  ANOTHER OVEN DINNER BETTINA heard a step on the porch, and quickly laying aside her kitchen apron, rushed to the door to meet Bob. Her rather hilarious greeting was checked just in time, at sight of a tall figure behind him. "Bettina, this is Mr. MacGregor, of MacGregor & Hopkins, you know. Mr. MacGregor, my wife, Bettina. I've been trying to get you all afternoon to tell you I was bringing a guest to dinner and to spend the night. The storm seems to have affected the lines." "Oh, it has! I've been alone all day! Haven't talked to a soul! Welcome, Mr. MacGregor, I planned Bob's particular kind of a dinner tonight, and it may not suit you at all, but I'm glad to see you, anyhow." Mr. MacGregor murmured something dignified but indistinct, as Bob cried out heartily, "Well, it smells good, anyhow, so I guess you can take a chance; eh, MacGregor?" Bettina had a hazy idea that Mr. MacGregor, of MacGregor & Hopkins, was somebody very important with whom Bob's firm did business, and although she knew also that Bob had know "Mac," as he called him, years before in a way that was slightly more personal, her manner was rather restrained as she ushered them into the dining-room a few minutes later. However, the little meal was so appetizing, and the guest seemed so frankly appreciative, that conversation soon flowed freely. Bob's frank comments were sometimes embarrassing, for instance when he said such things as this: "Matrimony has taught me a lot, MacGregor! I've learned—well, now, you'd never think that all this dinner was cooked in the oven, would you? Well, it was: baked ham, baked potatoes, baked apples, and the cakes—Bettina's cakes, I call 'em. You see, my wife thinks of things like that—a good dinner and saving gas, too!" "Oh, Bob!" said Bettina, with a scarlet face. "You needn't be embarrassed, Bettina, it's so! I was just telling 'Mac' as we came in, that two can live more cheaply than one provided the other one is like you—always coaxing me to add to our bank account. It's growing, too, and I never could save before I was married!" The dinner consisted of: BETTINA'S RECIPES (All measurements are level) Bettina's Baked Ham (Three portions) (Bob calls it "great") 1 lb. slice of ham three-fourths of an inch thick 14 cloves ½ C-vinegar ½ C-water 2 T-sugar 2 t-mustard Remove the rind from ham. Stick the cloves into both sides. Place in a pan just the size of the meat. Pour the vinegar, water, sugar and mustard (well mixed) over the ham. Baste frequently. Bake in moderate oven until crisp and tender (about forty-five minutes). Head Lettuce with Roquefort Cheese Dressing (Three portions) 1 head of lettuce ½ t-salt 3 T-oil 1/8 t-pepper ¼ C-Roquefort cheese 1 T-vinegar Cream the cheese, add salt, pepper and vinegar. Add the oil gradually. Mix well, shake thoroughly. Pour over the lettuce and serve. Baked apples (Four portions) 4 apples 6 T-brown sugar 4 T-granulated sugar 1 t-cinnamon 4 marshmallows 1 t-butter Wash and core apples of uniform size. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Fill the apples. Press a marshmallow in each apple also. Dot the top with a piece of butter. Place the apples in a pan, add the remaining sugar, cover the bottom with water, and bake until tender (twenty-five to thirty minutes), basting often. Serve hot or cold. Bettina's Cakes (Eight cakes) 1 C-flour ½ t-cinnamon ¼ t-powdered cloves 1/3 C-sugar 2 T-melted butter ½ t-soda ¼ t-baking powder 1/8 t-salt 1 egg 1/3 C-sour milk Mix and sift the dry ingredients. Add the egg and the sour milk. Beat two minutes. Add the melted butter; beat one minute. Fill well-buttered muffin pans one-half full. Bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. |
|
