  ALICE TELLS HER TROUBLES "AND the minute I caught a glimpse of you, Bettina, at the tea this afternoon, I thought, 'Oh, if Betty would only ask me to go home with her to a sensible homelike dinner, with no one there but herself and Bob——'" "Not even Harry, Alice?" "No, not even Harry! I'm so sick and tired of teas and dressmakers and wedding gowns and bridesmaids that I'm tired even of Harry, too! Almost." "But, Alice, then why do it all? Why have all this fuss and feathers?" And Bettina's knife, with which she was cutting bread, came down with a click of vehemence. "It has always seemed silly to me—all the worry and bother——" "But what can I do now, Bettina? I've started, and I'll have to go through with it! Why, even now, I ought to be home for dinner—mother has several guests—but I phoned her that I had a headache and was coming here, where I could be quiet. And I do have a headache—and no appetite, and——" "Just wait till you taste this nice brown meat that I have in the oven, Alice! The trouble with you is that you've been eating silly party food for such a long time. And tonight you are to have a sensible dinner with plain people." "Plain people? Who calls me plain?" interrupted Bob, coming in like a tornado. "Hello, Alice! How can you spare any time from all these festivities I hear about?" For dinner that night they had: BETTINA'S RECIPES (All measurements are level) Rolled Flank of Beef (Four portions) 1 lb. round steak one inch thick 2 T-flour 1 t-salt 2 one-inch cubes of suet Wipe the meat, trim the edges, pound on both sides with the edge of a plate to break the tendon. Place the dressing (given below) on the steak, roll, and tie with a cord. Roll in the flour and salt. Place in a small dripping pan, put the suet on the top of the meat, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, and bake in a moderate oven for fifty minutes. Baste frequently. Bread Dressing 1 C-soft bread crumbs 1 T-melted butter 1 t-chopped parsley ½ t-chopped onion 1/8 t-celery salt ½ t-salt 1/8 t-pepper 2 T-water Mix all the ingredients in the order named, stirring lightly with a fork. Place in shape on the meat. Care should be taken not to have the dressing soggy or heavy. Prune Pudding (Four portions) 1 C-cooked, seeded and chopped prunes ¾ C-sugar ¼ C-nut meats, cut fine ½ C-milk 1 t-vanilla ½ t-lemon extract ½ C-cracker crumbs 1 t-baking powder 1/8 t-salt Mix all the ingredients in the order named. Pour into a well-buttered shallow earthenware dish. Place the dish in a pan of hot water and bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven, or until the mixture is firm. Serve warm. Individual amounts may be made in moulds. |
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