  A RAINY-DAY DINNER THE rain had been falling all day in a heavy downpour, and Bettina had ventured out only to gather some red clover blooms for the porch table, which she was now setting for dinner. In spite of the rain, it was not cold, and she liked the contrast of the cheerful little table, with its white cloth and bright silver, and the gray day just outside the screen. "If Bob would only come home early, how nice it would be!" she thought. "Perhaps that's he at the telephone now." However, it proved to be Mrs. Dixon. "I phoned to ask you if I should throw away the yolks of two eggs. I've just used the whites." "Oh, no, Mrs. Dixon! Beat them up well, and add a little cold water to them. Then set them in the ice-box. They will be just as good later as they would be now. You may want them for salad dressing or something else." "If I ever have the white of the egg left, shall I treat that the same way?" "No, don't beat that up at all, nor add any water. Just set it in the refrigerator as it is. I'm so glad you called up, Mrs. Dixon. Will you and your husband take dinner with us next Sunday? Perhaps we might all go to church first." "We'd love to do that! I've just been worrying over Sunday dinner, and you've restored my peace of mind. But won't it be a great deal of work for you?" "I won't let it be. I don't believe in those heavy, elaborate Sunday dinners that take all the morning to prepare. We'll just come home from church and have it in half an hour. You may help me." "We'd love to come. I have so much to tell you. I've been very busy, but Frank has helped, and it has been such fun! You don't know how he enjoys the little house! Well, good-bye till tomorrow!" "Boo!" shouted Bob in her ear, as she hung up the receiver. "I discovered your dark secret this morning! Frank Dixon told me!" "Well, what did you think of it?" "The only possible solution in that case. You are their good angel—that is, if she doesn't poison Frank with her cooking, or burn the house down when she's lighting the fire." "She won't, don't worry! She takes to housekeeping as if she had always done it. Her house is immaculate; she has been cleaning and dusting and polishing from morning to night. I'm almost ashamed of mine!" "I'm not!" said Bob, decidedly. "I don't see how you can keep it clean at all with a man like me scattering papers and cigar ashes everywhere. And I'm always losing my belongings, and always will, I suppose." "That's only a sign that we haven't discovered the proper place for them all yet. But we'll work it out in time. Well, are you hungry?" "Hungry? I should say so! Why, I could almost eat you!" "Well, Bob, we have a rainy-day dinner tonight that I hope you'll enjoy. Hash! Does that frighten you?" "Not your hash, Betty." "Well, everything is ready." The rainy evening menu consisted of: BETTINA'S RECIPES (All measurements are level) Browned Hash (Two portions) 1 C-chopped cold cooked beef 1 C-cold boiled potatoes diced a few drops of onion juice 2/3 t-salt ¼ t-pepper 1 T-milk 1 T-fat (lard, butter or one-half of each) Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Spread the mixture evenly in a hot frying-pan in which the fat has been placed. Cook without stirring until a crust is formed on the bottom; fold over like an omelet and place on a hot platter. Separate cauliflower into sections, wash well and cook in boiling salted water until tender. (About half an hour.) Drain and cover with vegetable white sauce. Date Muffins (Ten muffins) ¼ C-sugar ¼ C-dates cut fine 1 egg ¼ t-salt ¾ C-milk 1¾ C-flour 4 t-baking powder 2 T-butter (melted) Mix the sugar, dates, baking powder, flour and salt. Add milk in which one egg has been beaten. Beat two minutes. Add butter, melted. Fill well-buttered muffin pans half full of the mixture, and place in the oven. Bake twenty minutes. Serve hot or cold. Apple Sauce Cake (Ten portions) ½ C-butter 1 C-sugar 1 egg, beaten light 1¾ C-flour 1 t-soda 1½ t-cinnamon ½ t-powdered cloves 1 C-hot, thick, strained, sweetened apple sauce 1 C-mixed, chopped raisins, nut meats and dates 1 t-vanilla Cream the butter, add the sugar gradually. Stir well. Add the well-beaten egg. Mix the soda and apple-sauce, and add to the first ingredients. Alternately with the flour and spices, add the vanilla and fruit. Beat for two minutes. Turn into a square pan, and sift granulated sugar over the top. Bake in a moderate oven one-half hour. |
|
