Made-Over Dishes Part 8

Small quant.i.ties of fruit that are not sufficiently sightly to put again on the table may be put aside and made into fruit pot-pie. All sorts of fruits may be blended. Put them into a saucepan, and to each pint of this fruit allow one quart of water and a palatable seasoning of sugar, and you may flavor it with a little grated lemon or orange rind; bring to boiling point. During this time put one pint of flour into a bowl, add a half teaspoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of baking powder. Beat one egg until light, add to it a half cup of milk, then add this to the flour; there should be just enough to moisten and make a dough. Take this out on the board, knead lightly, roll out and cut into biscuits. Put these biscuits over the top of the fruit; cover the kettle and cook slowly for fifteen minutes; do not lift the lid during the cooking. Serve hot with plain milk or cream, or with a hard sauce made from sugar and b.u.t.ter.

Fruit Souffle

Beat the whites of six eggs until light, but not dry; add three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; mix quickly; line the bottom of the baking dish with any sort of fruit, such as chopped dates or figs, or left-over candied fruits or preserves. Heap over the whites of the eggs, dust thickly with powdered sugar, and bake in a hot oven for five minutes.

Serve immediately. To give variety, where stale biscuits or bread, or sponge cake are left over, line the bottom of the dish with the stale bits; pour over enough milk to moisten, put in a layer of fruit and the whites of the eggs as above.

Fruit Jambolaya

Put one cupful of cold boiled rice in a little sieve or colander and stand it over the tea kettle where the steam will pa.s.s through it. Chop fine any left-over fruit at hand, an apple, pear, plum, banana, and the pulp of an orange; they may be all mixed together and slightly sweetened. Put a little of the rice into four serving dishes, put in the center of each a tablespoonful of the chopped fruit and send to the table. This is rather nice for children, and is a good way to use up both the rice and the fruit, as it makes a good combination.

Plain White Cake

Beat a quarter of a cup of b.u.t.ter to a cream; add gradually one and a half cups of sugar. Sift two cups of flour with a teaspoonful of baking powder; measure a half pint of water; add a little water and a little flour, and so continue until the ingredients are used; beat thoroughly, then stir in the well-beaten whites of five eggs. Bake in a loaf or layers. Put layers together with chopped fruit, soft custard, or a soft icing.

Chicken m.u.f.fin Cases

Boil together a half pint of water and two tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter, add hastily a half pint of sifted flour, stir over fire until a smooth dough is formed. Take from the fire and when cool, add one unbeaten whole egg; beat, add another and so continue until four eggs have been added. Bake in gem pans until light and hollow, about a half hour. This quant.i.ty will make twelve. Cut a round from the top and fill the m.u.f.fin with any creamed mixture.

To Make Cocoanut Milk

Cover one quart of grated cocoanut with one pint of boiling water. Stir and mash; strain and press. The milk thus produced may be used for curries. Throw away the pulp.

SOUR MILK AND CREAM

Corn Cake

2 eggs 1 cupful of thick sour milk 1 level teaspoonful of baking soda 2 cupfuls of corn meal 3/4 cupful of white flour 2 cupfuls of sweet milk 3 level teaspoonfuls of baking powder

Beat the eggs until very light, without separating. Moisten the soda in two tablespoonfuls of cold water, stir it into the cupful of sour milk; add this to the eggs, then add the meal and beat thoroughly. Sift the baking powder and flour; stir these into the other mixture, and then add the two cupfuls of sweet milk. Pour into a shallow greased pan and bake in a moderately quick oven about three-quarters of an hour. This should have a custard on top.

Sponge Corn Cake

1 cupful of corn meal 1/2 cupful of flour 1 cupful of thick sour milk 2 eggs 1 level tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter, melted 1/2 teaspoonful of salt 1/2 teaspoonful of baking soda

Moisten the soda in a tablespoonful of water and stir into the thick sour milk. Separate the eggs; beat the yolks, add the sour milk, with the b.u.t.ter, melted, corn meal and flour. Beat thoroughly, then fold in the well-beaten whites, add salt and bake in a shallow greased pan in a quick oven a half hour.

Old Virginia Batter Cakes

2 eggs 1 cupful of sour milk 1 cupful of water 2 cupfuls of white corn meal 1 cupful of flour 1/2 teaspoonful of salt 1 level teaspoonful of baking soda 1 teaspoonful of baking powder

Beat the eggs, without separating, until very, very light. Dissolve the soda in a little water, add it to the sour milk; stir until this is well mixed, add it to the egg; add the water, the corn meal, salt and flour sifted with the baking powder. Mix thoroughly and bake on a very lightly greased griddle.

Plain Corn Dodgers

1 egg 1/2 teaspoonful of salt 1 cupful of thick sour milk 1 level teaspoonful of baking soda 1 cupful of corn meal 1/2 cupful of flour

Beat the egg, without separating. Dissolve the soda and add it to the sour milk; add this to the egg; add the salt, then the corn meal and flour.

Beat until well mixed, and drop by spoonfuls in a shallow pan in which you have a little bacon or ham fat. When cooked on one side, turn quickly and cook on the other.