SUPPER AFTER THE THEATRE
"NOW, Bob, you start the fire in the fireplace while I go into the
kitchen and get a little lunch."
"Mrs. Bob," said Donald, an old school-friend of Bob's, "I don't want
you to do any such thing! We don't need any lunch! Stay in here and
we'll all talk."
"You'll talk all the better for something to eat," said Bettina, "and so
will Bob. Won't you, Bob?"
"Well," said Bob, with a grin, "I will admit that coming home in the
cold has given me something of an appetite. Then too, I'll tell you,
Donald, that Bettina's after-theatre suppers aren't to be lightly
refused! Yes, on the whole, I think we'd better have the supper. We
couldn't get you for dinner tonight, and you're leaving so early in the
morning that you see you won't have had any real meal at our house at
all!"
Meanwhile, Bettina was busying herself with the little supper, for which
she had made preparations that morning. When she had creamed the oysters
and placed them in the ramekins, she popped them in the oven. Next she
put on the coffee in her percolator, and placed in the oven with the
oysters the small loaf of bran bread that she had steamed that morning.
"Bob likes it better warm," she said to herself.
Then she arranged her tea-cart with plates, cups, silver, napkins and
peach preserves, not forgetting the rice parfait from the refrigerator.
When she wheeled the little supper into the living room, Bob and Donald
welcomed her with delight. "I take it back; I am hungry after all!" said
Donald.
Bettina served:
Creamed Oysters in Ramekins
Steamed Bran Bread Peach Preserves
Rice Parfait
Coffee
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Creamed Oysters in Ramekins= (Three portions)
1 doz. oysters
2 T-butter
3 T-flour
1/4 t-salt
1/8 t-paprika
1-1/2 C-milk
2 T-crumbs
2 t-butter
1 hard-cooked egg
2 t-chopped parsley
Heat the oysters until they are plump. Drain. Melt the butter, add the
flour, salt and paprika. Mix well. Add the milk slowly and cook until
creamy. (About two minutes.) Add the oysters, and place one-third of the
mixture in each well-buttered ramekin. Melt the butter (two teaspoons)
and add the crumbs, stirring well. Place the buttered crumbs on top of
the mixture in each ramekin. Brown in the oven for fifteen minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley, and garnish with hard-cooked egg cut in slices.
=Steamed Bran Bread= (One small loaf)
1 C-bran
1/2 C-white flour
1/2 t-soda
1/8 t-salt
1 t-baking powder
4 T-raisins
2 T-chopped nuts
1 T-sugar
2 T-molasses
1/2 C-milk
2 T-water
Mix the bran, flour, soda, baking powder, salt, raisins and nuts. Add
the molasses, sugar, milk and water. Stir well for two minutes. Fill a
well-buttered mould one-half full of the mixture. Cover with the lid,
well-buttered, and steam for two hours. The steaming may be done in the
fireless cooker, if desired.
=Rice Parfait= (Three portions)
1 C-cooked rice
1/2 C-hot milk
2 C-cold water
1 T-granulated gelatin
2 T-chopped nut meats
1/2 C-brown sugar
1/4 t-salt
1/2 C-whipped cream
Soak the gelatin in cold water for five minutes. Add the hot milk and
allow it to dissolve thoroughly. Add the sugar, salt, nut meats and
rice, and mix well. When thoroughly cooled, add the whipped cream. Pour
into a well-buttered mould, and allow to stand in a cool place for two
hours. Serve cold. Whipped cream may be served with the parfait if
desired.