The Community Cook Book Part 11

Simmer for ten minutes.

SPINACH WITH SAUCE.

One-half peck spinach, one teaspoonful salt, two tablespoonfuls flour or cornstarch, one pint boiling water, two tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter, three-fourths cup cream or one cup milk. Prepare one-half peck spinach by cooking uncovered in one pint of boiling water, or, if young and tender, its own juices. Drain and chop fine. Put two tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter in a frying pan; when melted add the spinach and cook three minutes. Sprinkle with two level tablespoonfuls cornstarch; stir thoroughly and add gradually three-fourths cup milk. Cook five minutes, serve with toast points on a pretty platter.

SQUASH.

Cut squash into small pieces and either steam or cook in boiling water.

If boiled it will cook in half an hour; steaming will take an hour. Mash fine, season with salt, pepper and b.u.t.ter.

TOMATO ON TOAST.

Boil a quart of peeled and cut tomatoes for about ten minutes, then strain and put in saucepan with two teaspoonfuls salt, one-half teaspoonful pepper and two tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter. Cook for five minutes.

Cover a hot platter with toasted slices of bread and pour the tomato over it.

TWENTY-MINUTE CABBAGE.

Cut cabbage fine as for slaw. Cover with _boiling_ water and boil twenty minutes, changing the water once. Drain and serve with sauce made of tablespoonful b.u.t.ter, tablespoonful flour, cup of hot milk.

DESSERTS

"The little sweet doth kill much bitterness."--Keats.

ALMOND TART.

Yolks of six eggs, beaten well, to which is added one cup powdered sugar. Mix one cup grated dried rusk, one cup grated almonds, one teaspoonful baking powder. Add to the yolks, and lastly add the well-beaten whites of six eggs. This makes three layers. Bake very slowly.

Filling.

One cup hot water, to which is added one-half cup sugar, one egg, one tablespoonful cornstarch, boil slowly, and add one cup grated almonds and one teaspoonful vanilla. Any other nuts can be used.

APPLE CHARLOTTE.

One cup apple sauce, one cup sugar, one-third package gelatin, three cups cold water, three cups boiling water, one lemon. Dissolve the gelatin (Knox's preferred) in cold water for five minutes, add the boiling water, sugar, lemon juice and apple, strain and set it to cool.

When it is nearly stiff, add the well-beaten whites of three eggs. Line a mold with lady-fingers, pour in jelly and let stand until firm. It is nice served with whipped cream or a sauce made from yolks of eggs.

Sauce.

One pint boiling milk, yolks of three eggs, one-fourth cup sugar. Add a tablespoonful gelatin dissolved in a little water just before taking from fire. A teaspoonful of vanilla.

APRICOT SHORTCAKE.

Three cups flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one-half teaspoonful salt, one-half cup b.u.t.ter, one egg (very light), one cup cold water stirred into the flour. Stir all very slowly. Divide in half, bake in square pans. Sprinkle the tops with white granulated sugar. Bake ten or fifteen minutes. Mash and sweeten the fruit, spread on top and between layers.

Sauce.

One teaspoonful cornstarch with one-half cup sugar; one cup of the fruit juice at boiling point, add sugar with cornstarch and let boil five minutes. Grease pans with lard or beef drippings.

BAKED APPLES.

Core the apples, but do not peel them. Stuff them with minced pecans mixed with sc.r.a.ped maple sugar, and bake. When done, cover with whipped cream.

BAKED APPLES.

Pare and quarter apples. Put into baking dish with b.u.t.ter, sugar, cinnamon and a little hot water. Keep cover on dish until almost done, then remove cover and brown.

BAKED DUMPLINGS.

For the dough: One pint flour, one-half cup b.u.t.ter, stir together; one teaspoonful baking powder, and milk to make a dough. Roll, cut in squares. Fill with apple or any fruit desired, put dumplings in a pan with one pint of water, a little b.u.t.ter, two-thirds cup sugar. Put on top of stove and let come to a boil, then put in oven at least one-half hour. Serve warm with cream.

BREAD PUDDING.

One pint bread crumbs without crust to one quart milk, four eggs beaten separately. After it is baked, cover with sweet jelly, beat the whites very light, add to them one-half cup pulverized sugar, put on top of the pudding, then in the oven until brown.

Sauce.

Two tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter, one-half cup sugar, yolk of one egg, one tablespoonful cornstarch; beat hard, thin with boiling water, cook in hot water.

CABINET PUDDING.

b.u.t.ter a melon mold, decorated with seeded raisins; one layer lady-fingers or stale sponge cake, then a few raisins, then repeat until the mold is nearly full; beat well the yolks of three eggs, add three tablespoonfuls sugar, one-half saltspoonful salt, add slowly one pint boiling milk, pour over cake in mold, and then steam for one hour. Serve with Foamy Sauce.

Foamy Sauce.

Rub one-half cup b.u.t.ter to a cream, add slowly one cup powdered sugar, one teaspoonful vanilla. When ready to serve, add one-fourth cup boiling water, the whites of two eggs beaten to a foam.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING.

One pint milk, four tablespoonfuls sugar, one teaspoonful vanilla, salt, two tablespoonfuls cornstarch, one tablespoonful cocoa, cinnamon.

Thoroughly blend together the dry cornstarch and cocoa, then dissolve with a little cold milk and reduce to a pouring state, add vanilla. Heat the milk in a double boiler, add sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and salt; when scalding hot, pour in cornstarch and cocoa mixture and stir carefully until it thickens well. Turn into wet molds. Serve with plain or whipped cream. Garnish with Maraschino cherry.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING.