Metropolitan Cook Book, Edition of Aug. 1954, by Anonymous

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Title: Metropolitan Cook Book, Edition of Aug. 1954
Author: Anonymous
Date of first publication: 1954
Date first posted: May 7, 2009
Date last updated: March 31, 2014
Faded Page eBook #20090506

This ebook was produced by: David T. Jones, Leslie Tomlinson & the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net

METROPOLITAN

COOK

BOOK

the metropolitan life insurance company wishes to express its appreciation to the following organizations for permission to use some of their material: American Institute of Baking, American Meat Institute, National Livestock and Meat Board, Poultry and Egg National Board.

BEVERAGES

COFFEE

Keep coffee in tightly covered container. Always buy right grind for method used in preparation. Usual proportions are 1 rounded tablespoon coffee for 1 cup water.

Drip Coffee: Use drip grind. Put coffee in upper compartment and pour freshly boiling water over it. Keep pot in warm place while water drips through, but do not allow coffee to boil. Remove upper section as soon as coffee has dripped through.

Percolator Coffee: Use regular grind. Put necessary amount of cold water in pot. Put coffee in basket. Bring to a boil and percolate gently until desired strength is obtained, usually about 10 to 15 minutes.

Boiled Coffee: Use regular grind. Mix coffee with small amount of egg or crushed eggshell and cold water. Pour on boiling water and simmer from 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add ¼ cup cold water, and let stand 2 or 3 minutes before serving.

Vacuum Coffee: Use pulverized, very fine, or silex grind. Put necessary amount of cold water into lower part of pot, and bring to a boil. Insert top with filter adjusted. Add coffee and tighten top. Lower heat and let water rise into top. Stir. Let stand over heat 2 to 3 minutes. Then remove pot from heat and allow coffee to filter down.

TEA

Tea should also be kept in tightly covered container. Use 1 teaspoon tea for 1 cup boiling water. Rinse teapot out with boiling water. Put tea in, and pour freshly boiling water over it. Cover pot. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes without boiling. Pour at once.

4 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
3 cups whole milk, or 1½ cups evaporated milk diluted with 1½ cups water
Pinch of salt

Combine sugar, cocoa, and salt in pan. Add water and boil 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Add milk and heat slowly until scalded, just below boiling point. Add vanilla. If cocoa is not served immediately a skin will form. If this happens, beat with rotary egg beater until frothy.

ICED FRUIT DRINKS

Refreshing iced drinks can be made with strong tea as a base and fresh or canned fruit juice added to taste. Honey, or sirup made by boiling together until clear 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar, can be used for sweetening. Juice from canned or spiced fruits can also be used to sweeten fruit drinks.

QUICK BREADS

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup soft shortening
1 egg
1 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Beat milk and egg together. Add to flour mixture, stirring just enough to mix. Do not beat. Lumps disappear in baking. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake about 25 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

¶Whole-wheat or Graham Muffins: Substitute ¾ cup unsifted whole-wheat or graham flour for 1 cup white flour. Increase salt to ¾ teaspoon.

¶Soy Muffins: Substitute 2 tablespoons soy flour for 2 tablespoons white flour in each cup flour used.

¶Blueberry Muffins: Stir ½ to 1 cup fresh blueberries gently into plain muffin batter just before filling muffin tins.

¶Fruit Muffins: Add ½ cup raisins, or chopped dates, or chopped cooked prunes to either plain muffin, or graham, or whole-wheat mixture.

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
3½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup flaked bran
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted shortening

Sift all dry ingredients except bran together. Add bran. Combine egg, milk, and shortening. Add to dry ingredients and mix quickly. Do not beat. Fill well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 30 minutes.

Sift flour and salt into bowl. Combine milk and well-beaten eggs and stir gradually into dry ingredients to make smooth batter. Beat thoroughly with rotary egg beater. Fill piping-hot, well-greased iron popover pans, or deep muffin tins, 2/3 full. Bake about 50 minutes. Serve immediately.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1¼ cups milk
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons melted shortening
2 egg whites

Mix and sift dry ingredients. Combine beaten egg yolks and milk. Stir into dry ingredients. Add melted shortening. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Place batter in a pitcher. Pour into waffle iron and bake according to directions given for type of iron used.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons melted shortening

Sift dry ingredients together. Beat eggs and milk together. Add to dry ingredients and beat thoroughly. Stir in melted shortening. Place batter in a pitcher. Pour on hot griddle. Bake on one side until bubbles appear on top. Turn, and bake other side. If thinner batter is preferred, use more milk.

Substitute sour milk [1] or buttermilk for sweet milk in previous recipe, and use 2 teaspoons baking soda and 4 of baking powder. Sift both with flour and salt.

1 cup cornmeal
¼ cup sifted all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons melted shortening

Sift dry ingredients together. Combine eggs and milk and stir into dry ingredients. Stir in melted fat and pour into greased baking pan. Bake about 25 minutes.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup shortening
About 2/3 to ¾ cup milk

Sift together dry ingredients. Blend in shortening with pastry blender or fingertips. Mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal. Add enough milk to make soft dough which can be handled, stirring with fork. Turn out onto slightly floured board. Knead lightly for about ½ minute and roll or pat to ½-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch floured biscuit cutter or glass. Bake on ungreased sheet from 12 to 15 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

Sour Milk Biscuits: Use sour milk [2] or buttermilk. Use only 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon baking soda mixed with dry ingredients.

Drop Biscuits: Increase milk to scant 1 cup and drop mixture, without rolling, on baking sheet.

Graham or Whole-wheat Biscuits: Substitute ¾ cup unsifted graham or whole-wheat flour for 1 cup white flour.

Cinnamon Rolls: Mix 2 tablespoons brown sugar with ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Spread on rolled-out biscuit dough. Roll like a jelly roll. Cut 1-inch slices. Bake cut side down.

Shortcake: Add 2 tablespoons sugar to dry ingredients. Divide biscuit dough in half. Spread one half in pie tin. Brush with melted shortening. Place other half on top. When baked, layers will separate easily. Bake about 20 minutes.

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup chopped dates
1¼ cups scalded milk
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ cup light corn sirup

Add rolled oats and dates to milk. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add egg beaten slightly and corn sirup. Mix and sift dry ingredients. Add milk mixture, stirring only enough to blend well. Bake in greased loaf pan for 1 hour.

YEAST BREADS

1 cake compressed yeast or envelope dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
¾ cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter or other shortening
3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Soften yeast in lukewarm water about 15 minutes. Scald milk; add sugar, salt, and shortening; and let cool until lukewarm. Add yeast and enough flour to make soft dough. Place on floured board or cloth and let stand about 10 minutes to "tighten up." Then knead until smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl, cover with damp cloth, and let rise in warm place (75 to 90°F.) until double in bulk—about 2 hours. Punch down and form into shape desired. Place rolls about 1 inch apart in greased pans and let rise again in warm place until double in bulk—about 1 hour. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

Parker House Rolls: Roll dough about ½ inch thick. Cut out 3-inch rounds. Make deep crease down center of each round, and flatten one half slightly. Brush round with melted butter and fold thicker half over thinner. Place on buttered baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Let rise to double in bulk. Bake about 20 minutes.

Clover-leaf Rolls: Break off small pieces of dough, size of large marble, and roll into balls. Place three balls in each section of greased large-sized muffin pan. Let rise until double in bulk. Bake about 25 minutes.

2 cakes compressed yeast or envelopes dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup butter or margarine
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

Follow mixing directions for plain rolls. Beat eggs into lukewarm milk and yeast mixture before adding flour. After first rising pat out dough about 1 inch thick into pans used. Spread with following mixture:

4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
4 tablespoons chopped nuts

VARIATIONS:

With Fruit: After first rising, pat out about ¾ inch thick and spread evenly in pan. Lightly press eighths of pared apples, or peaches, over surface of dough. Sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar mixed with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Let rise and bake. Plums may also be used, but sugar should be increased according to their tartness.

Plain Doughnuts (about 24): Add ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg to flour before mixing. After first rising, roll out about ½ inch thick and cut with floured doughnut cutter. Let rise about ½ hour in warm place. Fry about 3 minutes in deep fat heated to 355°F. to 365°F. Drain on absorbent paper. Sugar if desired.

Jelly Doughnuts (about 36): After first rising, pinch off pieces of dough about size of walnut and roll into balls with floured hands. Let rise about half an hour. Fry in deep fat, according to directions for plain doughnuts. After cooling, make small incision in each and insert teaspoonful of jelly or jam. Roll in superfine sugar after filling.

Cinnamon Bread or Buns: After first rising, roll into rectangle ½ inch thick. Spread with softened butter or margarine. Sprinkle with ½ cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Roll like a jelly roll. For bread, place in greased bread pan, open end down. For buns, cut in 1-inch slices and place 1 inch apart, cut side down, in greased pan. Let rise until double in bulk. Bake about 30 minutes.

SOUPS

2 to 3 pounds bone and meat
3 quarts water
Few sprigs parsley
1 onion, sliced
Stalk of celery and leaves
1 or 2 carrots, sliced
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
6 peppercorns
Salt to taste

Less expensive cuts of meat—shin, neck, oxtail—and small scraps of meat, such as flank end of steak, or leftovers and bones of roast or poultry, may be used for soups. Cut meat into small pieces. Pour cold water over meat and bones, using about 1 quart for each pound of meat, and let stand for half hour. Then bring to a boil slowly, add seasonings, and simmer gently in covered pot for about 3 hours. Skim off any froth that rises during first part of cooking. When soup stock is cool, strain and place in refrigerator until used. Fat will rise to top and form a protective covering. If part of stock is used, fat should be removed and heated with remaining stock so that it will always have its covering of fat.

Any combination of vegetables, fresh or leftover, may be added to meat stock. Raw vegetables should be added during last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking, depending upon time required to make them tender. Such combinations as tomatoes, lima beans, diced turnip, diced carrots, chopped spinach, or other green leaves, and rice or barley make a satisfying soup. Chopped meat may also be added.

2 medium-sized onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups beef or chicken stock
(Canned consomme or bouillon cubes dissolved in water can be used.)

Fry onions gently in fat until lightly browned. Add stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 15 minutes. Serve with slices of well-toasted French bread which have been covered with grated Parmesan or other cheese and browned lightly under broiler.

1 cup dried green or yellow split peas
1 small onion
Ham bone or end of ham (optional)
4 cups stock, water, or milk
Salt

Soak peas overnight in 2 cups cold water. (Quick-cooking varieties need no soaking.) Add onions and salt. If ham is used, omit salt. Cook until peas are soft. Remove ham bone. Put peas through sieve or food mill, and back into liquid they were cooked in. Add stock, water, or milk.

VARIATIONS:

Bean Soup: Follow directions for split-pea soup. Dried white beans or red kidney beans can be used, as well as leftover baked beans. They can be put through a sieve or left whole. Crisp bits of bacon or small cubes of ham may be added before serving.

Lentil Soup: Follow directions for split-pea soup. Add diced carrot, few sprigs of parsley, and 1 tomato or ¼ cup tomato catsup. Lentils may be put through a sieve or left whole. Slices of frankfurters may be added about 15 minutes before serving.

4- to 5-pound fowl or about 3 pounds chicken backs, necks, and wings
1 teaspoon salt
Few peppercorns
Parsley

4 medium-sized potatoes
1 medium-sized onion, chopped fine
1½ cups boiling water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups milk
Salt and pepper

Pare and dice potatoes. Cook potatoes and onion in boiling water until tender. Mash and return to water they were cooked in. Scald milk. Add milk, fat, salt, and pepper to potatoes and reheat.

VARIATIONS:

Raw chopped spinach, watercress, parsley, or similar greens may be added to soup just before serving.

Bits of crisp bacon, chopped hard-cooked egg, or small squares of bread fried or toasted until crisp may be added.

2 cups canned or about 4 to 5 fresh tomatoes
1 sliced onion
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and pepper

Cook tomatoes and onion together for about 10 minutes. Rub through sieve or food mill. Make thin white sauce of milk, fat, and flour (page 22). Add strained tomatoes slowly, stirring constantly. Season and serve.

Fat salt pork, 1-inch slice
1 sliced onion
4 potatoes cut in ¼-inch slices
2 cups canned or fresh corn cut from cob
1 quart milk
Salt and pepper

Cut pork into small pieces and fry over low flame. When pork bits are brown and dry, remove them. (They may be saved and sprinkled on top of chowder before serving, if desired.) Add sliced onion to fat and brown lightly. Then add potatoes and 2 cups boiling water and cook until potatoes are soft. Add milk and corn. Heat to boiling point. Season with salt and pepper.

2 cups flaked, cooked cod—salt (see page 12), fresh, or frozen
6 potatoes, cut into cubes
1 pint boiling water
1 sliced onion
Fat salt pork, 1-inch slice, diced
Salt (omit for salt fish)
Pepper
1 quart milk

Fry salt pork. Add sliced onion and brown lightly. Add potatoes and boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Add fish and simmer for 20 minutes. Add milk and seasonings. Heat to boiling and serve.

VARIATIONS:

Any white fish, oysters, or clams may be used in place of codfish. However, when oysters or clams are used chowder should simmer for only about 5 to 10 minutes after they are added.

FISH

Broiled: Fish fillets, fish steaks, or whole fish, like shad or mackerel, split open, are all suitable for broiling. Brush fish with melted fat. Season with salt and pepper. Place in preheated, lightly greased broiler pan, about 2 inches below medium flame. Fish needs broiling on one side only. From 8 to 15 minutes are required, depending upon size and thickness of fish. Fish may be dotted with bits of butter or margarine before serving. Quartered lemon may be served with it.

Baked: Whole fish, steaks, or fillets may be baked. Fillets and steaks may be dipped in salted milk, then in bread crumbs, and baked in a hot oven about 450°F. They may also be baked in white sauce (page 22) or tomato sauce (page 24). A lower temperature is used for this method (350-375°F.).

Stuffed: Whole fish can be stuffed. (See page 13 for stuffings.) Have fish cleaned and dressed (entrails removed). Wash cavity well and dry. Rub with lemon. Stuff loosely and skewer or sew together. Fish fillets can also be stuffed. Spread stuffing over each, roll up, and tie loosely. Stuffed fillets can be baked, simmered in sauce, or poached in seasoned water and served with separately made sauce (pages 22-24).

Poached: Lean fish, like salmon, halibut, cod, or haddock, are best for poaching. Wrap fish in cheese-cloth. Cover with boiling salted water and simmer from 10 to 12 minutes. A slice of onion, a few peppercorns, and bay leaf, which improve the flavor of fish, may be added to poaching water.

Pan Fried: Steaks, fillets, or small whole fish may be pan fried. Coat with salted flour or cornmeal. Melt fat in heavy frying pan. Fry fish at moderate temperature until it flakes easily with a fork.

Soak finnan haddie in cold water ½ hour. Soak salt cod overnight. Then cover with boiling water and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Drain and flake. Make 1 cup of medium white sauce (page 22) for each cup of fish. Add fish to sauce. Just before serving add 1 or 2 sliced hard-cooked eggs.

1 quart oysters
1 quart milk
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Prepare oysters and liquid as for scalloped oysters. Heat liquid. Add oysters and simmer gently for a few minutes until edges begin to curl. Add hot milk, butter, and seasonings.

1 cup salt codfish, shredded
3 cups diced potatoes
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ tablespoon butter or margarine
1 egg

Soak codfish in cold water overnight. Drain and shred. Cook potatoes and codfish together until potatoes are tender and drain. Mash, add egg, butter and pepper. Beat until light. Shape into cakes, roll in fine, dry bread crumbs, and pan fry until browned on both sides. Or form small balls, leave uncrumbed, and fry about 1 to 2 minutes in deep fat heated to 385°F.

2 cups flaked fish—cod, halibut, haddock, salmon, tuna—fresh, frozen, or canned
1 cup medium white sauce (page 22) or creole sauce (page 23)
or tomato sauce (page 24) or mushroom sauce (page 24)
½ cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Season fish with salt and pepper. Mix with sauce and place in well-greased baking dish. Cover with crumbs which have been mixed with melted fat. Bake until heated through, and brown on top.

1 quart oysters
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup hot milk
1 cup oyster liquid
Salt and pepper
1 cup bread crumbs mixed with 4 tablespoons butter or margarine

Remove oysters from liquid. Pick them over carefully to remove any pieces of shell. Strain liquid. Melt butter, add flour, milk, and oyster liquid. Season. Put alternate layers of oysters and sauce in greased baking dish. Cover with crumbs. Bake until heated through and browned.

STUFFINGS FOR FISH

Place vegetables in well salted and peppered cavity. Bake (see page 11). Discard stuffing before serving.

1 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup melted butter or margarine
1 or 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Cook onions in fat over low flame until soft but not browned. Mix in rest of ingredients. Add enough stock or water to make soft stuffing. Season to taste. See bread stuffing (page 21) for variations in seasonings.

½ cup crab meat or cooked chopped shrimp
Few mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
½ cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 egg yolk
Salt and pepper

Cook onion in butter or margarine over low flame until soft but not browned. Add rest of ingredients. Mix well. Season to taste.[14]

MEAT

Note: When using pressure cooker for meat dishes, be sure to follow manufacturer's directions on timing and pressure.

4- to 6-pound piece of beef rump, chuck, or round
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper
1 small onion stuck with few whole cloves
1 bay leaf
2 small carrots
3 to 4 tablespoons beef or salt pork fat
¼ cup stock or water (Canned consomme, meat extract, or bouillon cube can be used for stock.)

Tie meat firmly if necessary. Melt fat in deep, heavy pan with a tight-fitting cover. Flour meat and brown well on all sides. Use moderate flame to avoid smoke. When meat is browned, season with salt and pepper, add onion, seasonings, carrots, and stock. Cover and simmer gently until tender on top of stove or in slow oven (300°F.) about 3 to 4 hours. Meat may be turned every hour. Vegetables to be served with pot roast should be added one hour before meat is done. Gravy may be thickened (see opposite page).

Italian Style: Insert thin slivers of clove of garlic all over meat. Brown meat in olive oil. Omit cloves. Add few leaves dried or fresh thyme and basil and few sprigs of parsley. Use ½ cup tomato juice or sauce in place of stock or water, if desired.

Hungarian Style: Brown meat well. In place of other seasonings, use 1 teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons Hungarian paprika, and pinch of nutmeg. When meat is tender, remove from sauce and keep warm. Skim excess fat from gravy, add 1 more teaspoon paprika and 1 cup sour cream. Stir well and heat, but do not allow to boil after cream is added. (Usually served with buttered noodles.)

German Style: About 24 to 48 hours before cooking, let meat stand in refrigerator in a marinade of ½ cup vinegar diluted with ½ cup cold stock or water. Slice an onion and 2 small carrots into marinade. Add 1 bay leaf, sprig of parsley, and few whole cloves. Turn meat several times while it is marinating. Follow directions for plain pot roast, but use marinade for liquid in cooking.[15]

1½ pounds lean beef cut into 1½-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 or 2 carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup stock or water or tomato juice
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons fat

Roll meat in flour. Brown well in fat. Use moderate flame to avoid smoke. Add seasonings and liquid. Cover tightly and simmer gently on top of stove or in slow oven (300°F.) until meat is tender—about 1½ to 3 hours, depending on tenderness of cut. Leftover roast can also be used for stew.

With Vegetables: About 1 hour before serving add small onions and small carrots. Any other combination of fresh or leftover vegetables can be used, with cooking time adjusted accordingly.

Veal Stew: Can be made like beef stew. Or make with paprika and sour cream, like Hungarian-style pot roast (see opposite page).

Meat Pie: Put stew into deep oven dish. Cover with pie crust (page 44) or baking-powder biscuit dough (page 5). Slash crust in several places. Bake in hot oven (375°F.) about ½ hour, or until brown.

Mix water into flour very gradually to avoid lumps. Add hot liquid slowly to flour mixture, stirring constantly until smooth. Boil gently for 5 minutes to thicken. If lumps appear gravy can be rubbed through strainer or food mill.

Method II—For each cup of liquid:
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons melted fat

Stir flour into hot fat and cook until brown. Stir hot liquid gradually into flour and fat mixture. Boil gently for 5 minutes to thicken. This method is easier than Method I for most cooks, because it is less likely to lump.

For each cup of liquid:
2 tablespoons fat from roasting pan
2 tablespoons flour
(Canned consomme, bouillon cube, or meat extract can be used for gravy stock. Bones from boned roast can be simmered and used for stock.)

Measure amount of fat needed from roasting pan and place in pot in which gravy will be made. Remove any remaining fat from roaster. Pour measured stock or water into empty roasting pan and boil gently a few minutes, scraping to loosen and dissolve all brown bits. Mix flour with fat. Pour hot stock from roasting pan gradually into flour and fat mixture, stirring well. Boil gently for 5 minutes, until thickened.

2 pounds beef rump, round or chuck cut 1 to 2 inches thick
2 tablespoons fat
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper
3 or 4 carrots
1 large or 2 medium-sized onions
1 cup tomato juice, stock, or water
(Canned consomme, bouillon cube, or meat extract can be used for stock.)

Pound flour thoroughly into both sides of meat. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown well in fat. Use medium flame to avoid smoke. When meat is well-browned on both sides, add tomato juice, stock, or water and diced vegetables. Cover tightly and simmer gently on top of stove or in slow oven (300°F.) until tender, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on thickness. Add more liquid if necessary during cooking. Thicken gravy if desired (page 15).

Sift dry ingredients together. Add liquid and mix to a batter that will drop from spoon. Drop from spoon into boiling stew, being careful that there is plenty of liquid and no possibility of boiling dry. Cover tightly and cook undisturbed from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size of dumplings.

1 pound flank or round steak cut ½ inch thick
2 tablespoons fat
1 cup bread stuffing (page 21)
1 onion, sliced
¼ cup carrot, cubed
1 cup boiling stock or water

Spread stuffing over meat. Roll and tie securely at both ends and middle. Brown in fat in heavy pot or frying pan with tight-fitting cover. Add water or stock and vegetables. Cover and simmer gently on top of stove or in slow oven (300°F.) for about 2 hours.

1 pound ground lean beef or combination of beef, veal, and pork
1 egg
¼ cup catsup
Salt and pepper
Poultry seasoning or favorite herb combination (optional)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped or grated onion
2/3 cup bread crumbs (Oatmeal may be used in place of bread crumbs.)
½ cup stock or water

Mix well. Pack into well-oiled loaf pan. Bake about 1 hour. Serve with creole sauce (page 23), mushroom sauce (page 24), or other favorite.

VARIATIONS:

With Tomato Sauce: Cover loaf with 1 cup tomato sauce (page 24) and bake in open pan. Peeled, parboiled potatoes can be roasted in pan with meat.[17]

Hamburgers: When meat is all beef, mixture can be shaped into cakes and broiled or browned in frying pan.

Meat Balls: Shape meat loaf mixture into small balls. Flour well. Brown in hot olive oil or other fat. Cover and simmer gently in 1 cup stock or sauce (tomato or creole or mushroom, pages 23-24) about 40 minutes. Flavor meat balls or sauce with garlic or garlic salt if desired.

3 to 4 pounds breast of veal
Salt and pepper
1 cup stock, water, or tomato juice
2 cups bread stuffing (page 21) or other favorite

Have butcher cut pocket in meat. Season with salt and pepper inside and out. Stuff pocket and sew or skewer and lace together. Roast about 2 hours, basting every half hour with stock, water, or juice.

Stuffed Shoulder of Veal or Lamb can be prepared this way also, but needs longer cooking.

Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Cover with water and simmer until tender—about 1½ hours. Remove meat from bones. Place rice in greased baking dish, and lay meat on rice. Cover with barbecue sauce (page 23). Bake about ½ hour in moderate oven, 350°F.

Most hams sold today under trade names of large meat-packing firms have been processed, so that they do not require boiling before baking. Country-style hams do require boiling before baking. A 12-pound ham should be simmered gently in water or cider for about 3 hours. To bake, dot outside of ham with whole cloves and coat with mixture of brown sugar and flour. Place on rack in uncovered pan. Bake according to directions in meat timetable (inside back cover). Half a ham is prepared the same way.

VARIATION:

Baked Slice of Ham: Simmer ¾-inch slice gently for 10 minutes if country-style, unprocessed ham is used. Place ham in baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Place around ham ½ cup dried apricots which have been soaked in hot water 20 minutes. Bake in moderate oven (350°F.) about 25 minutes. Canned pineapple slices may be substituted for apricots; or omit all fruit in baking and serve with apple rings which have been browned lightly in fat.

1 beef heart
2 tablespoons fat
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 cup stock, water, or tomato juice
Salt and pepper

Wash heart thoroughly. Remove any veins or arteries. Cut heart into quarters and each quarter into 2 or 3 pieces. Brown heart and onion in fat. Add stock, tomato juice, or water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer gently about 2 to 2½ hours.

VARIATIONS:

Stuffed Heart: Leave heart whole. After cleaning, stuff cavity with bread stuffing (page 21) and proceed as for braising. Increase simmering time about 1 hour.

Lamb, Veal, and Pork Hearts: Each makes 1 or 2 servings and can be prepared the same way as beef heart. They require about 1 to 1½ hours simmering when cut into pieces and about 2 to 2½ hours when stuffed and braised whole.

1 pound beef or pork liver cut into half-inch slices
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons fat
1 medium-sized onion, chopped (optional)
1 cup stock, tomato juice, or water

Flour liver slices and brown in fat, with onion, if used. Add stock, tomato sauce, or water and simmer gently about ½ hour. Boiling, and cooking too long, toughen liver.

VARIATIONS:

With Vegetables: After liver is browned, cut into small pieces. Add 6 small onions, 1 cup peas, 1 cup diced white turnips, 2 diced carrots, and 1 cup canned tomatoes to cup of stock or water. Simmer gently until tender, about ½ hour.

With Rice or Potatoes: After liver is browned, cut into small pieces. Add 2 cups tomatoes and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Then add 3 cups cooked rice or potatoes and cook about 5 minutes longer.

1 pound liver—beef, pork or lamb
1 cup bread crumbs
1 medium-sized onion
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 egg
Salt and pepper

Simmer liver gently in 1 cup boiling water 10 minutes. Grind in food chopper together with onion. Add crumbs, slightly beaten egg, water in which liver was simmered, and seasonings. Mix well and put in greased baking dish. Bake about 1 hour or until browned. Serve with creole sauce (page 23) or mushroom sauce (page 24).

½ pound liver
6 green peppers
1 cup cooked rice
½ cup canned tomatoes
1½ tablespoons minced onion
Salt and pepper
1 cup hot stock or water

Simmer liver in 1 cup boiling water about 10 minutes and save liquid. Grind liver in meat chopper. Cut tops from peppers and remove seeds. Parboil peppers for several minutes in boiling salted water. Mix all ingredients and stuff peppers. Set peppers in baking dish, pour hot stock in which liver was simmered around them, and bake for about 30 minutes.

2 cups chopped, cooked meat
2 cups mashed potato
2 cups gravy
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 or 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Combine meat, gravy, and onion. Line bottom of buttered baking dish with well-beaten mashed potato. Add thick layer of meat mixture, then cover with layer of potato. Or, meat and gravy may be placed in lower part of baking dish with a single thick layer of mashed potato for crust. Dot crust with bits of butter or margarine. Bake about ½ hour or until potatoes are well-browned on top, and food is thoroughly heated through.

1 to 2 cups chopped meat
2 cups cooked potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion or celery
3 to 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
Enough gravy, stock, water, or milk to moisten

Any leftover meat may be used for hash, taking about equal parts of meat and potato. Chop meat first alone, then add potato and chop together. Moisten mixture enough to hold together. Season. Melt fat (1 tablespoon to each cup of hash) in frying pan, spread hash in evenly, and cook slowly from 20 to 30 minutes. When hash is well browned on bottom, loosen and fold in half.

2 cups cold, cooked meat (chicken, beef, veal, or lamb)
2 cups gravy or stock
1 cup canned tomatoes
Salt and pepper
½ cup uncooked rice
2 tablespoons fat
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 medium-sized onions, minced

Cook cubed meat, gravy or stock, tomatoes, half the onion, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings together for about 10 minutes. Melt fat in separate pan. Add rest of onion and uncooked rice. Allow both to brown slightly, then add to meat mixture. Turn all ingredients into buttered casserole and bake until rice is soft and has absorbed most of liquid, about 40 minutes.

POULTRY

If necessary, remove all pin feathers and singe by holding bird over direct heat. Be sure that all traces of lungs, entrails, and oil sack above tail have been removed. Run cold water through inside. Wipe dry and rub cavity with salt. Fill with stuffing (pages 21-22). About 3 cupfuls are required for 3- to 4-pound ready-to-cook chicken. Sew or skewer slit and tie legs together with heavy thread. Stuff breast cavity by lifting skin around neck. If there is not much fat beneath skin, rub outside of chicken with soft or melted fat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place breast side up on rack in open roasting pan. Add no water. (For roasting directions see table on inside back cover.) Baste with pan drippings two or three times while roasting. (Make gravy according to the directions on page 15. For milk gravy, substitute milk for stock or water.)

Chicken giblets should be cooked separately. Cover with cold water, season, and simmer gently until tender. They may be chopped and added to gravy or combined with stuffing. Chicken stock can be used for gravy or in some dish made with leftovers.

See Roast Chicken. When stuffing is used with half a turkey, place stuffing in bottom of pan and cover with turkey placed cut side down. Many stores carry small varieties of ready-to-cook turkeys weighing 4 to 8 pounds. These small birds can be broiled or fried as well as roasted.

1 frying chicken, 1½ to 2½ pounds, ready-to-cook, or equivalent in favorite chicken parts
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons butter or other fat
4 tablespoons flour

Dip each piece in flour with salt and pepper added. Brown well in fat on every side, over medium flame. When well browned, cover tightly and simmer gently over low flame until tender, about 20 minutes. Cream or milk gravy (page 15) can be made in pan.

1 4- to 5-pound fowl
Few celery tops
Salt and pepper
½ medium-sized onion
Sprig of parsley

Place whole or disjointed chicken, seasonings, and enough cold water to cover, in pot. Cover tightly and simmer gently until tender, about 3 hours. Remove chicken. Thicken gravy (Method II, page 15), using chicken fat skimmed off stock.

VARIATIONS:

¶Brown Fricassee: First flour and brown chicken in butter, margarine, or chicken fat.

¶Chicken Pie: Cook chicken as for fricassee. Place in baking dish. Pour gravy over chicken and cover with pie crust (page 44) or baking powder biscuit dough (page 5). Slit crust in several places. Bake in moderate oven (350°F.) about ½ hour or until crust is well browned. If vegetables are used in pie, they can be partially cooked in chicken stock before it is thickened. Cooking will be completed while pie is baking.

Note: Poultry should be stuffed just before roasting. If it must be stuffed earlier, stuffing should be cold when used and stuffed bird kept refrigerated. Stuffing should be packed in loosely to allow for expansion during cooking.

2 cups soft bread crumbs or cubes
4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 teaspoons minced onion
Poultry seasoning or other favorite herb combination
2 teaspoons salt and pepper
Water or stock to moisten

VARIATIONS:

With Apple (for Duck or Pork): Substitute bacon or sausage fat for butter. Add ½ cup finely chopped sour apples.[22]

With Oysters (for turkey): To bread stuffing (page 21) add 1 cup finely chopped oysters and ¼ cup finely cut celery. Moisten with oyster liquid instead of stock or water.

2 cups hot mashed potatoes
4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1 egg yolk (optional)
2 tablespoons grated onion or onion juice
1 cup dry bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon sage (optional)

1 pound fresh sausage meat
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped celery leaves
½ cup finely chopped parsley
Poultry seasoning
1½ loaves day-old bread (approximately)

Brown sausage meat slowly in heavy frying pan, stirring regularly to break up into small bits. During browning, add onion, then parsley, then celery leaves, and finally poultry seasoning. Then mix in very thoroughly, still stirring over heat, bread which has been soaked in water and then squeezed as dry as possible. Enough bread should be used to absorb sausage fat. Mixture should remain crumbly. Cool before stuffing bird.

SAUCES FOR MEATS, FISH, VEGETABLES

½ cup butter
2 egg yolks
¼ teaspoon salt
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Divide butter into 3 pieces. Put 1 piece in pan with egg yolks and lemon juice. Cook over hot, not boiling, water, stirring constantly. Do not let water touch pan, or egg will cook too quickly. As sauce thickens, add second piece of butter, then third. Remove from hot water, add seasoning, and serve.

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
¼ teaspoon salt

Melt butter in saucepan, then add flour, stirring until mixture becomes foamy, but not brown. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly to insure smoothness. Cook until thickened. Season.

¶Horse-radish Sauce: Add 1/3 cup freshly grated horse-radish to each cup thick white sauce. If bottled horse-radish is used, drain well.

¶Mustard sauce: Add few drops onion juice, ¼ teaspoon paprika, and prepared mustard to taste to each cup medium white sauce.

¶Cheese Sauce: Add ½ to 1 cup grated or cubed cheese to each cup medium white sauce. Heat in double boiler or over low heat until cheese melts. 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce may be added.

¶Mock Hollandaise: Just before serving, beat into each cup of thick white sauce (Number III), 2 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

¶Egg Sauce: Add 1 or 2 hard-cooked eggs chopped fine, and more salt if needed.

¶Pickle Sauce: Add 2 or more tablespoons finely chopped pickles and more salt.

Wash cranberries and orange. Cut orange in sections, leaving peel on. Put orange and cranberries through meat grinder, using medium knife. Mix with sugar. Store in refrigerator until used. (Good with lamb or poultry.)

Wash cranberries and pick over for stems. Simmer with sugar and water about 10 minutes. Skim and chill in mold.

VARIATION:

Cranberry Jelly: Cook cranberries and water together for 20 minutes. Rub through sieve or food mill. Add 1½ cups sugar and cook 5 minutes more. Chill in mold.

½ cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup water or stock

2 tablespoons minced onion
4 tablespoons minced green pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper
2 fresh tomatoes or ½ cup canned tomatoes
¼ cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 cup stock or water

Brown onion and pepper lightly in fat. Add flour and seasonings and stir. Add tomatoes and mushrooms, if used, and cook 2 minutes; then gradually add stock and heat to boiling.

2½ cups canned tomatoes or tomato juice, or fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour

Cook tomatoes with seasonings and onion 10 minutes. Put through food mill or sieve. Melt fat and stir in flour. Gradually add strained tomato and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Cook about 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

1 cup medium white sauce (page 22) or 1 cup brown gravy (page 15)
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 dozen medium-sized mushrooms or ½ cup canned mushrooms

If fresh mushrooms are used, remove, peel, and chop stems. Chop caps coarsely, peeling only if necessary. Brown lightly in butter. Add white sauce or gravy, season, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Note: Canned condensed mushroom soup, used undiluted, makes a quick mushroom sauce.

For soft-cooked eggs, place in boiling water and simmer gently from 3 to 7 minutes, depending upon consistency desired. Hard-cooked eggs require from 15 to 20 minutes' simmering.

Allow 3 eggs for each 2 servings. Break into bowl, beat slightly, add 1 tablespoon milk and sprinkling of salt for each egg. Melt enough fat in frying pan to keep eggs from sticking. Cook over low heat until creamy, stirring constantly.

VARIATION:

Any chopped cooked meat—chicken, ham, liver—or chopped cooked mushrooms or vegetables can be added to eggs and scrambled with them.

Pour about 1 tablespoon cream into individual baking dishes. Break an egg into each dish. Sprinkle with salt. Bake in moderate oven (350°F.) from 15 to 20 minutes until eggs are set.

VARIATION:

Place 1 thin slice of ham in each dish. Add an egg. Sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs or grated cheese. Bake as for shirred eggs.

6 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter or other fat

Separate yolks from whites and beat yolks with milk, salt, and pepper until foamy. Fold in stiffly beaten whites. Melt fat in heavy frying pan. Add eggs and cook at low temperature until omelet is slightly brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Put pan in moderate oven (350°F.) and bake for about 10 minutes until omelet is firm. Fold in half and serve immediately. Serve with mushroom sauce (page 24) or other favorite.

VARIATIONS:

To make eggs go further, add 1 cup of soft bread crumbs to egg yolks before adding whites.

Spanish Omelet: Pour creole sauce (page 23) around omelet on serving platter.

Cheese Omelet: Add 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup grated cheese, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley to egg yolk mixture.

Cottage Cheese Omelet: Add 1 cup cottage cheese and 2 tablespoonfuls chopped pimento to egg yolk mixture.

Heat salted water to boiling in a shallow pan. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to keep egg white more compact. Break one egg at a time onto a saucer and slide carefully into boiling water. When all eggs have been added, cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand until eggs are set.

VARIATION:

Eggs Florentine: Place poached eggs on bed of cooked, seasoned spinach. Cover with medium white sauce (page 22) seasoned with Parmesan or other grated cheese.

Beat eggs until light. Beat in milk and seasonings. Melt fat in frying pan. Add eggs and cook at low temperature. As it cooks, tip pan and lift mixture with spatula so that uncooked portion can run to the sides. When mixture is set, allow bottom to brown slightly. Fold in half and serve at once.

CHEESE AND CASSEROLE DISHES

1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 cup milk
1 cup American or Cheddar cheese cut in fine pieces
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs

Scald milk. Add bread crumbs, cheese, fat, salt, and pepper. Add beaten egg yolks and mix thoroughly. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in greased baking dish from 35 to 40 minutes.

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup American, Cheddar, or Swiss cheese cut in small pieces
3 eggs

Melt fat, add flour and milk gradually. Cook at low temperature until thick and smooth. Remove from heat, add seasonings and cheese, stirring occasionally to blend cheese with sauce. When slightly cooled, add beaten egg yolks and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into ungreased casserole. Bake until puffed and nicely browned on top, about 45 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately.

1 tablespoon butter or margarine
½ pound sharp American or Cheddar cheese cut in small pieces
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
Sprinkling of pepper

Melt butter in double boiler. Add cheese, milk, and seasonings and cook until cheese is melted and mixture is well blended. Pour over hot toast and serve immediately.

VARIATION:

8-ounce package macaroni
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup cheese cut in small pieces

Cook macaroni as directed on package. Melt fat, add flour, season, and blend. Add milk slowly and cook at low temperature until thick and smooth. Add cheese and stir until cheese has melted. Place macaroni in greased 2-quart baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over it. Bake for 25 or 30 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

Chopped cooked ham or chicken may be added to sauce before pouring over macaroni.

Boiled spaghetti, broad noodles, or 3 cups cooked rice may be used in place of macaroni. Creole sauce or tomato sauce may be used in place of cheese sauce.

Cook noodles as directed on package, rinse, and drain. Combine with melted fat. Put in greased 1-quart ring mold. Set mold in pan of hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Unmold and fill center with creamed fish, meat, or vegetables.

VARIATION:

1 pound green string beans cut in 1½-inch pieces
2 cups diced carrots
4 cups medium white sauce (page 22)
1/3 of 8-ounce package of broad noodles
1 medium-sized onion, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup grated American or Cheddar cheese
2 cups buttered bread crumbs

Cook beans and carrots in small amount of boiling, salted water. Drain, and combine any leftover cooking water with milk in making white sauce. Cook noodles according to directions on package. Add seasonings and cheese to white sauce. Combine with vegetables and noodles. Pour into greased shallow baking dish. Cover with buttered crumbs. Bake from 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned.

4 cups cooked cabbage (page 30)
1 cup canned tomatoes
2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Grease baking dish. Put in layers of cabbage and tomatoes, season, and sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs. Dot top layer of bread crumbs with butter or margarine. Bake for 30 minutes or heat thoroughly over hot water until cheese is melted.[28]

Make 4 sandwiches by placing slices of cheese between slices of bread. Place in greased oblong baking pan. Mix together 2 cups milk and 2 eggs, slightly beaten. Add salt and pepper. Pour over sandwiches. Set pan in another of hot water and bake until bread is browned, about 35 to 40 minutes.

3 cups dried pea beans
½ pound salt pork
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons sugar
1 onion
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons salt

Pick over beans and wash thoroughly. Soak overnight in cold water. [3] Add enough cold water to cover and cook slowly for 45 minutes. Pour beans into bean pot or baking dish. Cut pork into ½-inch strips and bury in beans together with quartered onion. Mix molasses, sugar, mustard, and salt with enough boiling water to dissolve. Pour mixture over beans, adding enough boiling water to cover. Cover pot and bake from 4 to 6 hours, uncovering last hour of baking to brown top. Add more liquid during baking if necessary.

6 hard-cooked eggs
3 tomatoes, fresh or canned
1½ cups cheese sauce (page 23)
1 cup buttered bread crumbs

Cut eggs in half and place in greased casserole. Add sliced tomatoes. Cover with cheese sauce and top with buttered crumbs. Bake until browned on top, about 20 minutes.

2 cups dried lentils
1 tomato, canned or fresh, or ¼ cup tomato catsup
Few celery leaves
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter, margarine, or bacon fat
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Wash and pick over lentils and soak overnight in cold water to cover. Add other ingredients and simmer gently until tender, but not mushy, about 2 hours.

Frankfurters or cooked smoked Italian or Polish sausage may be added last half hour of cooking.

2 cups dried lima beans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Salt and pepper
½ pound sliced bacon

Wash beans and soak overnight in cold water to cover. If quick-cooking variety is used, omit this step. Simmer in salted water to cover about 1½ to 2 hours or until tender. Drain and place in shallow baking pan. Mix in sugar and seasonings. Cover with strips of bacon. Bake until browned, about 40 minutes.

VARIATION:

With Sausage: Arrange alternate layers of parboiled beans and uncooked sausage meat. Omit bacon and brown sugar. Cover with 1 cup tomato sauce (page 24) or 1 can tomato soup.

2 cups corn, canned, or fresh cut from the cob
2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1 pint scalded milk
1 medium-sized, finely chopped green pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Beat eggs. Add milk, fat, corn, green pepper, and seasonings. Pour into greased baking dish. Set dish in pan of hot water. Bake until firm, about 1 hour.

2 tablespoons bacon fat
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic (optional)
2 cups tomatoes
1 pound chopped beef or 2 cups leftover meat
2 cups kidney beans, cooked or canned
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder

Brown onion and garlic in fat. Remove garlic before adding other ingredients. Add meat and brown slightly. Add beans, tomatoes, and seasonings. Put in greased baking dish or casserole. Bake about 30 minutes or simmer on top of stove until thickened.

VARIATION:

Soybeans may be used in place of kidney beans. Follow package directions for cooking.

VEGETABLES

Note: When using frozen vegetables follow directions on package or, if preferred, place frozen vegetable block in pan with tight-fitting cover, season lightly with salt and pepper, add 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, cover and cook over very low flame until tender—usually about ½ hour. This method can also be used for defrosted vegetables. Cooking time should be reduced.

Wash well; asparagus is usually sandy. Remove large scales from stalks and cut off tough ends. Lay asparagus, whole or cut in pieces, in shallow pan and cook tightly covered with very little water until tender. Serve with melted butter, hollandaise (page 22), or mock hollandaise (page 23) sauce.

Soak broccoli in lukewarm, salted water for about 5 minutes to remove sand and insects. Cook flowers, leaves, and all but toughest part of stems. Follow directions for asparagus.

Shred or cut into wedges. Cook in small amount of boiling, salted water in covered pan for about 5 to 10 minutes if shredded, and 10 to 15 if quartered.

Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to cooking water to preserve color. Follow directions for cabbage.

4 cups shredded red cabbage
¼ cup vinegar
¾ cup water
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 tart apples, diced
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and cook at low temperature until cabbage and apples are tender, about 20 minutes.

Separate flowerets, if desired, and cook in covered pan in small amount of boiling, salted water until tender. Serve with browned butter, hollandaise (page 22), or mock hollandaise or cheese sauce (page 23).

1 medium-sized eggplant or 2 small ones
2 tablespoons fat
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 cup canned tomatoes or 4 medium-sized fresh, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup soft bread crumbs

Wash eggplant and cut in half. Scoop out pulp to ½ inch of skin. Dice pulp. Brown onion in fat, add eggplant pulp, tomatoes, bread crumbs, and salt. Mix well and fill eggplant shells with mixture. Bake until browned, about 30 minutes.

VARIATION:

Ground cooked meat may be added to stuffing ingredients. Lamb is particularly good.

1 quart okra pods
1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup canned tomatoes or 4 medium-sized fresh, peeled and chopped
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Salt and pepper
Sprinkle of paprika

Wash rice and cook in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain and add butter, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cut okra in slices and cook in a small quantity of salted boiling water 10 minutes. Then add tomatoes, onion, and rice and cook about 5 minutes longer.

Allow 2 medium-sized potatoes for each serving. Wash and peel. Cook in small amount of boiling, salted water. Drain and mash or put through food mill or potato ricer. Add scalded milk, a little at a time, beating potatoes thoroughly. Season with salt and butter or margarine.

Shape mashed potatoes in flat, round cakes. Brown slightly in melted fat. Leftover meat, ground, may be mixed with potato or about 1 tablespoon encased in each cake.

Select large potatoes. Scrub well. Bake from 50 minutes to 1 hour. When soft, break open or cut cross in center of each, press open and place pat of butter or margarine in opening. Dust with paprika or finely chopped parsley.

Bake potatoes. When tender, cut in half and scoop out inside, being careful not to break skin. Mash with scalded milk, butter or margarine, and salt. Pile lightly back in skins. Reheat in oven until browned on top, about 10 minutes.

VARIATION:

Add onion juice; or chopped parsley and chives; or dry, crumbled bacon; or sprinkle with grated cheese.

Peel and cut raw potatoes in slices ¼-inch thick. Put layer in buttered baking dish, dot with butter or margarine, and add salt and pepper. Repeat until dish is ¾ full. Pour scalded milk over potatoes until it reaches top layer. Bake about 1 hour or until potatoes are soft.

VARIATION:

With Ham: Add chopped cooked ham, sprinkling about ½ cup over each layer of potatoes.

Peel boiled or baked potatoes and cut into cubes. Arrange in layers in buttered baking dish, covering each layer with medium white sauce (page 22), and grated cheese. Cover with buttered crumbs and bake about 20 minutes.

Cut cooked peeled potatoes into small cubes. Melt 1 tablespoon fat for each cup potatoes in heavy frying pan. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons finely minced onion and season with salt and pepper. Moisten with milk or stock. Cook slowly until bottom is brown and crusty. Turn and brown other side.

Select good-sized peppers that will stand on end. Cut slice from stem end and scoop out seeds and fibrous white part. Parboil for about 10 minutes. Drain and stuff peppers with boiled rice, moistened with tomato juice and seasoned with salt, pepper, and minced onion. Two cups of boiled rice will fill 6 peppers. Put stuffed peppers in shallow pan with about 1 inch of water in bottom. Bake in moderate oven (350°F.) for about 20 to 25 minutes.

VARIATION:

Any cooked ground meat may be added to rice. Or combination of cooked meat and bread crumbs may be used. Season with minced onion, salt, and pepper.

Wash outside and cut into serving-size pieces. Scrape out seeds. Place in shallow baking pan with a small amount of water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pan and bake in moderate oven (350°F.) for about 1 hour. Before serving, dot each piece with butter or margarine. If preferred, after squash is baked, pulp can be scraped out of skins, mashed, and seasoned with salt and butter or margarine.

2 cups peeled and cooked fresh or canned tomatoes
2 cups bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon minced onion and green pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt

Season tomatoes with salt, onion, and pepper. Fill baking dish or casserole with bread crumbs and tomatoes in alternate layers, with bread crumbs on top. Dot with butter or margarine. Bake in moderate oven (350°F.) about ½ hour.

VARIATION:

SALADS AND SALAD DRESSINGS

Note: Salad greens should be fresh and crisp. After they have been washed well they should be dried and put in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Into large bowl, cut medium-sized pieces of any combination of salad greens such as lettuce, chicory, watercress, and a few young leaves of spinach. Pour on French dressing and toss well with fork and spoon so that all leaves are well coated. Serve immediately.

To mixed green salad add such vegetables as cucumbers, peeled and diced; tomatoes, peeled and quartered; flowerets of cauliflower; sliced radishes; a little minced onion; chopped green pepper. Combine with French dressing. Strips of cheese, chicken, or cooked meat may be added.

1 tablespoon granulated gelatin
¼ cup cold water
2 cups tomato juice
1 small onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
Few peppercorns
Celery tops
2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar

Soften gelatin in cold water. Cook tomato juice, onion, celery, and seasonings for 10 minutes. Strain and add to gelatin. Pour into individual molds and chill until firm. Unmold and serve with any greens. Use any desired dressing. When gelatin is partly set, ½ cup of chopped celery or few sliced stuffed olives may be added.

6 hard-cooked eggs
3 tablespoons grated cheese
1½ teaspoons vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/3 teaspoon dry mustard

Cut eggs crosswise or lengthwise. Remove yolks. Mix with seasonings. Moisten with French dressing, boiled dressing, or mayonnaise. Refill whites and garnish with dusting of parsley, or paprika, or bit of pimento. Cold minced ham, chicken, or tuna may be mashed with yolks, omitting cheese and mustard.

Combine grated carrots and cottage cheese. Moisten with mayonnaise or boiled dressing. Serve on greens. Chopped green pepper, parsley, and chives may be added to, or used in place of, carrots.

Remove bones, skin, and gristle from cold cooked chicken. Cut meat into ½-inch cubes. Mix with about ½ as much chopped celery. Season with salt and pepper. A few capers or chopped pickles may also be added. Moisten with French dressing. Add mayonnaise or boiled dressing to taste. Serve on lettuce. Cold cooked meat may be prepared the same way. Tuna fish, salmon, crab meat, or other shellfish may also be used.

Shred cabbage. Add chopped onion and green pepper to taste. (Carrots may also be added, finely shredded.) Mix with boiled dressing, mayonnaise, or sour cream dressing. Serve immediately.

2 tablespoons gelatin
½ cup water
2 cups cranberries
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup diced celery
¾ cup diced apple
½ teaspoon salt

Soak gelatin in water for 5 minutes. Cook cranberries in 2½ cups of water until tender, add sugar, and cook 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Add salt and put through sieve or food mill. Add softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. When mixture begins to thicken, add celery and apples and pour into shallow pan. Chill. When firm, cut into pieces for serving. Serve on lettuce and garnish with any desired salad dressing.

Arrange alternating sections of grapefruit and avocado pear on chicory or escarole. Serve with French dressing.

Scald and peel tomatoes. Cut slice from stem end and scoop out inside; or cut whole tomatoes in quarters. Fill center with cottage cheese, seasoned with chopped chives or onion juice; or use any combination of vegetables; or fill with cooked or canned fish, or leftover meat. Serve on lettuce with mayonnaise, French dressing, or boiled dressing.

3 cups boiled potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
¼ cup French dressing
1 cup mayonnaise or boiled dressing

Dice potatoes. Add French dressing and let stand in refrigerator for about ½ hour. Add other ingredients. Mix with mayonnaise or boiled salad dressing. Serve on lettuce. Sliced hard-cooked eggs may be added also.

VARIATION:

With Bacon: Cut 6 medium-sized boiled potatoes into thin slices while still warm. Mix well with 1 cup bacon dressing (page 36). Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Chill several hours, or serve warm.

Marinate in French dressing for about ½ hour any combination of leftover cooked vegetables, such as lima beans, peas, string beans, carrots. Serve on lettuce, either whole leaves or shredded, or on shredded cabbage. Serve with any salad dressing.

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon prepared, or ½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons sugar
Few grains cayenne pepper
2½ tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 egg yolks or 1 egg
¾ cup milk
½ cup vinegar

Mix dry ingredients. Slowly add slightly beaten egg yolks, butter or margarine, milk, and vinegar. Cook in double boiler until mixture thickens. Cool before using. If cooked too long it will curdle.

1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
½ teaspoon paprika or pepper
1 teaspoon sugar or more (optional)
1 cup olive or other salad oil
1/3 cup vinegar

Mix dry ingredients. Add salad oil and blend well. Add vinegar and beat until thickened slightly. French dressing may be made in quantity and kept covered in refrigerator. It should be well shaken before using. Part or all vinegar may be tarragon or other flavored vinegars, or part lemon or lime juice may be used. A clove of garlic, peeled, may be mixed with dressing when it is made and then removed. For variety, chopped hard-cooked egg, minced celery, and green pepper may be added.

Cream may be whipped before seasonings are stirred in, gradually. Undiluted evaporated milk may be substituted for sour cream, increasing vinegar or lemon juice to 3 tablespoons.

Dice bacon. Fry slowly until brown. Add vinegar and seasonings to bacon bits and fat. Use hot over greens or potato salad.

½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
½ teaspoon sugar
1 whole egg or 2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice, or 1 of each
1 cup olive or other salad oil

Combine dry ingredients and egg. Mix well. Add oil, drop by drop at first, beating with rotary egg beater. As ingredients blend, more oil may be added at a time. As mixture begins to thicken, add vinegar or lemon juice. Continue to beat until dressing is very stiff. It may be stored, well covered, in refrigerator.

Add ½ cup chili sauce and ½ tablespoon each of chopped onion and green pepper to ½ cup mayonnaise.

SANDWICH FILLINGS

Chop or mash eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Moisten with mayonnaise or other salad dressing, and combine with any of the following:

Canned Fish, well seasoned with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, catsup, or other favorite seasoning.

Cheddar-type Cheese, sliced or grated, alone or combined with apple butter and a few drops lemon juice.

1 cup baked beans
¼ cup cooked, chopped bacon
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons catsup
2 tablespoons chopped sweet pickle
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing

½ cup grated cabbage
¼ cup grated carrot
3 whole radishes, sliced
1 tablespoon sliced green onion
¼ cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
¼ cup chopped, peeled cucumber
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
3 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
½ teaspoon salt

Chop fine and moisten with mayonnaise or other salad dressing. Bits of leftover vegetables may be added. Mixture should be very well seasoned. Worcestershire or other favorite sauce, catsup, or prepared mustard may be used. Pickles or onions, chopped fine, may be added.

Season well with salt and moisten, if needed, with salad dressing, cream, or milk. For variety combine with any of the following:

Raw Vegetables, carrots, cabbage, celery, onions, cucumbers, green peppers, and radishes, finely chopped, used alone or in any preferred combination.

Canned Pineapple, drained and crushed, and touch of grated orange rind; or mashed bananas and chopped nuts may be combined with pineapple.

¾ cup grated processed American cheese
3 tablespoons milk
3 frankfurters, chopped fine
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Combine cheese and milk in top of double boiler. When cheese is melted, add frankfurters and mustard. Mix well.

CAKES

Notes on cake baking: When using self-rising flours, omit baking powder from recipes given here. Always sift flour before measuring. When prepared cake mixes are used it is important to follow package directions exactly and to use the entire package in one mixing. In cake recipes given here, butter, margarine, or solid vegetable shortenings can be used interchangeably. If liquid vegetable oils are used, follow recipes given by manufacturer.

2 cups sifted cake flour or all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg (or 2 egg yolks)
¾ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cream sugar and shortening together until light and fluffy. Add beaten egg and mix thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk, beating thoroughly. Add vanilla. Line bottoms of layer cake pans with well-greased wax paper—or first grease, then flour, pans. Fill pans 2/3 full and bake about 20 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

Orange Cake: Substitute ½ cup orange juice for milk, and 1 teaspoon grated orange rind for vanilla.

Chocolate Cake: Add 2 squares melted chocolate or 6 tablespoons cocoa. If cocoa is used, increase shortening to 1/3 cup. Almond or vanilla flavoring may be used.

Raisin or Currant Loaf: Add ½ cup raisins or currants and bake about 40 to 50 minutes in paper-lined or greased and floured loaf pan.

Martha Washington Pie: Put 2 layers of plain cake together with cream filling (page 42). Dust top with powdered sugar. (Powdering through a large paper doily gives a pretty design.)

Nut Loaf: Add 1 cup finely chopped nuts and bake about 40 to 50 minutes in paper-lined or greased and floured loaf pan.

Quick Coffee Cake: Use layer cake pans or 8- or 9-inch square pan. Before baking, sprinkle dough with ½ cup chopped nuts mixed with 4 tablespoons granulated or brown sugar.[40]

Upside-down Cake: Melt ¼ cup butter or margarine in 8-or 9-inch square pan. Add ½ cup brown sugar and stir until thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat and spread evenly over bottom of pan. Place drained fruit—pineapple and cherries, prunes and apricots, canned peach or apricot halves—over butter-sugar mixture. Mix ½ plain cake or orange cake recipe (page 39) and pour over fruit. Bake about 30 minutes. Turn out on plate with fruit on top.

½ cup shortening
½ cup sugar
½ cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
¾ cup sour milk [4]

Cream shortening and sugar together. Add molasses gradually, beating well. Add vanilla extract. Add egg yolks, beating until light. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices. Add alternately with milk to creamed mixture, beating smooth after each addition. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake about 30 minutes in greased and floured or paper-lined pans.

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt

Separate whites from yolks of eggs. Add salt to egg white and beat until stiff but still shiny. Beat egg yolks until thick and light in color. Add sugar gradually and continue beating. Add lemon juice and beat once more. Carefully fold in flour and egg white alternately. Do not beat. Line bottom only of ungreased cake pan with ungreased wax or brown paper. Spoon batter in and bake about 1 hour. Cool upside down on cake rack, away from drafts, before removing from pan.

1 cup raisins
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons mixed spices, or
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/3 cup shortening
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1½ cups unsweetened applesauce

Sift flour with baking powder, soda, salt, and spices, and mix in raisins. Cream sugar and shortening together. Add eggs and beat thoroughly. Add dry ingredients alternately with applesauce. Turn into greased and floured, or paper-lined pan, and bake about 1 hour. Let stand 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on cake rack.

2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 cup sifted cake flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored. Add sugar gradually. Beat thoroughly. Fold in flour a little at a time. Spread batter in pan lined with greased wax paper. Bake about 15 minutes. Turn cake out on paper or kitchen towel sprinkled with superfine or confectioners sugar. Remove paper quickly and cut off crisp cake edges. Roll cake with towel inside immediately and let stand about 10 minutes. Then unroll. Spread cake with jelly, roll up again, and dust top with superfine or confectioners sugar.

VARIATION:

Chocolate Whipped Cream Roll: Add 4 tablespoons cocoa to flour. Increase sugar to 1 cup. Spread cake with whipped cream when ready to fill.

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 egg, slightly beaten
5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ cup dark molasses
½ cup sour milk [5] or buttermilk
¼ cup melted shortening

Sift together flour, salt, soda, and spices. Combine egg, sugar, molasses, sour milk, and shortening. Add dry ingredients gradually, stirring until mixed. Then beat well until smooth. Turn into paper-lined or greased and floured pan and bake about 30 minutes.

(Note: Leftover egg yolks can be used in hollandaise sauce, mayonnaise, and other recipes. Two egg yolks can be substituted for 1 whole egg in custards, puddings, and cakes which do not call for stiffly beaten whites. Or egg whites for an angel cake can be accumulated over 2 to 3 weeks in tightly covered jar in refrigerator by using 2 egg yolks in place of 1 whole egg whenever custards, puddings, and sauces are made.)

7 egg whites (about 1 cup)
1 cup fine granulated sugar
¾ cup sifted cake flour
Few grains salt
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat egg whites until foaming; add cream of tartar and continue beating until they will hold a peak but are still shiny. Add sugar gradually by folding it into egg mixture. Then fold in flour and salt, which have been sifted together four times. Add vanilla last. Bake from 45 minutes to 1 hour in ungreased tube pan lined with circle of wax paper on bottom only. Cool upside down on cake rack, away from drafts, before removing from pan.

FROSTINGS AND FILLINGS

2 egg whites
1½ cups sugar
5 tablespoons cold water
1½ teaspoons light corn sirup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put unbeaten egg whites, sugar, water, and corn sirup in upper part of double boiler. Place over rapidly boiling water, beating constantly with rotary egg beater, and cook 7 to 10 minutes or until frosting will stand in peaks. Remove from fire, add vanilla, and beat until thick enough to spread.

VARIATIONS:

Chocolate: Fold 3 squares of melted chocolate into frosting after it is removed from fire. Do not beat as for plain frosting.

Coconut: Add 1 cup fresh or canned shredded coconut. Spread on cake. Sprinkle more coconut over top.

¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg or 2 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine dry ingredients. Add egg and milk, mixing well. Add butter. Cook in double boiler until thick, stirring constantly. Cool and add vanilla.

VARIATIONS:

Chocolate: Add 2 squares bitter chocolate or 4 tablespoons cocoa and increase sugar to ½ cup.

2/3 cup sugar
4½ tablespoons cornstarch or
2½ tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon butter
¾ cup boiling water
¼ cup lemon juice
1½ teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 egg or 2 egg yolks
½ teaspoon salt

Mix dry ingredients. Add boiling water gradually. Add butter. Cook mixture in double boiler until thick and clear. Add rind and juice of lemon. Beat in eggs. Cook 2 or 3 minutes longer. Cool.

VARIATION:

Orange: Substitute orange juice for water. Reduce sugar to 1/3 cup. Use grated orange rind in place of lemon. Use only 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Omit egg.

2/3 cup butter or margarine
1½ cups sugar
1 egg or 2 egg yolks
1/3 cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder

Cream shortening and sugar together. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and mix well. Add flour and remaining dry ingredients which have been sifted together. Drop from teaspoon on well-greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until firm and lightly browned.

VARIATIONS:

¶Orange Cookies: Substitute orange juice for milk, and grated orange rind for vanilla. One half cup chopped candied orange peel or mixed fruit peels may be added if desired.

¶Raisin, Currant, Nut, or Coconut Cookies: Add 1 cup currants, or shredded coconut, or chopped raisins, or nuts.

¼ cup raisins
1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups quick-cooking oats
½ tablespoon grated lemon rind
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
¼ cup melted shortening

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Combine sugar, molasses, beaten egg, and milk with melted shortening, and mix well. Add flour and oatmeal gradually. Add raisins and grated lemon rind. Drop from teaspoon on greased baking sheets. Bake from 12 to 15 minutes.

1/3 cup shortening
½ cup boiling water
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup molasses
1 egg
3½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon soda
1½ teaspoons ginger
1½ teaspoons cinnamon

Pour boiling water over fat and let stand until melted. Add sugar, molasses, and egg. Beat well and add remaining dry ingredients which have been sifted together. Beat well. Drop from teaspoon on well-greased baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes.

¼ cup shortening
½ cup sugar
½ cup dark corn sirup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 squares bitter chocolate, melted, or ½ cup cocoa
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk or sour milk [6]
¾ cup chopped nuts

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add sirup gradually, beating after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract. Add egg and beat until light. Add melted chocolate. Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating smooth after each addition. Add nuts. Drop from teaspoon on greased baking sheets. Bake from 10 to 15 minutes.

¾ cup raisins
2½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup honey
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift flour with baking powder, soda, and salt. Cream shortening and peanut butter together, blending well. Add honey, mixing thoroughly. Add sugar gradually. Add egg and beat. Add vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients slowly. Shape into roll. Wrap in waxed paper, and chill thoroughly. Cut in thin slices and bake about 10 minutes.

Note: Lard or solid vegetable fats give inexperienced cooks better results than butter or margarine as shortening for pie crust. Butter can replace some portion of other shortening, however, for added flavor.

2½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup shortening
¼ to 1/3 cup water

Sift together flour and salt. Add shortening and blend with flour, using two knives, a pastry blender, or finger tips, until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add water a little at a time, stirring lightly with fork until mixture holds together. Too much water makes tough pastry.

For two-crust pie, divide dough into two pieces, allowing a little more for bottom crust than for top. Roll bottom crust on lightly-floured board or pastry cloth from center to edges until dough is about 1/8-inch thick. Fit into pie pan, allowing a border of ¾ inch to hang over edge of pan. Roll out top half of dough a little larger than required to cover top of pie. After filling is in, wet edges of bottom crust with water. Lay top crust over filling, press down around edges of pan, then flute two crusts together by pressing between thumb and index finger or with floured tines of fork. Cut slits in upper crust to allow steam to escape. Upper crust may also be made of strips of dough arranged in lattice fashion. Double crust pies usually require from 50 to 60 minutes' baking time.

Crumb graham crackers by rolling with a rolling pin. Mix crumbs, sugar, and shortening which may be butter, margarine, or vegetable type. If vegetable shortening is used, add ¼ teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons water to other ingredients. Do not use salt and water with salted butter or margarine. Lightly grease 9-inch pie plate. Press mixture firmly and evenly against sides and bottom of plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool and fill with desired filling.

2 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
5 tablespoons ice water

Sift together flour and salt. Combine oil and water. Beat with fork until well blended. Pour immediately over flour mixture. Mix with fork until it forms ball. Divide in two pieces and roll as for plain pie crust.

For single-crust pies use one half plain or vegetable oil pie crust recipe. If crust is baked before filling is added, flute edges and prick bottom and sides with fork to prevent air bubbles from forming during baking. Bake about 20 minutes.

1 tablespoon granulated gelatin
¼ cup cold water
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 baked pie shell (Graham cracker pie crust is especially good.)

Soften gelatin in cold water. Beat egg yolks and add salt, orange juice, and ½ cup of sugar. Cook in double boiler until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and dissolve softened gelatin in hot mixture. Add orange rind and cool. When mixture begins to thicken, add stiffly beaten egg whites into which remaining ½ cup of sugar has been beaten. Pour into baked pie shell and cool.

Mix and roll ½ recipe for plain (page 44) or vegetable oil (page 45) pie crust. Mix 3 to 4 cups of prepared fruit with sugar and spices to taste. Moisten edges of casserole and cover fruit with pie crust, pressing it tightly against sides of casserole. Slash crust in several places. Bake until crust is brown and fruit is soft, usually about 40 minutes. Frozen fruits in heavy sirup need little or no sugar and less baking time.

3 eggs or 6 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ plain (page 44) or vegetable oil pie crust recipe (page 45)

Method I: Line pie plate with pie crust. Pour in custard mixture made by lightly beating eggs, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla together. Bake about 15 minutes at 425°F., then reduce oven to 350°F. and bake until custard is firm.

Method II: Bake pie shell and custard mixture separately in two matching pie plates, buttering custard plate. When crust and custard are cool, loosen edges of custard and carefully slip into pie shell.

VARIATION:

Coconut Custard: Add ½ cup shredded coconut, fresh or canned, to custard mixture.

1 can pie cherries (pitted)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup sugar
Juice ½ lemon
Cream filling (page 42)
1 baked pie shell or individual tart shells. Use ½ plain (page 44) or vegetable oil pie crust recipe (page 45).

Drain juice from canned cherries. Cook juice and sugar together until quantity is reduced to 1 cup. Add cornstarch and cook until clear and thick. Add lemon juice. Cool slightly. Place layer of cooled cream filling (page 42) in bottom of pie shell. Add drained and pitted cherries. Pour juice over cherries. Chill.

1¼ cups steamed pumpkin forced through strainer or food mill
¼ cup granulated or ½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 slightly beaten egg or 2 egg yolks
1 cup milk
½ plain (page 44) or vegetable oil pie crust recipe (page 45)

Mix ingredients in order given. Bake in pie tin lined with pastry until crust is set, about 15 minutes, then lower oven to 350°F. Bake until firm, about 20 minutes longer.

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2½ tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
¼ teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup lemon juice, grated rind of 1 lemon

For meringue
3 egg whites
6 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Mix cornstarch, sugar, flour, and salt. Stir in boiling water gradually. Add butter. Cook in top of double boiler until thick and clear—about 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Beat in lemon juice and rind. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Cook over hot water 2 or 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Cool. Fill baked pie shell. Cover with meringue made by beating egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff, adding sugar gradually while beating. Place in slow oven (300°F.) until meringue is golden brown, about ½ hour. Cool away from drafts.

4 or 5 sour apples
¼ cup sugar—more or less, to taste
1½ tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg—or other spice, to taste
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Make crust for two-crust pie, using plain (page 44) or vegetable oil pie crust (page 45). Put bottom crust in pie plate. Pare, core, and slice apples. Mix with sugar and flour and let stand 15 to 20 minutes. If apples are not tart enough, sprinkle with lemon juice. Fill pie, sprinkle with spices, and dot with butter. Cover with top crust and make several slashes in center to allow steam to escape. Bake until crust is brown and apples are tender. Some varieties of apple—Macintosh, for example—need less time than others—such as greenings.

VARIATION:

Other fresh fruit pies are made the same way. Allow 3 to 4 cups of prepared fruit, adjusting sugar to tartness of fruit. When frozen fruits in heavy sirup are used, little sugar is needed and baking time is reduced. Unbaked bottom crust may be brushed with egg white before fruit or liquid fillings are put in to help prevent bottom from becoming soggy.

PUDDINGS AND FRUIT DESSERTS

2 tablespoons uncooked rice
2 cups milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ grated lemon rind

Wash rice, mix with other ingredients, and pour into buttered baking dish. Bake 3 hours, stirring several times during first hour to prevent rice from settling.

Use recipe for baked custard, increasing sugar to 1½ tablespoons for each egg. Beat eggs, salt, and sugar together and add milk. Cook in double boiler, stirring constantly until mixture coats spoon. Remove from heat. Add flavoring.

Beat thoroughly. Strain, if desired, through fine strainer into custard cups. Place cups in pan of hot water almost to top of custard line. Bake until knife comes out clean when inserted in center of custard, about 40 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

Coconut Custard: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons shredded coconut for each cup milk. Sprinkle some on top if desired.

Chocolate Custard: Add 2 tablespoons chocolate sirup (page 52) for each 7/8 cup milk.

Caramel Custard: Before pouring mixture into cups, butter them and put 2 teaspoons caramel into each. (To caramelize sugar, melt over low heat in heavy pan ¼ cup of sugar, stirring constantly until melted and golden brown. Add another ¼ cup of sugar and stir until dissolved. Add ¼ cup boiling water and cook several minutes longer, until mixture is smooth.)

Sweeten and spice to taste 2 cups canned or frozen blueberries, or other juicy, quick-cooking fruit, and place in greased casserole. Spoon orange cake batter (page 39) over fruit. Bake about 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold, with or without cream, milk, or boiled custard, flavored with almond extract.

1 cup boiled rice
2 cups milk
¼ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup raisins (optional)
2 eggs or 4 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine rice, milk, sugar, salt, and eggs, slightly beaten. Add flavoring. Bake in buttered baking dish until firm, about 30 to 40 minutes.

4 cups sweetened fresh berries or peaches or 1 package frozen fruit
1 shortcake (page 6)
1 cup heavy cream, whipped, or boiled custard (opposite page).
Evaporated milk can also be whipped (page 52).

Biscuit shortcake (page 6) should be baked just before serving. It can be put in oven about 20 minutes before dessert is to be served. When baked, split and butter each section. Cover lower half with ½ prepared fruit. Place second half of shortcake on top and cover with remaining fruit. Add whipped topping, if used, and decorate with whole berries, or fruit slices. If custard sauce is used, serve in separate dish.

VARIATION:

Plain or Sponge Cake: Use layers of cake in place of biscuit shortcake. Serve cold.

4 slices lightly buttered bread, cubed or whole. Less may be used.
2 cups milk
2 eggs or 4 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Place bread in baking dish. Beat eggs, milk, sugar, and salt together. Pour over bread. Add vanilla. Place dish in pan of hot water and bake about 40 minutes, until firm in center.

VARIATIONS:

Fruit: Add ½ cup currants, or raisins, or chopped dates, or figs. Flavor with almond or vanilla extract.

Chocolate-Nut: Add ½ cup chocolate bits, or mix 4 tablespoons cocoa with sugar. Add ¼ cup chopped nuts or shredded coconut. Flavor with almond or vanilla extract.

Orange Marmalade: Add ½ cup orange marmalade to mixture before baking. Omit vanilla extract.

Meringue: Separate 3 eggs. Bake pudding, using yolks only. When baked, spread with thick layer of jam or jelly. Cover with meringue made by beating egg whites until stiff, adding ½ cup sugar gradually while beating. Brown meringue in slow oven 300°F.

Cake: Leftover cake of any kind can be used in place of bread. Little or no sugar or extra flavoring is needed.

4 cups milk
1/3 cup cornmeal
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup molasses
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

Scald 3 cups of milk in top of double boiler. Add cornmeal, sugar, spices, salt, molasses, and butter. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Pour into greased baking dish. Add remaining cup of milk, without stirring. Bake about 3 hours. Serve warm with milk, cream, or ice cream.

1 cup fruit pulp (crushed berries, peaches, apple sauce, prune or apricot pulp)
2 egg whites
½ cup powdered sugar (if needed)

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar gradually while beating. Fold in fruit pulp. Pile in sherbet glasses and chill.

Cut grapefruit in half. Remove seeds, loosen pulp in sections, and remove core. Place in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle each grapefruit half with brown or granulated sugar, or maple sirup, or honey. Dot sparingly with butter or margarine. Broil at low heat from 15 to 20 minutes.

Allow 1 medium-sized orange for each serving. Peel and slice oranges, arrange in layers in serving bowl or individual dishes. Sprinkle each layer and top with shredded coconut, fresh or canned.

4 medium-sized apples, sliced
1 cup bread crumbs or ready-to-eat cereal
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon grated orange or lemon rind
½ cup sugar or other sweetening
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup fruit juice (approximately)

Mix bread crumbs, butter, rind, sugar, and cinnamon. Place half sliced apples in buttered baking dish. Cover with half bread crumb mixture. Add rest of apple slices and cover with rest of crumb mixture. Moisten with juice. Bake about 45 minutes. Serve hot or cold with milk, cream, boiled custard (page 48) or other dessert sauce (page 52).

VARIATIONS:

With Rhubarb: Use 2 cups stewed sweetened rhubarb in place of apples. Omit sugar, cinnamon, and fruit juice.

2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch or 2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 or 3 sliced bananas
15 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat egg yolks. Add sugar and cornstarch or flour, and mix thoroughly. Add milk and cook in double boiler until creamy, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Place alternate layers of graham crackers, crumbed, and sliced bananas in baking dish. Add custard. Beat egg whites until stiff and add 4 tablespoons sugar. Spread over pudding and brown in moderate oven 350°F. If preferred, beaten egg whites may be folded into cooled custard before adding to crackers and bananas. Can be served cold when made this way.

1 cup prune or apricot pulp
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (optional)
3 egg whites

Mix sugar, fruit pulp, and salt. Add lemon juice and rind. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into pulp. Pour into greased baking pan, set in pan of hot water, and bake until firm, about 40 minutes; or cook over hot water for 1 hour in greased double-boiler top. Serve with milk, whipped evaporated milk (page 52) or cream, or boiled custard (page 48).

1 tablespoon granulated gelatin
¼ cup cold water
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg whites

Soften gelatin in cold water. Scald milk and add gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Combine beaten egg yolks, sugar, and salt and slowly stir in milk and gelatin mixture. Cook over hot water until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool, and when mixture begins to set, add vanilla and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into 1 large, or 6 individual molds. Chill until firm. Serve with sweetened berries or fruit or dessert sauce (page 52).

Choose firm, large, tart apples of a variety good for baking. Rome Beauty, Jonathan, and Baldwin are good winter varieties. Core apples and remove 1-inch band of skin from top. Place in shallow pan. Fill centers with sugar or other sweetening used. Add water to depth of ¼ inch in pan. Bake uncovered until apples are soft but not mushy. Time varies from 30 to 50 minutes, depending on size and variety of apples. Baste with sirup in pan every 10 minutes for glaze. Cinnamon may be added to sugar. Chopped nuts or raisins or currants or mincemeat may be used to fill centers.

DESSERT SAUCES

1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar (confectioners or superfine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring

Cream butter or margarine until very light and fluffy. Add sugar gradually while beating. Add flavoring, and more sugar if needed.

VARIATION:

With Fruit: One cup crushed berries, peaches, or cranberry sauce may be beaten into hard sauce.

Chill unopened can of evaporated milk in freezing unit of refrigerator for about 1 hour. Pour into chilled bowl and whip. Where tartness is desired, 1 teaspoon lemon juice for 1 cup evaporated milk added toward end of whipping hastens thickening and makes milk stand up longer. Add sugar and vanilla as desired.

Evaporated milk may also be whipped by using gelatin. For each cup evaporated milk, moisten 1 teaspoon plain unflavored gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water. Scald undiluted evaporated milk in top part of double boiler. Dissolve softened gelatin in scalded milk. Chill and whip. Add sugar and vanilla as desired.

½ cup cocoa, or 2 squares bitter chocolate
1 cup cold water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar, or
½ cup sugar and ½ cup light corn sirup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Cook cocoa or chocolate and water until smooth and thick. Add sugar and salt and cook a few minutes longer. Add vanilla. Sauce may be stored in refrigerator and used as needed for milk drinks and desserts.

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1½ tablespoons flour
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
½ cup lemon juice, grated rind of 1 lemon
1 egg yolk (optional)

Mix sugar, cornstarch, and flour. Stir in boiling water gradually. Add butter. Cook in top of double boiler until thickened and clear. Add lemon juice and rind. Add egg yolk if used. Serve hot or cold.

Separate yolk from white, beat white until stiff. Add sugar. Beat in milk, egg yolk, and flavoring until thoroughly mixed. Serve immediately.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Sweet milk can be soured in several minutes by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

[2] Sweet milk can be soured in several minutes by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

[3] If quick-cooking varieties of beans are used, follow package directions both for parboiling and baking time.

[4] Sweet milk can be soured in several minutes by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

[5] Sweet milk can be soured in several minutes by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

[6] Sweet milk can be soured in several minutes by adding 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk.

INDEX

Beans, baked, [28]
lima, baked, [29]
with sausage, [29]
Beef hamburgers, [17]
heart, braised, [18]
stuffed, [18]
liver, braised, [18]
pot roast, [14]
steak, flank or round, [16]
Swiss, [16]
stew, [15]

Cabbage, [30]
red, [30]
savory red, [31]
scalloped, with cheese and tomatoes, [27]

Cheese fondue, [26]
omelet, [25]
sandwiches, baked, [28]
sauce, [23]
soufflé, [26]
welsh rarebit, [26]

Chocolate cake, [39]
cookies, [43]
cream filling, [42]
dessert sauce (see sirup)
frosting, [42]
milk, [4]
sirup, [52]
whipped cream roll, [41]

Coconut cream filling, [42]
cookies, [43]
custard, [48]
custard pie, [46]
frosting, [42]

Eggs, 24-25
cooked in shell, [24]
deviled, [34]
Florentine, [25]
omelets, [25]
poached, [25]
scrambled, [24]
shirred, [24]
stuffed, [34]

Fruit coffee cake, [8]
deep-dish pie, [46]
desserts, [48]
drinks, iced, [4]
hard sauce, [52]
muffins, [5]
pudding, [48]
shortcake, [49]
whip, [50]

Lamb, barbecued shanks, [17]
breast of, stuffed, [17]
heart, [18]
shoulder, stuffed, [17]

Liver, braised, [18]
loaf, [18]
with green peppers, [19]
with rice or potatoes, [18]
with vegetables, [18]

Orange ambrosia, [50]
cake, [39]
cake filling, [42]
chiffon pie, [45]
cookies, [43]

Pot roast, German style, [14]
Hungarian style, [14]
Italian style, [14]
plain, [14]

Potatoes, au gratin, [32]
baked, [32]
hashed brown, [32]
mashed, [31]
scalloped, [32]
stuffed, [32]

Sandwich fillings, [37-38]
baked bean-bacon, [38]
cottage or cream cheese, [38]
egg, [37]
frankfurter-cheese, [38]
fresh vegetable salad, [38]
leftover meat or fish, [38]
peanut butter, [37]
tuna-apple, [38]

Vegetable noodle bake, [27]
salad, mixed, [35]
sauces for, [22]
soup, [9]
stuffing for fish, [13]

METROPOLITAN

COOK

BOOK

BEVERAGES

COFFEE

TEA

ICED FRUIT DRINKS

QUICK BREADS

VARIATIONS:

VARIATIONS:

YEAST BREADS

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SOUPS

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FISH

STUFFINGS FOR FISH

MEAT

VARIATIONS:

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VARIATIONS:

VARIATIONS:

POULTRY

VARIATIONS:

VARIATIONS:

SAUCES FOR MEATS, FISH, VEGETABLES

VARIATION:

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CHEESE AND CASSEROLE DISHES

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VEGETABLES

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SALADS AND SALAD DRESSINGS

VARIATION:

SANDWICH FILLINGS

CAKES

VARIATIONS:

VARIATION:

FROSTINGS AND FILLINGS

VARIATIONS:

VARIATIONS:

VARIATION:

COOKIES

VARIATIONS:

VARIATION:

VARIATION:

PUDDINGS AND FRUIT DESSERTS

VARIATIONS:

VARIATION:

VARIATIONS:

VARIATIONS:

DESSERT SAUCES

VARIATION:

FOOTNOTES:

INDEX