A "HAPPEN-IN" LUNCHEON
BETTINA had finished her morning's work and was busy with her mending
when the telephone rang.
"Why, hello, Bob!" she answered, surprised to hear his voice at this
time of day.
"Bettina," said he, "could you possibly arrange to let me bring Carl
Edwards and his wife home to luncheon? They blew in a few minutes ago
and leave at two-thirty. We haven't much time, you see, and they are
especially anxious to see the house. They are planning to build for
themselves soon."
"Why, of course, Bob," said Bettina, hesitating for the briefest
possible second. "It's after eleven now, but I'll be glad to have you
bring them. Let's see--I'll give them the salad I had planned for
tonight, but I don't know what else--but, then, I'll manage somehow."
"All right, dear; that's fine. We'll be there early--a little after
twelve."
Bettina's "emergency shelf" was always well stocked, and before her
conversation with Bob was over her mind had hastily reviewed its
contents. In a very short time, her oven held escalloped salmon, graham
gems and "quick pudding," and she was setting the dainty porch table.
"I'm glad the weather is so beautiful," she said to herself, "for it is
so much fun to have a hurry-up luncheon like this out-of-doors. Well,
whatever the guests think, I'm sure that Bob will like my menu, for
'quick pudding' is a favorite dessert of his, and he can always eat
several graham gems!"
For luncheon they had:
Escalloped Salmon Graham Gems
Apricot Sauce
Bettina's Vegetable Salad
Chocolate Marshmallows
Bettina's "Quick Pudding"
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Escalloped Salmon= (Four portions)
1-1/2 C-salmon
3 T-sweet pickles, chopped fine
1 T-lemon juice
1/2 C-cracker crumbs
1 egg
1/4 t-paprika
1/2 t-salt
1/4 C-milk
2 T-fresh bread crumbs
1 T-melted butter
Pick the salmon apart with a fork and add the pickles, lemon juice,
cracker crumbs, egg, paprika, salt and milk, using a fork for mixing.
Place in a well-buttered baking dish. Melt the butter, add the fresh
crumbs and spread evenly over the top. Bake twenty minutes in a moderate
oven.
=Graham Gems= (Ten gems)
1 C-graham flour
1 C-white flour
1 t-salt
1/4 C-sugar
3/4 t-soda
3/4 C-sour milk
1 egg
Mix the graham and white flour, the salt, sugar and soda, add the milk
and egg. Beat two minutes. Fill well-buttered muffin pans one-half full.
Bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven.
=Apricot Sauce= (Four portions)
1/4 lb. dried apricots
2 C-water
1/2 C-sugar
Wash the dried apricots well. Add the water and allow them to soak for
three hours or longer. Cook very slowly in the same water until tender.
Add the sugar, and cook three minutes.
=Bettina's Vegetable Salad= (Four portions)
1/2 C-cooked peas
1/2 C-diced celery
1/4 C-green pepper, chopped
1/2 C-diced cooked potatoes
1 T-chopped onion
2 hard-cooked eggs, diced
2 t-salt
2/3 C-salad dressing
Mix the peas, celery, green pepper, potatoes, onion, egg and salt
thoroughly. Add the salad dressing, and serve cold on lettuce leaves.
Garnish with rings of green pepper and egg slices.
=Bettina's "Quick Pudding"= (Four portions)
2 egg-whites, stiffly beaten
4 T-powdered sugar
10 dates, cut fine
3 T-nuts, cut fine
1/2 t-vanilla
1/8 t-salt
1/4 t-baking powder
Beat the eggs stiffly, add the nut meats, dates, vanilla, salt, sugar
and baking powder. Place in a well-buttered tin mould or a pan and bake
in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. Allow the mould to stand in
a pan of hot water while in the oven. Serve hot.