  MORE OF BETTINA'S CHRISTMAS SHOPPING "BOB," said Bettina, as she served the plum pudding, "Christmas is in the very air these days!" "Did the Christmas spirit inspire this plum pudding?" said he. "Blessings on the head of Santa Claus! But why your outburst?" "Because today I went shopping in earnest! I bought the very things that seem most Christmassy: tissue paper, white and green, gold cord, a ball of red twine, Santa Claus and holly stickers, and the cards to tie to the packages. I love to wrap up Christmas things!" "And are most of your gifts ready to be wrapped?" "No, not all, for some of them can't be made till the last minute. For instance, I thought and thought about Uncle Eric's gift! I want so much to please him, but he has everything that money can buy except perhaps a cook that suits him. Finally I decided to send him a box containing a jar of spiced peaches, a jar of Russian dressing, a little round fruit cake, and a box of fudge. The things will all be wrapped with tissue paper, and gold cord and holly——" "Lucky Uncle Eric!" sighed Bob. "I wish Santa Claus would bring me a Christmas box like that—fruit cake and spiced peaches and Russian dressing——" "Maybe he will if you're very good!" laughed Bettina. "If you eat everything your cook sets before you." "Tell me something hard to do!" said Bob, with enthusiasm. For dinner that night they had: BETTINA'S RECIPES (All measurements are level) Escalloped Eggs with Cheese (Three portions) 3 hard-cooked eggs 2 T-butter 2 T-flour 1 C-milk 1 C-soft bread crumbs 2 C-cheese, cut fine 1 t-salt 1 t-parsley Melt the butter, add the flour and mix well. Gradually add the milk. Cook one minute, add the cheese and the eggs cut in slices. Add the parsley and the salt. Place one-half the crumbs in the bottom of a well-buttered baking dish, add the egg mixture and cover with the remaining crumbs. Dot with butter, and brown in a moderate oven. Bettina's Plum Pudding (Four portions) 1 C-fresh bread crumbs ¼ C-suet, chopped fine ½ t-soda 1/8 t-ground cloves ½ t-ground cinnamon 1/8 t-salt 1 t-baking powder ¼ C-molasses 1 egg 1/3 C-milk 4 T-raisins 4 T-nuts Mix the bread crumbs, suet, soda, cloves, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add the raisins cut fine, and the nuts. Break the egg into the molasses, beat well, and add the milk. Mix with the first ingredients. Stir and mix thoroughly. Fill a well-buttered pudding mould one-half full. Steam one and a half hours, and serve with yellow sauce. Yellow Sauce (Four portions) 1 egg ¼ C-powdered sugar 1 T-milk ½ t-vanilla Beat the egg white until stiff and dry. Add the yolk and beat one minute. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating. Add the milk gradually and the vanilla. Continue beating for one minute. Serve at once over a hot pudding. |
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