Skin and cut up a fine full-grown fowl. If but little is wanted, take only the dark meat for the broth, and put it into a pot with a small quart of water, and slowly boil it to rags. Strain the liquid and return it to the pot, and thicken it with two spoonfuls of arrow root, if no vegetables are permitted. Otherwise, you may boil with the chicken some sliced onion and sliced turnip, with a grated parsnip and a sliced potato, straining out the vegetables with the shreds of fowl. You may reserve the white meat of the breast and wings to make another dish, if the patient is permitted to take it. This is the white meat cut off the bones, and stewed slowly in fresh oyster liquid, with a bit of nice butter. If the patient is well enough, stir in a beaten egg just before the stew is taken from the fire.

Oyster Soup for Invalids.—Remove the gristle from a dozen fine large fresh oysters. Take half their liquor and mix it with an equal portion of very good milk, seasoning it with three or four blades of mace, and a stalk of celery scraped and cut into pieces. When it has boiled and been skimmed well, strain it over the oysters, and let all simmer together till the oysters are plumped, but do not let them come to a boil. Serve it up in a bowl, with some milk biscuit to eat with it.

Clam Soup for Invalids.—Where salt is permitted, cut up and boil slowly in their own liquor a dozen or more small sand clams. When well boiled and skimmed, strain the liquor into a clean sauce-pan, and thicken it with bread crumbs, and a small bit of nice fresh butter. The clams are of no further use. Throw them away.

MUTTON BROTH FOR THE SICK.—

Take two pounds from a nice neck of mutton, and leave out some of the fat if there seems too much. Cut the meat from the bones, and put it into a pot with a large quart of water, and no seasoning. Boil it till the meat is all in rags. Do not skim it, as the fat on the surface is very healing, if without salt or pepper. When done, strain it into a bowl. Let the patient eat with it a slice of very light wheat bread, having the crust cut off. It is excellent for the dysentery. When the patient is convalescent, a little seasoning may be allowed, and some well-boiled mashed turnips stirred into the bowl of soup with a boiled onion sliced, and a thickening of arrow-root or farina, stirred in about half an hour before the soup is taken up. Pour it off clear from the shreds of meat at the bottom.

Veal Broth for Invalids.—Take a pound of knuckle of veal cut in pieces, four calf's feet, split up. Boil them in a large quart of water, till they are all reduced to rags. Then strain the liquid, and add to it the soft part, only, of half a dozen fine oysters, and three or four blades of mace. Set it again on the fire, and as soon as it simmers well, take it off, and serve it up with very light milk biscuit, or little bread rolls, to eat with it. Veal broth may be made with a piece of knuckle of veal cut small, and boiled in the liquor of clams instead of water. The clams themselves must be omitted, as they are always tough and indigestible for an invalid, but their liquor adds a pleasant relish to the insipidity of the veal. As the strength of the patient improves, a grated carrot, a sliced onion, and some sliced turnip, may be added to the veal from the beginning.

Raw Oysters for the Sick.—Take large fine fresh oysters, and carefully cut out the hard part or gristle. They are considered very good for convalescents, being, when raw, cooling, refreshing, and nutritious. Drain them well from the liquor, making them as dry as you can; and if permitted, accompany the oysters with black pepper and vinegar, and a plate of bread and butter.

Birds.—Convalescents, not yet allowed to eat meat, can generally relish birds nicely broiled, or stewed in their own gravy, with any appropriate seasoning, and a little fresh butter, if they are not very fat. When dished, lay under each a piece of nice toast, dipped for a minute in hot water.

Beefsteak for Invalids.—When this can be eaten with an appetite, there is no greater promoter of returning health; but it must be of the best sirloin steak, very tender, well broiled, and thoroughly done on both sides, the gravy being carefully saved to serve up with it, a little fresh butter being added after the meat comes off the gridiron. If the taste of onion is desired, merely rub the plate with a peeled onion. A very tender lamb-chop well broiled may be eaten by way of change; but a tenderloin steak is better. Avoid pork, or veal cutlets.

Gravy Sippets.—For invalids who cannot yet eat meat, a light and relishing preparation may be made with one or two slices of the best wheat bread, divested of the crust, and spread on a hot plate, while some nice well-skimmed gravy is poured over them; the gravy of roast beef, veal, or mutton, that has had no butter about it. Gravy sippets will form a variety to the usual broths, and other beginnings for the resumption of animal food.

HERB TEAS.—

Have one or more china or white-ware pots for the purpose of making herb teas; and see that, after using, they are well washed, well scalded and dried, and set open in the sun till wanted again. The herbs, whether green or dried, should be of excellent quality, and picked very clean from dust and stems. Having well-scalded the pot, take the allotted quantity of the herb and put it in; then pour on the water, which must be actually boiling at the time, and press the herbs down at the bottom with a silver spoon. Then put on the lid closely, and immediately stop up the spout with a small cork, or a wad of soft white paper rolled tightly. This is to keep in the steam, and prevent the strength of the herb from escaping. When sufficiently boiled, pour into a pitcher with a lid, and through a strainer, as much of the tea as is wanted. Strainers of block tin, with a handle and very fine close holes, are excellent for this and other purposes.

Herb Candies.—Hoarhound candy, and many others, may be made of a strong decoction or tea of the herb, thickened with loaf sugar, and boiled, skimmed, and stirred till very thick and stiff. Then pour it smoothly into a square tin pan and set it in a cool place to congeal. While still soft, mark it in even squares with a knife. When quite cold and hard, loosen it from the pan with a knife, and take it out. It is good for coughs.

Peppermint candy is made in the same way, and is used for flatulence.

GRUEL.—

Gruels, for patients who are unable to take any thing more substantial, may be made of ground rice flour, arrow root, indian meal, oatmeal grits, or farina. Mix to a paste, with water, two large table-spoonfuls of any of the above articles; then stir the paste, gradually, into a pint of water boiling on the fire, making it very smooth and pressing out all the lumps. To prevent it boiling over, when it has risen nearly to the top of the pan, remove it from the fire. Sweeten it while hot, and, if permitted, add a little white wine with nutmeg, and a small bit of fresh butter.

Toast and Water.—Cut a large slice or two of the best wheat bread; pare off all the crust; and with a long-handled toasting fork toast it evenly on both sides, not allowing it to blacken or burn in any part. While hot from the fire, plunge the toast immediately into a quart pitcher of clear cold water. Cover the pitcher instantly, and let it infuse for half an hour or more, without leaving off the cover. When done, it should be of a very pale brown color.

JELLY WATER.—

Stir a table-spoonful of currant jelly into a half pint tumbler of ice water, if the patient is feverish. The jelly may be of other fruit, and if not sweet enough add some loaf sugar. The juice of any ripe fruit, made sweet and mixed with cold water, is a good substitute when sweetmeats are not at hand. Warm drinks are now seldom used, but to promote perspiration and carry off a cold. Tamarinds are in themselves very cooling and pleasant, and make an agreeable drink infused in water, either warm or cold.

CARRAGEEN BLANCMANGE.—

Carrageen is a species of sea moss which becomes glutinous when boiled, and is considered remarkably nutritious and strengthening. It can also be rendered very palatable. It is found abundantly on some parts of our sea-coast, and may be obtained of the best druggists, very nicely cleaned and pressed. To a small loose handful of carrageen allow a small quart of rich unskimmed milk, half a pound of powdered white sugar, a stick of the best cinnamon broken-up, six or seven blades of mace, and half a nutmeg, powdered. Having washed the carrageen through two or three cold waters, and shaken it out to remove the drops that hang about it, put it to a pint and a half of the cold milk. Boil it half an hour in a covered porcelain kettle. Then take it out, for if it boils too long the carrageen will taste too strongly. In another vessel boil the remaining half pint of milk with the spices, till very highly flavored. Then strain it into the carrageen milk, and stir in, gradually, the half pound of powdered loaf sugar. Set the porcelain kettle again over the fire, and let it boil fast for five minutes longer. Then strain it into moulds or bowls previously wet with cold water; and when it has well congealed, turn it out, and serve it up with sweetened cream, flavored with rose-water or peach-water. If for an invalid, who is not allowed spices, flavor it with rose-water only, stirred in after the blancmange has been taken from the fire.

FARINA BLANCMANGE.—

From a quart of rich milk take out half a pint. Put the half pint into a small sauce-pan, and add (if permitted) sufficient mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon to flavor it well; the spices being tied up in a very thin muslin bag. Then add the flavored milk to the remainder, having stirred in two heaped table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf sugar. Set it over the fire in a porcelain kettle, and when it has come to a boil sprinkle in, gradually, four large heaping table-spoonfuls of farina, stirring it well. Keep it boiling a quarter of an hour after all the farina is in. When done, strain it into blancmange moulds, and set it on ice to congeal. If for an invalid not allowed spice, boil it plain, and when taken from the fire stir in a wine-glass of rose-water. If rose-water is boiled with it from the beginning, the strength and flavor will evaporate.

Farina Flummery.—Mix with a small pint of water a large pint of the juice of ripe currants, or strawberries, or of stewed cranberries in winter, made very sweet with white sugar. Boil the water and juice together, and stir in gradually a quarter pound of farina, and then boil it fifteen minutes longer. Afterwards transfer it to moulds, and set it on ice till congealed.

Farina Gruel.—Have some water boiling on the fire, and when it boils fast, sprinkle in sufficient farina to make it moderately thick. Then sweeten it with white sugar. If permitted, stir in some white wine, and nutmeg grated.

BEEF TEA.—

Take a pound of fine fresh beefsteak cut from the round, without any fat. Chop it into small bits, and season it with a level salt-spoon of salt. Put it into a wide-mouthed bottle, cork it closely, and set it into a kettle of cold water, which must reach to the neck of the bottle. Let it boil steadily for three hours, by which time the essence will be all extracted from the beef. Then remove the cork, and strain the liquid into a bowl, and skim it. It can be made still more conveniently in a bain-marie or double kettle; an article useful for many purposes, particular in cookery for an invalid. Mutton or veal tea are made in the same manner. Also chicken tea, or essence of any sort of poultry or game.

Chicken Panada.—Having skinned and cut up a fine full-grown chicken, take the white meat from the breast and wings, and mince it small for panada. The dark meat will do for chicken tea. Add to the panada a slice of wheat bread crumbled and mixed in, and boil it in a bain-marie with the water outside; seasoning it (if permitted) with powdered mace or nutmeg.

Sweet Panada.—Mix with a pint of water a glass of madeira or sherry; a heaped table-spoonful of powdered loaf sugar, half the yellow rind of a lemon grated, and half the juice; and a half tea-spoonful of powdered nutmeg or mace. Set the mixture over the fire, and as soon as it boils add crumbled milk biscuit, or a rusk. Then give it another boil up.

BARLEY WATER.—

Having washed clean two ounces of pearl barley, put it into a sauce-pan with a quart of water, the grated rind and the juice of a lemon, and two ounces of seeded raisins. Boil it slowly till the liquid is reduced one half. Then strain it, and sweeten it, while warm, with loaf sugar.

Gum Arabic Water.—Take an ounce of the best and cleanest gum arabic. Put it into a pitcher, and pour on a pint of boiling water, and stir while dissolving. When cool, squeeze in (if permitted) the juice of a lemon, and add loaf sugar enough to make it pleasantly sweet. Gum arabic water, alone, is sometimes given to a patient, whom it is expedient to keep very low as a preventive to inflammation.

Tamarind Water.—This is a pleasant and cooling drink in fevers, allowing half a pint of cold water to as many tamarinds as you can take up with a table-spoon. Cover it, and let it stand for a few minutes.

Apple Water.—Take four fine large juicy apples, (pippins or bellflowers,) core and pare them, and bake them side by side in a tin pan. When well done and quite soft all through, put them into a pitcher and fill up with warm water. Simmer them over the fire, and when quite soft mash them; and, if necessary, add more water till they become a thick liquid that can be drank. Sweeten well with loaf sugar, and if permitted, add some lemon juice or rose-water. Drink it cool.

Egg Wine.—Break a nice fresh egg into a tumbler, and beat it till smooth and thick. Add a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered loaf sugar, and stir in a glass of the best port wine. This, when permitted, is very strengthening and cheering for an invalid, to take about the hour of noon or earlier. When wine is not allowed, you may beat the egg into a glass of new unskimmed milk.

WHEY.—

Milk can be converted into a curd by the infusion of rennet water, white wine, lemon juice, tamarind juice, or vinegar, stirred into good milk, covered and set in a warm place till the curd has formed, and has separated from the whey which remains beneath it. Take off the curd carefully, breaking it as little as possible, and put it into a deep dish. Pour the whey into a pitcher. It should look clear, and greenish rather than white, and have none of the milk curd remaining about it. Set the pitcher on ice. It is an excellent drink in fevers. When approved, the curd may be eaten in a saucer with sugar. For rennet whey, cut a piece of dried rennet about two inches square, and wipe all the salt from the outside, but do not wash it. Soak the bit of rennet for several hours (or all night) in a small tea-cup of lukewarm water. Then pour the rennet water into the milk. For wine whey, boil a jill of sherry in a pint of milk, without stirring it.

TAPIOCA.—

Having washed in cold water three heaped table-spoonfuls of tapioca; drain it, put it into a clean quart bowl, pour on water enough to cover it well, and soak it four hours. Then pour on as much more water, transfer the whole to a porcelain skillet, in the bottom of which you have laid the yellow peel of a fresh lemon, pared so thin as to be transparent, and boil the tapioca gently till it looks quite clear. Then take out the lemon peel, and stir in sufficient loaf sugar to make it very sweet. If approved, flavor it with some madeira or sherry, and some grated nutmeg. Tapioca may be boiled in plain milk, with no seasoning but the sugar to sweeten it.

Sago.—Pick and wash clean, in two cold waters, a half pint of sago. Put it into a porcelain skillet, with the yellow rind of a lemon pared transparent. Pour on it a quart of water, and let it all soak for two hours. Then set it over the fire, and boil it, gently, till the lemon is all to pieces and nearly dissolved, and the sago looks clear. Take out the lemon peel, and stir in, if permitted, some sherry wine, sugar, and grated nutmeg, and give it another boil.

If the above seasoning is not allowed, boil the sago in milk only, or water only, till the liquid becomes thick and like a jelly.

Sago Pudding for an invalid.—Boil three table-spoonfuls of soaked sago in a pint of milk till quite soft. Add gradually three ounces of white sugar, and set it away to cool. Beat three eggs till thick and smooth, and stir them by degrees into the sago and milk. Grate in some nutmeg, and bake the pudding in a deep dish. Tapioca pudding is made in the same manner.

SWEETBREADS FOR INVALIDS.—

Cut open two fine fresh sweetbreads, and lay them in warm water till all the blood is discharged. Then transfer them to a pan of cold water to blanch or whiten. Stew them in the strained liquid of fresh oysters, till quite tender. When done, take out the sweetbreads, remove the gristle or pipe, and serve them up warm, having laid in the bottom of the dish a slice of nice toast that has been dipped for a minute in hot water. If permitted, the oysters may be cooked with the sweetbread, first removing the hard part.

STEWED SMELTS.—

Smelts are considered a delicate and nutritious fish for invalids. They are in season in winter, and early in the spring. Choose them as large as you can find them. Having drawn and cleaned them, cut off their heads and tails. Put sufficient water to cover them in a small stew-pan, adding a very little powdered white sugar, and a few small sprigs of parsley, or sweet marjoram. When the water boils lay in the fish, and simmer them five minutes. Then stir in a very little arrow root, mixed with a few drops of cold water, and let it stew ten minutes longer. Serve up the stew in a small deep dish with a cover, and eat with it some very light bread-roll. It will be a pleasant change from the usual broths and infusions prepared for the sick.

A Molasses Supper.—Make a thick slice of very nice toast, evenly browned on both sides, but not the least burnt. Lay it in a pint bowl, and pour over it a small half pint of the best West India molasses, having stirred into the molasses a heaped table-spoonful of ground ginger. Mix the molasses with half a pint of hot water, and pour the whole over the toast. Cover it with a plate for a few minutes, and eat it while warm, previous to going to bed. This is a wholesome strengthening palatable supper for an invalid, (as we know by experience) and may be continued as long as the patient continues to like it. It is always a good winter supper for children. The ginger must on no account be omitted. If the molasses has turned a little sour, stir in a salt-spoonful of soda.

To prevent a jug of molasses from running over when kept in a warm place, pour out a little into another vessel, and leave the molasses jug uncorked for two days. Then cork it tightly.