keeping the holiday delicacies is quite an easy one. But to those of us who dwell in flats and apartments, some other way must be arranged.

Here are two new ideas that are worth trying: First, a window box on the shady side of the house. This box must be lined with asbestos paper on the inside, and then covered with the same paper and an additional covering of oil cloth upon the outside.

By covering the box in this way, the housewife is a.s.sured of a smaller storage s.p.a.ce of an even temperature. Neither the extreme cold nor heat will affect this box. A thick layer of newspapers may be used as a lining, between the inside covering of the asbestos and the oil cloth covering upon the outside of the box.

Mincemeat must be stored in a cool, dry place to blend and ripen, without the danger of freezing. This is also an ideal time for the mother to plan to have the family help her and at the same time knit the home ties very closely together. The home where the family joins in the evening to make the seasonable delicacies is a very happy one.

Let the children have some of their friends in to help them with the preparations.

CHICKEN CUSTARD

Place one pint of chicken stock in a mixing bowl and add

One small onion, grated, One and one-half teaspoons of salt, One-half teaspoon of paprika, Four eggs.

Beat until thoroughly mixed and then fill into well-b.u.t.tered gla.s.s custard cups and set the cups in a baking pan and fill the pan half full of warm water. Place in a slow oven to bake until firm. Remove from the oven and let stand for five minutes to settle, then loosen the edges of the custard from the cups with a knife and turn on a slice of toast and serve with parsley sauce. This is a delicious luncheon dish.

MEATLESS MINCEMEAT

Place in a mixing bowl

Four pounds of apples, chopped fine, One pound of peanuts, chopped fine, One pound of dried apricots, chopped fine, One pound of dried peaches, chopped fine, One pound of suet, chopped fine, Two packages of seeded raisins, One package of currants, One-quarter pound of candied citron, chopped fine, One-quarter pound of candied orange peel, chopped fine, One-quarter pound of candied lemon peel, chopped fine, Two tablespoons of cinnamon, One teaspoon of mace, One teaspoon of ginger, One teaspoon of allspice, One teaspoon of cloves, One teaspoon of salt, One pint jar of grape or other preserves, One quart of mola.s.ses, One quart of cider, boiled for fifteen minutes.

Mix thoroughly and then store in the same manner as for ye olde-tyme mincemeat.

YE OLDE-TYME MINCEMEAT

Purchase one pound of s.h.i.+n beef and one-half pound of good soup bones, preferably bones from the chine or rib. Wipe the meat, place it and the bones in a saucepan and add three cups of boiling water. Cook slowly without seasoning until the meat is tender. Cool and then pick the meat from the bones and put all the meat through the food chopper into a large bowl and add

One pound of suet, shredded fine, Five pounds of apples, chopped fine, Grated rind of three lemons, Juice of three lemons, One-half pound of candied orange peel, shredded fine, One-half pound of lemon peel, shredded fine, One-half pound of citron peel, shredded fine, One pound of dried or evaporated peaches, shredded fine, One pound of sh.e.l.led peanuts, chopped fine, Two packages of seeded raisins, One package of currants, Three level tablespoons of cinnamon, Two level teaspoons of mace, Two level teaspoons of allspice, One level teaspoon of cloves, One level teaspoon of ginger, Two level teaspoons of salt.

Mix thoroughly, then place in a deep saucepan

One quart of syrup, One pound of brown sugar, One and one-half cups of stock from the meat, One quart of cider, One-quarter cup of vinegar.

Bring to a boil and cook for twenty minutes. Pour over the mincemeat and mix thoroughly. Fill into crocks or jars; cover closely and set in a cool place, or fill it into all-gla.s.s jars and adjust the rubber and lid. Seal and then place in a hot-water bath. Process for one-half hour, at a temperature of 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove and store in a cool place. Mincemeat that has been sterilized will keep until used.

GREEN TOMATO MINCE

Place one quart of thinly sliced green tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with four tablespoons of salt. Let stand for four hours, then drain and squeeze dry. Return to the bowl and add

One-half pound of finely chopped suet, Two and one-half pounds of finely chopped apples, One cup of finely chopped dried apricots, One cup of finely chopped seeded raisins, One cup of finely chopped peanuts, One cup of plum preserves, Two cups of mola.s.ses, One and one-half cups of boiled cider, One tablespoon of cinnamon, One-half teaspoon of nutmeg, One-half teaspoon of cloves, One-quarter teaspoon of allspice, One-half teaspoon of ginger.

Mix thoroughly and then store in the same manner as for ye olde-time mincemeat.

MINCEMEAT FOR TWO

One-half cup of finely chopped cold cooked meat, Three-quarters cup of finely chopped suet, Six cups of finely chopped apples, One cup of finely chopped candied orange and lemon peel, mixed, One cup of seeded raisins, One cup of currants, One cup of chopped peanuts, One cup of chopped apricots, One and one-half cups of mola.s.ses, One cup of cider, Four tablespoons of vinegar, One tablespoon of cinnamon, One teaspoon of nutmeg, One teaspoon of allspice, One-half teaspoon of ginger, One-half teaspoon of salt.

Mix and then store in the same manner as for ye old-tyme mincemeat.