Good Things to Eat as Suggested by Rufus Part 13

-OATMEAL BREAD---Cook one cup of rolled oats in water for serving at breakfast, and one cup of mola.s.ses, one and one-half cups of lukewarm water in which is dissolved one yeast cake and one teaspoon of salt. Mix in enough flour to make a stiff dough, cover and let rise. When very light stir down, put in pans, let rise light and bake in a slow oven.

The heat should be sufficient at first to check the rising, then the baking should be slow.

-ORIENTAL OATMEAL BREAD---Take two cupfuls of rolled oats, put in bread pan, turn on four cupfuls of boiling water, stir for awhile. Add, while hot, a heaping tablespoonful of lard or one scant tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter and one of lard, two teaspoonfuls of salt and four tablespoonfuls of sugar and three of mola.s.ses. Now add two cupfuls of cold water (making six cups of water in all) and, if cool enough, add one yeast cake dissolved in a very little water. Now stir in all the white flour it will take until it is as stiff as you can manage it with the spoon.

Set in warm place over night, and in the morning with spoon and knife fill your tins part full, let rise to nearly top of pan, then bake an hour for medium size loaves.

-RAISIN BREAD---Scald three cups of milk and add one teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar. Cool and add one-half yeast cake, dissolved in one-quarter cup of lukewarm water. Mix in enough flour to make a drop batter and set to rise. When this sponge is light put in two cups of seeded raisins and enough flour to make a soft dough, but stiff enough to knead. Let rise again, then mold into two loaves. Let the loaves double in size and bake slowly, covering with another pan for the first twenty minutes of baking.

-STEAMED BROWN BREAD---Beat one egg light, add one cup of cornmeal, one cup rye-meal and one and one-half cups of flour sifted with a half level teaspoon of salt. Add one cup of mola.s.ses, and after it is turned out put in one level teaspoon of soda and fill with boiling water. Add to the other one-third cup more of the water. Pour into well b.u.t.tered mold and steam four hours.

-SOUTHERN CORNCAKE---Mix two cups of white cornmeal, a rounding tablespoon of sugar and a level teaspoon of salt, then pour enough hot milk or milk and water to moisten the meal well, but not to make it of a soft consistency. Let stand until cool, then add three well beaten eggs and spread on a b.u.t.tered shallow pan about half an inch thick. Bake in a quick oven, cut in squares, split and b.u.t.ter while hot.

-STEAMED CORN BREAD---Sift together one cup cornmeal and flour and a level teaspoon of salt. Put one level teaspoon soda in one tablespoon of water, add to one-half cup of mola.s.ses and stir into the meal with one and two-thirds cups of milk. Beat and turn into a greased mold. Steam four hours, take off the lid of the mold and set in the oven fifteen minutes.

-STEAMED GRAHAM BREAD---Put into a mixing bowl two cups of sour milk, one cup of mola.s.ses, one level teaspoon of salt, two of soda and then enough graham flour to make a batter as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon, adding one-half cup of seeded raisins. Pour into a two-quart mold or lard pail well greased, cover closely and set in a kettle of boiling water that comes two-thirds the depth of the mold. Cover the kettle and keep the water boiling constantly for four hours.

-WHOLE WHEAT BREAD---Scald one cupful of milk and one teaspoonful of b.u.t.ter, one of salt, one cup of water and one tablespoonful of sugar.

When lukewarm add half a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a little water and enough wheat flour to make a thin batter. Beat vigorously until smooth and let rise until very light. Add as much whole wheat flour as you can beat in with a spoon. Pour into greased tins, let rise until light and bake in moderate oven for one hour.

-ASPARAGUS FRITTERS---Make a thick sauce with one-half cup of milk, one rounding tablespoon of b.u.t.ter and one-quarter cup of flour. Stir in one cup of cooked asparagus tips and cool. Add one beaten egg and cook on a hot b.u.t.tered griddle in small cakes.

-CORN FRITTERS---One-half can corn, one-half cup flour, one-half level teaspoon baking powder, one level teaspoon salt, a dash of cayenne and one egg. Chop the corn fine and add the flour, sifted with the baking powder, salt and cayenne. Add the egg yolk, well beaten and fold in the white beaten stiff. Drop by spoonfuls into hot fat one-half inch deep.

Turn once while cooking. When done, drain on brown paper and serve.

-CRUMB GRIDDLE CAKES---Soak one pint of bread crumbs in one pint of sour milk for an hour, then add a level teaspoon of soda dissolved in one cup of sweet milk, and one well beaten egg, half a teaspoon of salt and flour enough to make a drop batter as thick as griddle cakes are usually made.

-HOMINY CAKES---To two cups of boiled hominy add two tablespoons of melted b.u.t.ter. Break the whole very fine with spoon or fork. Add two well beaten eggs, one-third teaspoon of salt, and a saltspoon of pepper.

Form into little cakes, after adding enough milk to make it of the right consistency to handle. Set cakes on b.u.t.tered dish and dust with a little finely grated cheese. Bake in hot oven and serve at once.

-OATMEAL CAKE---Mix fine oatmeal into a stiff dough with milk-warm water, roll it to the thinness almost of a wafer, bake on a griddle or iron plate placed over a slow fire for three or four minutes, then place it on edge before the fire to harden. This will be good for months, if kept in a dry place.

-PINEAPPLE PANCAKES---Make a batter using half pound sifted flour and three good sized eggs with a cupful of milk. This makes a very thin batter. When smooth and free from lumps, bake in a well b.u.t.tered frying pan, making the cakes about eight inches in diameter. As soon as brown on one side turn. When cooked on both sides remove to a hot serving dish and sprinkle with sweetened pineapple. Bake the remainder of batter in the same way, piling in layers with the pineapple between the cakes. Cut in triangular pieces like pie and serve very hot.

-SQUASH FRITTERS---To two cups of mashed dry winter squash add one cup of milk, two well beaten eggs, one teaspoon of salt, a little pepper and one heaping teaspoon of baking powder. Beat well and drop by spoonfuls into hot b.u.t.ter or cooking oil and fry.

PIES AND PASTRIES

-A GOOD CRUST FOR GREAT PIES---To a peck of flour, add the yolks of three eggs. Boil some water, put in half a pound of fried suet and a pound and a half of b.u.t.ter. Skim off the b.u.t.ter and suet and as much of the liquor as will make a light crust. Mix well and roll out.

-CRUST FOR CUSTARDS---Take a half pound of flour, six ounces of b.u.t.ter, the yolks of two eggs, three spoonfuls of cream. Mix well and roll very thin.

-DRIPPING CRUST---Take a pound and a half of beef drippings; boil in water, strain and let it get cold, taking off the hard fat. Sc.r.a.pe off and boil it four or five times; then work it up well into three pounds of flour, then add enough cold water to make dough, just stiff enough to roll. This makes a very fine crust.

-PASTE FOR TARTS---One pound of flour, three-quarters of a pound of b.u.t.ter and just enough cold water to mix together. Beat well with a rolling pin.

-PUFF PASTE---Take a quarter of a peck of flour, rub in a pound of b.u.t.ter, make it up into a light paste with a little cold waters, just stiff enough to handle; then roll out to about the thickness of a crown piece. Spread over with b.u.t.ter and sprinkle over with flour, then double up and roll out again. Double and roll out seven or eight times. It is then fit for all kinds of pies and tarts that require a puff paste.

-APPLE PIE---Make up a puff paste crust and lay some around the sides of a dish. Pare and quarter apples. Put a layer of apples in the dish, sprinkle with sugar, and add a little lemon peel, cut up fine, a little lemon juice, a few cloves; then the rest of the apples, sugar and so on.

Sweeten to taste. Boil the peels and cores of the apples in a little water, strain and boil the syrup with a little sugar. Pour over the apples. Put on the upper crust and bake. A little quince or marmalade may be used, if desired.

Pears may be used instead of apples, omitting the quince or marmalade.

Pies may be b.u.t.tered when taken from oven. If a sauce is desired, beat up the yolks of two eggs, add half pint of cream, little nutmeg and sugar. Put over a slow fire, stirring well until it just boils up. Take off the upper crust and pour the sauce over the pie, replacing the crust.

-APPLE PIE--SOUTHERN STYLE---For four pies half pound b.u.t.ter, quarter pound of lard, half dinner teaspoon of salt, work four cups flour and the above ingredients with a fork, and then mix with ice water and mix it so it will just stick together. Then ready for use.

-BEATEN CREAM PIE---Line a plate with good paste, p.r.i.c.k in several places to prevent rising out of shape. Bake and spread over some jelly or jam about half an inch thick, and cover with one cup of cream beaten stiff with two rounding tablespoons of powdered sugar and flavored with one teaspoon of vanilla.

-LARGE LEMON PIE---Mix three level teaspoons of corn starch smooth in a little cold water, and stir into three cups of boiling water. Cook five minutes; stir in one level tablespoon of b.u.t.ter, the juice and grated yellow rind of two lemons, one and one-half cups of sugar, and the yolks of three eggs. Cook until the egg thickens, take from the fire and cool.

Line a large pie plate with paste and gash it in several places to prevent rising unevenly, bake and fill with the mixture. Cover with a meringue made from the white of three eggs beaten with six level tablespoons of powdered sugar. Set in the oven to color.

-LEMON PIE---This is an old fas.h.i.+on pie, because it is baked between two crusts, yet many have called it the best of all kinds. Grate the yellow rind of two lemons, take off all the white skin and chop the remainder very fine, discarding all the seeds. Add two cups of sugar and two beaten eggs. Mix well and pour into a paste lined plate cover, and bake thirty minutes.

-NUT MINCE PIES---One cup of walnut meats chopped fine, two cups of chopped apple, one cup of raisins, one and one-half cups of sugar mixed with one teaspoon each of cinnamon and allspice and one-half teaspoon each of cloves and salt, one-half cup of vinegar and one-half cup of water or fruit juice. Mix thoroughly. This quant.i.ty makes two large pies.

-PINEAPPLE CREAM PIE---One-half cup b.u.t.ter, one cup sugar, one can shredded pineapple, one-half cup milk, two eggs. Cream the b.u.t.ter, add gradually the sugar, then the pineapple, milk and eggs well beaten. Mix well and bake in one crust like custard pie. When cool cover with a meringue or with whipped cream sweetened and flavored with vanilla.

-PLAIN PIE PASTE---Sift one and one-half cups of flour with a saltspoon of salt and rub in one-quarter cup of lard. Moisten with very cold water until a stiff dough is formed. Pat out and lay on one-quarter cup of cold b.u.t.ter rolled out in a sheet. Fold in three layers, turn half way round, and pat out again. Fold and roll twice more. This will make one large pie with two crusts.

-CHERRY PIE---Make a good crust, lining the sides of a pie pan. Place stoned cherries, well sweetened, in the pan and cover with upper crust.