Line pie tins with a rich pie crust, pick with a fork to let out air while baking, and bake a golden brown, then fill with the cooked filling, cover with a meringue and bake until meringue sets. The rule for the cream filling is two eggs beaten with half a cup of sugar and one large tablespoon of flour or one scant tablespoon of cornstarch mixed smooth with a little milk, add flavoring. Bring two small cups of milk or water to a boil, add the egg mixture and cook thick. If liked add one teaspoon of b.u.t.ter to the milk or water. For chocolate pie double the sugar and use two squares of chocolate shaved fine and heat with the cream filling. For pineapple add grated pineapple to the cream filling, double the measure of flour as acids thin the mixture considerably. For lemon cream pie use the juice and grated rind of one large lemon or two small ones and double the flour and sugar measure.

(For orange pie use juice of one large orange and half a lemon.) In lemon and orange pie water is generally used in preference to milk and if a rich pie is liked use an extra egg yolk and a large measure of sugar.--Contributed.

MERINGUE.--To make the meringue, beat the whites of two eggs very light and stiff, cut in two level tablespoons of sugar and beat five minutes.

Spread on top of the filled pie, sprinkle lightly with sugar and brown in a slow oven. When meringue is firm to the touch it is done and will not fall or shrink, if under-done it falls. If the oven is too hot leave the oven door open for three minutes before putting the meringue in to bake. Long beating of the whites of eggs and sugar however will usually make a good, thick and firm meringue.--Contributed.

ENGLISH ORANGE CHEESE CAKES OR TARTS.--One half pound sugar (one cup) mixed with one fourth pound b.u.t.ter (one half cup) add three eggs, (reserving white of one); juice of two oranges and grated rind of one; juice of one lemon. Beat well. Simmer until like honey. Fill baked patty or tart sh.e.l.ls of pie crust. Make a meringue of the stiffly beaten white of egg and one tablespoon of sugar. Frost the tarts, sprinkle with sugar and brown in a moderate oven. Serve cold.--Mrs.

Whitehead.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE.--One and one half cups of sugar, creamed with one half cup b.u.t.ter, yolks of three eggs, one half cup milk, one square chocolate melted in half cup boiling water, two cups flour sifted with two heaping teaspoons baking powder. Add vanilla and the unbeaten whites of the three eggs the last thing.--Mrs. T. B. Huff.

BURNT SUGAR CAKE.--One and one half cups sugar creamed with one half cup b.u.t.ter, yolks of three eggs, one large cup cold water, three large tablespoons of thick burnt sugar or enough to make a light brown in color; two cups flour sifted with two heaping teaspoons baking powder.

Add the unbeaten whites of the three eggs and vanilla the last thing.

Frost with boiled frosting to which has been added one tablespoon of burnt sugar and a half cup broken nut meats.--Mrs. T. B. Huff.

TO MAKE BURNT SUGAR.--Put in a sauce pan one cup sugar and cook, stirring constantly; the sugar will then form into lumps, then melt and throw off a thick black smoke. Now take from fire and add three tablespoons hot water and place on stove and let come to a good boil; it is then ready to use and can be kept indefinitely.--Mrs. T. B. Huff.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING.--To make a good chocolate frosting make a quant.i.ty of fudge, beating it until very smooth and until it sets. Then add a teaspoon, or the necessary amount of cream, or milk, until the right consistency to spread.--Mrs. T. B. Huff.

BAKED FISH.--Large white fish, pike or cat fish are best, but small fish can also be used. Put in a pan, sprinkle well with salt and pepper and cover with bits of b.u.t.ter; then pour a little water or milk in the pan and bake, basting the fish often, and adding more water or milk as needed. This takes about a half hour to bake in a hot oven. Make a white gravy of milk, b.u.t.ter and flour, season well and add a can of mushroom and serve over the fish. Delicious.--Mrs. T. B. Huff.

COCOANUT CHEESE CAKES OR TARTS.--Boil one pint of sugar with two thirds of a pint of water and add one and one half cups of shredded cocoanut and boil slowly twelve minutes; remove to rear of range and while warm beat in one half cup of b.u.t.ter until smooth; then beat in the beaten yolks of five or six eggs. Flavor with lemon juice or vanilla or almond extract. Line patty pans or gem tins with a rich pastry crust, fill with the cocoanut custard and bake. They are pretty capped with a cube of currant jelly. Serve either hot or cold.

APPLE CHEESE CAKES.--One pint of steamed, sweetened and stewed apple sauce heated. Add grated rind of half a lemon, two level tablespoons of b.u.t.ter and beat smooth, then cut in two eggs beaten well. Bake in patty pans lined with pastry. Good way to use left over pie crust and apple sauce.

MINCE MEAT.--Four pounds of lean boiled meat, chopped fine; twice its weight in sour apples, peeled, cored and chopped fine, one pound of minced suet; three pounds of seeded raisins, two pounds of currants; one pound of brown sugar; one pint of mola.s.ses and of maple syrup or of fruit syrup, two quarts of sweet fresh cider, one pint of cider boiled, one tablespoon of salt, one scant teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon each of mace, allspice and cloves, four tablespoons of cinnamon. Mix well and bring to a boil on the stove. When nearly cold stir in one pint of brandy and one pint of wine. If these are not liked use syrup from pickles or pears or unfermented grape juice. Pack in a large stone crock or seal in Mason jars and keep covered in a cool place. Will keep good all winter. Half of this recipe will suffice for the winter for a small family. Considering that the mince meats put up in cartons and packages contain no meat and often an inferior grade of dried apples, it certainly pays to make mince meat at home out of fresh material, when butchering is done and apples are cheapest.--Mrs. Whitehead.

MINCE MEAT. (Small jar for small family.) Two cups chopped boiled meat, or of hamburger steak, steamed tender in a double boiler, four cups of chopped apples, one pint of sweet cider or of juice from pickled peaches, one cup mola.s.ses, two cups sugar (scant), juice of three lemons, one cup shredded or chopped suet or one half cupful of b.u.t.ter or sweet drippings, one teaspoon of salt, mixed spices to suit taste.

Cook five minutes. When ready for pie thin the mixture with cider or with a gla.s.s of tart jelly melted and add seeded raisins or currants and a little brandy if liked. Bake between two crusts of pastry and serve warm. One heaping cup of mince meat will make one pie. Fruit juice left from canned fruit is nice added to mince meat and often can be nicely utilized this way.

NEOPOLITANS.--Take pie crust left over after mixing pie. Roll it into a thin sheet and cut into oblong strips three by two inches. Bake in quick oven. Spread half with jam, lay balance of strips over that like sandwiches and spread jam or jelly on top. Dust with powdered sugar.

Lemon or orange cake filling or frosting may be used instead of juice or marmolade, and crushed fresh, sweetened berries make a good filling and covering if capped with whipped cream.

ENGLISH CHEESE PIE.--One cupful of thick sour cream or milk curd, salted slightly, two beaten eggs, three fourths cup of sweet milk, one half cup sugar, one half cupful of English currants (dried). Rub curd thoroughly first and mix with other ingredients. Bake in a deep pie tin lined with pie crust. Powder with cinnamon.

FRENCH TART.--Pound eight macaroons fine, pour boiling milk over them to make a soft batter, add six well beaten eggs and one half cupful of sugar. Cook thick, add one half cup of b.u.t.ter and the juice of an orange. Line a pie with pastry, fill with the mixture and bake. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Eight good sized macaroons will take from two to three cups of milk.

PATTIES.--Three cups flour, one cup lard, three fourths cup of ice water, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon salt. Mix and roll like pie crust. Bake in patty pans. Makes thirty patties.

PIE CRUST.--One and one quarter cups flour, pinch baking powder, mix with one half cup lard and one teaspoon salt. Add ice cold water enough to roll out--about one fourth cup. Flour board and roll thin.

BERRY TARTS.--One pint of b.u.t.tered strawberries or red raspberries, one cup sugar, the beaten white of one egg stirred through the sugar. Mix with the berries. Bake between two crusts until egg is set then serve with whipped cream.--Contributed.

Fancy Desserts

"They make maple syrup out of corn cobs that you can't tell from the adulterated." Abe Martin.

SPONGE CAKE DESSERT.--Take hot water sponge cake, cut it into thin slices and line the sides of stem sherbet gla.s.ses. Fill in with sweetened strawberries and whipped cream.--Mrs. Southard, demonstration fancy desserts.

SPONGE CIRCLES.--Cut round pieces of sponge cake. Lay a border of sweetened strawberries around the edge of each piece of cake and fill in the center with ice cream.--Mrs. Southard, demonstration fancy desserts.

PEACH CUSTARD.--Bake a custard pie. Slice and sugar nice ripe peaches.

Spread the peaches on top of the custard and cap with whipped cream.--Mrs. Southard, demonstration of fancy desserts.

PINEAPPLE DESSERT.--Thick slice of canned, or of fresh sugared pineapple, heap each slice with sweetened whipped cream flavored with a dash of vanilla and powder lightly with chopped nuts. Serve with cake.--Mrs. Southard, demonstration fancy desserts.

STRAWBERRY SPONGE.--One quart strawberries, one half package Knox gelatine, one and one half cups water, one cup sugar, juice of one lemon, whites of four eggs. Soak gelatine until soft in one cup water.

Mash strawberries, add half of sugar. Boil balance of sugar with the water twenty minutes. Rub strawberries through a sieve. Add gelatine to the strawberry juice and the hot, thin syrup. Remove from fire, add berry pulp and lemon juice and beat five minutes in dish set in ice water. Add whites of eggs and beat until mixture thickens. Other berries, crushed peaches, plums and other fruits may be used the same way. Serve with cream or with custard sauce.--Mrs. Southard, domestic science demonstration of fancy desserts.

WHISKEY SPONGE PUDDING.--One quart sweet cream, yolks of ten eggs, one package gelatine, one small cup whiskey, one large cup sugar, one teaspoon vanilla. Dissolve the gelatine and beat well with the eggs, then add half of the cream, boiled, add sugar, vanilla and whiskey, and the rest of the cream whipped stiff. Allow to stand until cold and thick; at least six or eight hours.

SAUCE.--One gla.s.s of jelly, one half cup sugar, one cup water. When boiling thicken very little with corn starch. Use cold.--Mrs. Aaron J.

Bessie.

COFFEE GELATINE.--One and one half cups milk, one cup cold coffee, two thirds cup sugar, three eggs beaten separately, one pinch of salt, one rounded tablespoonful of granulated gelatine, one half teaspoon of vanilla. Put the milk, coffee and gelatine in a double boiler, add sugar, salt and beaten yolks. Cook till it thickens or starts to separate, stirring occasionally. Take from fire. Add vanilla, add beaten whites of eggs, stir and turn into a mold which has been dipped in cold water.--Mrs. Creaser.

MAPLE MOUSSE.--Four eggs beaten stiff, one cup maple syrup. Cook until it thickens, then beat until cool. One pint whipped cream, beaten together.--Mrs. Schollander.

b.u.t.tERCUP JELLY.--Dissolve one box of Knox gelatine in one pint of cold water. Add three cupfuls of boiling water, one and one half cupfuls of sugar and the juice of four lemons and two oranges. Cook five minutes and strain through cheese cloth. Divide into two portions. Add the beaten yolks of three eggs to one portion and one half cupful of chopped nuts. Add one half pint of cream to the other portion and whip until stiff or the beaten whites of two eggs if you haven't cream. Place in moulds. Cut the white jelly into cubes and heap them at the base of the yellow mold. Serve with whipped cream which may be capped with chopped pineapple. Maraschino cherries or fresh strawberries.--Mrs. Whitehead, pudding demonstration.

FRUIT GELATINE PUDDING.--Juice of three lemons, one pint of cold water, one and one half pints boiling water, one cup sugar, one box Knox gelatine. Soak gelatine in the cold water, pour on boiling water, add other ingredients. Strain and turn over mixed sliced and sugared fruits and nuts, and serve with sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla.--Mrs. Whitehead, pudding demonstration.

CARAMEL PUDDING.--Put pint of milk in double boiler. When hot add three heaping teaspoons of corn starch dissolved in one third cup cold milk.

Add pinch of salt. Take one and one third cups of brown sugar and put in pan on stove and melt, stirring continuously to prevent scorching.

When melted add very slowly one third cup boiling water. Now stir this into the thickened milk. Cook for half an hour stirring very often. Add beaten eggs five minutes before taking off stove. Serve with whipped cream.--Mrs. G. A. McIntosh.

SNOW PUDDING.--Pour one pint of boiling water on one half a box of gelatine; add the juice of one lemon and two cups of sugar. When nearly cold strain; add the whites of three eggs beaten to a froth, beat the whole together, put in mold and set on ice. With the yolks of three eggs, one pint of milk, one large teaspoon of corn starch, make a boiled custard, flavor to suit taste. Serve cold by pouring the custard around portions of the snow placed in saucers.--L. W.

CARAMEL CUSTARD.--Put one cup of sugar in a skillet and let it melt and brown, stirring constantly. When it smokes, add one cup boiling water and cook to a thick syrup. Four eggs beaten with one half cup sugar, add one quart milk and a little vanilla. Pour the syrup in the bottom of custard cups, turn in the custard and bake, set in a pan of boiling water. As soon as the custard will cut clean with a knife it is done.

Too much sugar and too much cooking makes custard "watery."--Mrs.

Whitehead.

ORANGE AND BANANA COMPOTE.--For six bananas a little underripe make a syrup of one cup of sugar and a half cup of water. Flavor with six whole cloves and one inch stick cinnamon. Boil eight minutes without stirring. Add the bananas and simmer until they begin to clear. Put in the juice of two oranges, a half lemon and a half gla.s.s of grape juice.

Remove the cloves and cinnamon and serve on rounds of toast or sponge cake with whipped cream.

PRUNE WHIP.--(Dessert.) Take about twenty four well cooked prunes, remove pits and chop up pulp. Add one heaping tablespoon sugar, three eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately and half teaspoon vanilla.

Beat all together thoroughly and pour in b.u.t.tered baking dish. Bake in moderate oven thirty or thirty five minutes. This makes enough for a family of four.--Mrs. Monroe.

BANANA SHORT CAKE.--One cup sugar, one fourth cup b.u.t.ter, three eggs, one half cup milk, one and one third cups flour, one and one half teaspoons baking powder, flavoring. About one hour before serving slice six bananas, add one and one half cups sugar, juice of two lemons, four tablespoons water. Stir three times. When ready to serve put between layers, add chopped walnuts and heap whipped cream over all.--Mrs. D.

E. Plier.

CREAM PUFFS.--One half cup melted b.u.t.ter, one cup hot water, cup flour, stir the flour into the water and b.u.t.ter while boiling. It will not lump. Let stand until cold, then stir in separately with a fork three eggs not beaten. Bake in greased gem pans or drop in greased pans and bake thirty minutes. When cold open at side and fill with stiffly beaten cream sweetened and flavored.--Contributed.

STRAWBERRY BAVARIAN CREAM.--Scald one cupful of milk or thin cream, pour it slowly over one egg yolk slightly beaten with one quarter cupful of sugar, return to double boiler, add one half tablespoonful of granulated gelatine dissolved in one quarter cupful of cold water; stir until mixture coats the spoon, strain at once into a bowl. When cool and beginning to show signs of stiffening beat in one half cupful of strawberries which have been mashed and sweetened with a tablespoonful of sugar, then fold in the stiffly beaten white of an egg and finally one half cupful of cream, whipped very stiff. Fill wet molds and leave on ice three hours. Serve with or without whipped cream.

STRAWBERRY CHARLOTTE.--Whip one cupful of cream very stiff. Beat the white of one large egg or two small ones very stiff. Beat into the white one half cupful of fine sugar. Combine this with the whipped cream, then lightly stir in one cupful of strawberries cut in quarters.