A FORETASTE OF WINTER
[Illustration]
"SAY, but it's cold today!" called Bob at the door. "Frost tonight all
right! I was glad I took my overcoat this morning. Have you had a fire
all day?"
"Yes, indeed," said Bettina, "and I've spent most of the afternoon
cleaning my furs with corn meal, and fixing those new comforters for the
sleeping porch, and putting away some of the summer clothing."
"I believe we will need those new comforters tonight. How were you
fixing them?"
"I was basting a white cheese-cloth edge, about twelve inches wide,
along the width that goes at the head of the bed, you know. It's so easy
to rip off and wash, and I like to have all the comforters fixed that
way. I was cleaning my old furs, too, to cut them up. I'm planning to
have a fur edge on my suit this winter. I don't believe you'll know the
furs, the suit, or Bettina when you see the combination we will make
together! Fur is the thing this year, you know."
"Couldn't you spare me a little to transform my overcoat? I'd like to
look different, too!"
"Silly! Come along to the kitchen! There's beefsteak to-night (won't it
taste good?) and I want you to cook it, while I'm getting the other
things on the table. I didn't expect you quite so soon."
That night for dinner they had:
Beefsteak Creamed Potatoes
Devilled Tomatoes
Rolls Butter
Plum Sauce
Bettina's Drop Cookies
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Creamed Potatoes= (Two portions)
1 C-diced cooked potatoes
1 T-green pepper, chopped fine
1 T-butter
1 T-flour
1/2 C-milk
1/4 t-salt
Melt the butter, add the flour and salt, mix well, and add the milk
slowly. Cook until creamy, and add the potatoes and the chopped green
pepper. Serve very hot.
=Devilled Tomatoes= (Two portions)
2 tomatoes
2 T-flour
1 T-lard
1/8 t-salt
1 T-butter
1 T-sugar
1/2 t-mustard
1/8 t-salt
A pinch of paprika
1 hard-cooked egg
1/2 t-flour
2 T-vinegar
1 T-water
Peel the tomatoes, cut in half and sprinkle with flour. Place the lard
in a frying-pan, and when hot, add the tomatoes. Brown nicely on both
sides, and sprinkle with salt. When brown, place on a hot platter and
pour over them the following sauce: Sauce--Place the butter in a pan,
add the sugar, mustard, salt and paprika, the egg cut fine, and the
flour. Mix well, add the vinegar and water. Heat, allow to boil one
minute, and then pour over the tomatoes. (If the sauce seems too thick
when it has boiled one minute, add a little more water.)
=Drop Cookies= (Twenty-four cookies)
1/3 C-butter
1 C-sugar
1 egg
1/2 C-sour milk
1/2 t-soda
1/4 t-salt
1 t-vanilla
1/4 C-chopped raisins
2-1/2 C-flour
1/2 t-baking powder
Cream the butter, add the sugar, then the whole egg. Mix well. Add the
sour milk and the vanilla. Mix the baking powder, soda and flour well,
add the raisins and add to the first mixture. Beat well. Drop from a
spoon onto a buttered and floured pan, leaving three inches between the
cookies. Bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven.