RUTH COMES TO LUNCHEON
"AND here we are, busily planning Alice's affairs," said Bettina, "when
we might be talking of yours, Ruth. Are you sure, sure, sure, that you
don't want any parties, or showers, or affairs of any sort?"
"Sure, sure, sure!" said Ruth, emphatically. "I may be silly, Bettina,
but to me such a fuss beforehand takes something away from the beauty of
the wedding! And then there are other reasons. We've had to postpone
building till next summer, and may not be married till the house is
done--you know that. So we'll have been engaged a long time. It seems to
me that after a long engagement like ours, it is better to have a simple
wedding and no parties. Alice's is happening just as I always expected
that it would--a surprising announcement, a short engagement, and many
parties, with an elaborate wedding as the climax! Sometimes I think that
sort would be the kind to have--but you see, Bettina, when you're
expecting to be married only once, you want to have just the kind that
seems best to you."
"And yours will be just right for you, Ruth," said Bettina, warmly. "You
are you, and Fred is Fred, and I can't imagine either of you caring for
much excitement. And when you are in your new house----"
"I'm going to have you over at least once a week to just such a dear
little luncheon as this! Or rather--as much like it as I can devise.
Bettina, how did you have time to cook such good things?"
"Well," said Bettina, "Bob will have these same things for dinner
tonight, with the addition of some cold sliced meat. So now, Ruth, we
have a long afternoon before us--to sew and talk!"
Bettina's luncheon consisted of:
Bettina's Mexican Salad Brown Bread
Apricot Preserves
Orange Cake Hot Chocolate
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Bettina's Mexican Salad= (Four portions)
1 cucumber diced
2 tomatoes cut in one-inch cubes
1 C-cut celery
1/4 C-cooked beets
1 T-chopped parsley
2 T-green pepper, cut fine
1/3 C-cottage cheese
1 t-salt
2/3 C-salad dressing
4 lettuce leaves
Mix all the ingredients in order given and serve on lettuce leaves.
=Brown Bread (Baked)= (Two loaves)
2 C-graham flour
2 C-white flour
2 t-soda
1 t-salt
1/2 C-molasses
2 C-sour milk
Mix well the graham flour, white flour, soda and salt. Add the molasses
and sour milk; mix thoroughly. Pour into two well-buttered bread tins,
and bake forty minutes in a moderate oven.
=Orange Cake= (Sixteen pieces)
1/3 C-butter
1 C-sugar
2 eggs beaten separately
Grated rind of one orange
3 t-baking powder
1/4 t-salt
1/4 C-orange juice
1/4 C-milk
1-2/3 C-flour
1/2 t-lemon extract
Cream the butter, add the sugar and egg-yolks; mix thoroughly. Add the
orange rind. Add the baking powder, salt and flour sifted together and
then the orange juice and milk. Mix, and beat one minute. Add the
egg-whites beaten stiffly, and the lemon extract. Bake in two square
cake tins fitted with waxed paper for twenty-five minutes in a moderate
oven.
=Orange Filling for the Cake= (Sixteen portions)
1/2 C-sugar
3 T-flour
1/8 t-salt
1 egg yolk
Grated rind of 1/2 an orange
1/4 C-water
1/4 C-orange juice
1/2 t-lemon juice
Mix the flour, sugar and salt well; add slowly the egg-yolk and the
grated rind, the orange juice and water. Cook slowly over hot water for
ten minutes, or until thick enough to spread. Add the lemon juice or
lemon extract. Spread on one layer of cake. Place the other layer
carefully on the top and spread Quick Cake Icing over the top and sides
of the cake.
_OCTOBER._
_Oh, hazy month of glowing trees,--
And colors rich to charm our eyes!
Yet--not less fair than all of these
Are Mother's fragrant pumpkin pies!_
[Illustration]