RUTH MAKES BAKING POWDER BISCUITS
"OH, Ruth!" called Bettina from her door to Ruth, who was walking past.
"Come in and stay to dinner!"
"My dear, I'd love to, but----"
"I'm going to have baking powder biscuits, and I remember that you were
longing to learn how to make them."
"Oh, Bettina! Would you really show me? I'll simply have to come, then.
I hesitated because Aunt Martha is here, but I know she'll excuse me for
one evening. What time is it? Five? I'll take these packages home and be
back in fifteen minutes!"
When Ruth returned she found Bettina in her kitchen with all of the
ingredients for the biscuits set out on the table.
"Perhaps two cups of flour will make too many for three people," she
said, "but Bob has a good-sized appetite these crisp fall days, and he's
fond of biscuits with jelly. Now, Ruth, you can get to work! Sift the
flour, baking powder and salt together, and then cut the lard in this
way with this knife. . . . Fine! Now add the milk very slowly--perhaps
it will take a little more than two-thirds of a cup, it all depends on
the flour. There! Now pat the dough into shape on this floured board,
and then you can cut the biscuits out with this little cutter. Yes,
about three-fourths of an inch thick. Ruth, those look fine! We'll wait
a little while to bake them, they're better perfectly fresh. Set them
out in the cold, there, until I have fixed the macaroni, and they can
pop into the oven at the same time."
"That was so easy, Bettina. I do hope those biscuits will be good!"
The dinner consisted of:
Lamb Chops Macaroni and Cheese
Sliced Tomatoes
Baking Powder Biscuits Jelly
Apple Tapioca Pudding Cream
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Macaroni and Cheese= (Three portions)
1/2 C-macaroni, broken in pieces
1 qt. water
1 t-salt
2 T-butter
4 T-cheese, cut in small pieces
1-1/2 C-milk
1/2 t-salt
1/4 t-paprika
3 T-flour
Cook the macaroni in the boiling salted water until tender. (About
fifteen minutes.) Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Melt the
butter, add the flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add the milk and
cheese. Cook three minutes. Add the macaroni. Mix well, and pour into a
well-buttered baking dish. Place in a moderate oven and cook twenty
minutes.
=Baking-powder Biscuits= (Fifteen biscuits)
2 C-flour
4 t-baking powder
1/2 t-salt
3 T-lard
2/3 C-milk
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, and cut in the fat with a knife.
Slowly add the milk. (More or less may be required, as it depends on the
flour.) Pat into shape three-fourths of an inch thick. Cut with a
cutter, place side by side on a tin pan. Bake in a hot oven twelve to
fifteen minutes.
=Apple Tapioca= (Three portions)
6 T-pearl tapioca
1/4 C-cold water
1-1/2 C-boiling water
1/3 t-salt
3 T-sugar
1 C-sweetened apple sauce
1/2 t-vanilla
Soak the pearl tapioca in the cold water for ten minutes in the upper
part of the double boiler. Add the boiling water, salt and sugar. Cook
in the double boiler until transparent. Add one cup of apple sauce and
the vanilla. Mix well. Serve either hot or cold.