The Community Cook Book Part 20

SEA FOAM.

Two cups brown sugar, one-half cup water. Boil until it forms a soft ball; add one-half cup nuts cut fine and a little vanilla. Beat until it creams up; drop on greased pan or paper.

TAFFY.

Two cups granulated sugar, one cup water, one tablespoonful water, one tablespoonful vinegar, b.u.t.ter size of a walnut, and a pinch of salt.

Boil without stirring till it forms a ball when dropped into cold water.

Flavor with vanilla when almost pulled.

WHITE PULLED CANDY.

Two cups sugar, one cup water, one tablespoonful vinegar, one teaspoonful b.u.t.ter. Cook until it hardens in water, pour out, and when cool pull until white.

MISCELLANEOUS

BAKED CHEESE.

Three eggs, one cup bread crumbs, one pint milk (or little over), one-half cup grated cheese, lump of b.u.t.ter size of walnut, pepper and salt to taste. Soak the bread crumbs in the milk fifteen or twenty minutes. Then stir with that the beaten eggs, b.u.t.ter, etc. Put into a b.u.t.tered baking dish and bake about thirty minutes.

BAKING POWDER.

One pound cream of tartar, one-half pound bicarbonate of soda, one-half pound flour. Sift the soda and flour together several times, then mix in cream of tartar and sift again. Put in gla.s.s jar and keep dry.

BANANA FRITTERS.

Prepare batter as for plain fritters. Into this dip the quartered bananas and fry as you would doughnuts. Serve warm with the following sauce: Boil three-fourths pint sweet milk, beat the yolk of one egg and a level teaspoonful flour with sugar enough to make the sauce very sweet. When the milk boils, stir this into it and let it cool. Flavor to taste.

CHEESE STRAWS.

One-half pound of cheese grated, two tablespoonfuls flour and the yolk of two eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and roll in a thin sheet. Cut into tiny rings and strips. Bake, being careful not to burn, as they bake quickly. When ready to serve place three sticks in two rings.

CHESTNUTS.

Cover one quart chestnuts with stock. Add two tablespoonfuls sugar and a pinch of salt, cook until tender. Don't stir. Chestnuts should be quartered.

GELATINE.

One-half box of c.o.x's gelatine, enough cold water to cover it, let stand a moment, then add a pint or little more of boiling water, two cups sugar, flavoring to taste, turn in mold. Make custard of a pint of milk, three yolks, three tablespoonfuls sugar. When cool, add vanilla and stir in lightly, stiffly beaten whites of eggs.

JELLY.

One package gelatine, one pint cold water, let stand two hours, then pour over it one quart boiling water, one and one-half pound sugar, one pint wine, juice of three lemons; strain it twice through a canton flannel bag. Instead of wine use juice of four lemons, gratings of two.

MINCE MEAT.

Mix together one cup sugar, one cup chopped apple, one-half cup raisins seeded and chopped, one-half cup currants, one-fourth cup b.u.t.ter, one tablespoonful mola.s.ses, one tablespoonful boiled cider, one teaspoonful cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful cloves, one-half grated nutmeg, one saltspoonful mace and one teaspoonful salt. Add enough stock, in which meat has been cooked, to moisten; heat slowly to boiling point and let simmer an hour; then add one cup of chopped meat and two tablespoonfuls Barberry jelly. Cook fifteen minutes. If Barberry jelly is not to be obtained, use some other kind.

OATMEAL GRUEL FOR BABIES.

Boil for three hours or more two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal in one quart of water. Reduce liquid to one pint and strain. The long boiling is necessary to break down the cell walls and to make the gruel easy of digestion by the delicate stomach.

TOMATO SAUCE.

Put a tablespoonful b.u.t.ter and one of flour in a saucepan; mix until smooth, add one-half pint strained tomatoes, a bay leaf, one-fourth teaspoonful celery seed. Stir constantly until boiling; add one-half teaspoonful salt, one-quarter teaspoonful paprika. Strain and use.

WELSH RAREBIT.

One-fourth pound grated cheese, one-fourth cup cream or milk, one-half teaspoonful mustard, one-half teaspoonful salt, a little cayenne pepper, one egg, one teaspoonful b.u.t.ter, dry toast. Put cheese and milk or cream in double boiler, mix mustard, salt and cayenne; add egg and beat well.

When cheese is melted, stir in mixture of dry ingredients and the egg, then the b.u.t.ter, and cook until it thickens. Stir constantly. Pour it over toast. Moderate heat and constant stirring, two important points.

YORKs.h.i.+RE PUDDING.

Beat the yolks of three eggs until light colored and thick; add one-half teaspoonful salt and one pint of milk. Add the mixture slowly to two-thirds cup flour, stir until smooth, then cut and fold in the white of eggs which have been beaten until stiff and dry. Bake in hot, well-greased gem pans forty-five minutes. Baste with drippings.

HELPFUL HINTS

Dredge your cake tins with flour and your cake will not stick to the pan.

Wooden spoons are the best to use when making cakes.

A little b.u.t.ter added to cake frosting greatly improves it.

Moisten grease spots with cold water and soda before scrubbing, as it lightens the task.

To polish hardwood floors, use equal parts of vinegar, turpentine and olive oil, thoroughly mixed: Rub in and polish with soft cloth.

To remove mildew stains, cover spots with lemon juice and salt and let dry in the sun.

Place a piece of wax paper over a knife when cutting b.u.t.ter.