Better Meals for Less Money

Put pork through meat chopper, using finest cutter; add boiling water and let stand fifteen minutes; add molasses, sugar, eggs, and fruit, and mix well; add dry ingredients, which have been sifted together; beat well; pour into two deep greased and paper-lined pans; and bake in a slow oven two hours. This cake keeps well if stored in a covered stone crock. It may be reheated in the top of double boiler, and served hot with pudding sauce.

495.—ONE-EGG CAKE

Cream the butter, add the sugar and the well-beaten egg; beat thoroughly, add the other ingredients in the order given, and bake in a moderate oven about half an hour.

496.—ORANGE CAKE

Cream the shortening, add sugar and egg well beaten; add milk, flour, baking powder, and rind; beat well, and bake in two layer pans about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. Fill and cover top with Orange Icing (see No. 527).

497.—PLAIN CAKE

Beat shortening and sugar until light and creamy; add eggs well beaten, flour, baking powder, salt, and extract; beat well, pour into a greased and papered cake pan, and bake about half an hour in a moderate oven, or in two layer-cake pans about twenty minutes. This is an excellent foundation cake for use with various flavorings, icings, and fillings.

498.—SPICE CAKE (without Eggs)

Cream shortening and sugar, add sour milk; add dry ingredients sifted together; beat well; add raisins, pour into a greased shallow pan, and bake half an hour in a moderate oven. Dust with confectioners' sugar or cover with plain icing.

499.—WHITE CAKE

Break the whites of eggs into a measuring cup; add melted butter to half fill cup; add milk to fill cup. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, and sugar; combine mixtures, add flavoring, and beat for five minutes. Bake in a shallow cake pan half an hour, or in muffin tins about twenty minutes, in a moderate oven.

500.—SPONGE CAKE (Hot Water)

Beat the yolks of eggs until thick and light, add the water and sugar, and beat three minutes with the egg beater; add the lemon rind and the whites stiffly beaten; sift flour, baking powder, and salt, and fold in carefully. Pour into a shallow greased pan, and bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes.

501.—VELVET SPONGE CAKE

Beat eggs until very light, add sugar gradually, and continue beating with the egg beater; mix and sift salt, flour, and baking powder; add half to the eggs and sugar, and beat well; add rest of flour, and beat again; add rind and milk, and beat hard; pour into a deep pan, and bake forty minutes in a slow oven.

502.—CREAM PIE

Follow rule for Jelly Roll Cake (see No. 503); bake in two layers, and fill with Cream Filling (see No. 531).

503.—CAKE FOR JELLY ROLL OR CHARLOTTE RUSSE

Beat the eggs very light, add sugar gradually, and continue beating; add water, flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour into a greased, paper-lined dripping pan and bake in a moderate oven about fifteen minutes. The cake should be about half an inch thick when baked. Trim off the edges, spread with jam or jelly, and roll firmly; wrap in a paper napkin to keep in shape. For Charlotte Russe cut cake into pieces to fit paper cases, and fill with Charlotte Russe Mixture (see No. 562).

504.—CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW ROLL

To recipe for Jelly Roll (see No. 503) add two squares of melted chocolate. Bake as for jelly roll, trim edges, spread with Marshmallow Filling (see No. 534), and roll the same as jelly roll.

505.—HOT WATER GINGERBREAD (without Egg)

Mix shortening, molasses, and water; add dry ingredients sifted together, and beat well. Pour into greased muffin pans and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes; or pour into a greased shallow pan and bake twenty-five minutes.

506.—HOT WATER GINGERBREAD (with Egg)

Pour boiling water over shortening, add molasses and egg; mix and sift dry ingredients, add to first mixture, and beat well. Pour into a shallow, greased cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes.

507.—SOUR MILK GINGERBREAD

Mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses, milk, and egg, and beat well; pour into a greased pan, and bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes.

508.—GINGER APPLE CAKE

Follow any recipe for gingerbread, bake in two layers, and put Apple Filling (see No. 529) between layers and on top.

509.—GINGER GEMS

Mix in order given, sifting the dry ingredients together; beat well, pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes.

510.—BRAN DROP COOKIES

Mix in order given, drop from tablespoon, two inches apart, on greased pan, and bake in a hot oven twelve minutes.

511.—CHEESE DROPS

Cream butter and cheese together; mix crumbs with seasonings and add to cheese; fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. Drop from a teaspoon on a greased baking sheet about two inches apart, and bake in a moderate oven about twelve minutes. Serve with soup or salad.

512.—CHEESE WAFERS

Mix and sift flour, salt, and paprika; rub in shortening with finger tips; add cheese and mix to a stiff paste with cold water; roll out very thin, cut with a small round cutter, place on a greased baking sheet, and bake in a moderate oven five or six minutes. Serve with salad or soup.

513.—CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Put chocolate with shortening in mixing bowl and place over hot water until melted; add other ingredients in order given. Chill, roll thin, and cut with fancy cutter. Bake in a moderate oven about ten minutes.

514.—GINGER WAFERS

Cream shortening and sugar; sift soda, salt, and ginger with flour, and add alternately with milk; chill; roll thin on baking sheet; mark in squares, and bake in a moderate oven eight or ten minutes. Remove from pan while warm.

515.—MARSHMALLOW WAFERS

Arrange thin crackers or wafers on a baking sheet, place a marshmallow on each one, and bake in a moderate oven for a few minutes until marshmallows melt; into each one press half a nut meat, raisin, cherry, or a bit of candied fruit.

516.—MOLASSES BROWNIES

Cream the shortening, add other ingredients in order given, drop from spoon on greased pan, and bake about twelve minutes in a moderate oven.

517.—OATMEAL MACAROONS

Beat egg until light, add other ingredients in order given, beat well, and drop from spoon on greased pan; bake about fifteen minutes in a moderate oven.

518.—PEANUT MACAROONS

Add salt to the egg, and beat until stiff; add sugar and nuts, and mix well; drop from a teaspoon on a greased baking sheet two inches apart, and bake in a slow oven about fifteen minutes.

519.—RAISIN DROP COOKIES

Cream the shortening and sugar; add egg and milk, and beat well; add flour, baking powder, and cinnamon sifted together; add raisins; beat well, drop from a teaspoon two inches apart on a greased baking sheet, and bake in a moderate oven about twelve minutes.

520.—WALNUT WAFERS

Beat eggs until light; add sugar, and beat well; add dry ingredients sifted together; beat well, add nuts, pour into a greased dripping pan, and bake in a moderate oven about ten minutes. Cut in squares while hot. Mixture may be baked in tiny scalloped tins if preferred.

CHAPTER XXIII

521.—BOILED ICING[12]

Boil water and sugar to 240° F., or until the sirup forms soft ball when tried in cold water; add cream of tartar and vanilla, and pour slowly upon the stiffly beaten white of egg, beating constantly until thick enough to spread without running. For caramel flavor melt one-third of the sugar first.

522.—CARAMEL ICING

Put ingredients in saucepan, and boil to 240° F., or until a soft ball can be formed when tested in cold water. Beat until creamy, and spread while warm. Chopped nut meats may be added.

523.—CHOCOLATE ICING

Melt chocolate, add boiling water, and mix well; add confectioners' sugar until of right consistency to spread; add vanilla and beat well. Coffee may be used in place of water.

524.—COCOA ICING

Heat butter and milk in a saucepan, remove from fire, add cocoa, and enough confectioners' sugar to thicken. About one cup of sugar will be required.

525.—COFFEE ICING

Follow directions for Boiled Icing (see No. 521), using strong coffee in place of water. Or to recipe for Quick Icing (see No. 528) or Cream Icing (see No. 526) add one teaspoon of instantaneous coffee.

526.—CREAM ICING

Sift sugar and add cream until of right consistency to spread (about two tablespoons); add flavoring, and beat well.

527.—ORANGE ICING

Mix sugar with orange juice and rind until icing is firm enough to spread.

528.—QUICK ICING

Pour boiling water over butter; stir in sugar enough to thicken; add extract, and beat well before spreading. (A little more than one cup of sugar will usually be required.)

529.—APPLE FILLING

Press apples through a sieve; beat white of egg until stiff; add half of sugar, and beat well; add apple and remaining sugar gradually, and beat until very light. Spread between layers and on top of cake. Two tablespoons of tart jelly may be beaten with the apple.

530.—COFFEE CREAM FILLING

Follow recipe for Cream Filling (see No. 531), but use one-half cup strong coffee in place of one-half cup of milk. Or add one teaspoon of instantaneous coffee to the recipe.

531.—CREAM FILLING

Scald milk, mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg; add to milk, and cook over hot water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens; cook fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and flavor before spreading.

532.—DATE AND FIG FILLING

Wash, dry, and chop figs; wash, dry, stone, and chop dates; mix fruit with sugar, water, and lemon juice, and cook over hot water until thick enough to spread.

533.—FUDGE FILLING

Put sugar, butter, chocolate, milk, and salt in a saucepan; heat slowly to boiling point, and boil to 240° F., or until a soft ball can be formed when tested in cold water; remove from fire, add nuts, and beat until smooth and creamy.

534.—MARSHMALLOW FILLING

Boil sugar and water to 240° F., or until a soft ball can be formed when tested in cold water; soften marshmallows over hot water, add sirup, and when partly cooled add vanilla and beat until stiff enough to spread. Chopped nuts, dates, figs, raisins, or candied fruits may be added.

535.—MOCHA FILLING

Mix coffee, butter, cocoa, and vanilla, and add sugar enough for mixture to spread without running.

536.—ORANGE FILLING

Mix sugar, flour, and rind in the top of double boiler, add orange juice, egg, and butter, and cook over hot water for twelve minutes, stirring often.

537.—PRUNE FILLING

To recipe for Boiled Icing (see No. 521) add two-thirds of a cup of cooked prunes which have been stoned and cut in small pieces, and the chopped meats from six of the prune stones. Spread between layers of cake.

CHAPTER XXIV

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; add egg well beaten, milk, and shortening; beat well, and spread in a greased pan, having mixture about an inch deep; core, pare, and quarter apples, cut in thick slices, and arrange in rows on top of cake; sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and bake in hot oven half an hour. Serve with liquid sauce.

540.—STEAMED APPLE PUDDING

Pare, core, and slice apples; place in a greased pudding dish, and sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg mixed. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; rub in shortening with finger tips, and mix with milk; spread over apples, and steam for one hour. Turn out of dish, and serve with apples on top. Serve with Soft Sauce (see No. 617).

541.—BANANA TOAST

Mash and sweeten bananas, heap on rounds of buttered toast, and heat in oven. Serve hot with cream or rich milk. Garnish with split cherries, nuts, or bits of jelly.

542.—BLACKBERRY PUDDING

Add one cup of blackberries to recipe for Cottage Pudding (see No. 549) and serve with Blackberry Sauce (see No. 618).

543.—BLUEBERRY PUDDING

To recipe for Cottage Pudding (see No. 549) add one cup of blueberries.

544.—BROWN BETTY

Mix crumbs with melted butter; pare, core, and slice apples; mix sugar and spices; arrange crumbs and apple in layers in a greased baking dish, sprinkle each layer with sugar; mix molasses, water, and salt, and pour over all. Bake slowly for an hour and a half.

545.—BAKED CRANBERRY PUDDING

Mix crumbs with melted butter; add cranberries, sugar, and raisins, and put into a greased baking dish; add water, and bake in a slow oven one hour. Serve with Soft Sauce (see No. 617).

546.—BAKED INDIAN PUDDING

Add salt to boiling water, sift in corn meal very slowly, and boil ten minutes, stirring often; add milk, molasses, and ginger, pour into a greased earthen dish, and bake very slowly for three hours. Serve with rich milk, cream, or Ginger Sauce (see No. 611).

547.—CARAMEL TOAST PUDDING

Caramelize sugar; cut each slice of toast in quarters, dip in caramel, and arrange in baking dish; add milk to caramel remaining in pan, and stir until dissolved; add butter, salt, nutmeg, and egg slightly beaten; pour over toast, and bake in slow oven about half an hour. Serve with cream, rich milk, or liquid sauce.

548.—STEAMED CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Mix in order given, put in pudding mold, cover closely, and steam one hour. Serve with cream or Soft Sauce (see No. 617).

549.—COTTAGE PUDDING

Cream the butter; add the sugar and the well-beaten egg, and beat well; add the milk and then the flour, baking powder, and salt, which have been sifted together; beat again, and bake in hot oven in pudding dish about half an hour, or in individual tins about twenty minutes. Serve with hot liquid sauce.

550.—STEAMED FIG PUDDING

Mix shortening and sugar, and beat until creamy; add egg, milk, and molasses, add two and a half cups of flour sifted with baking powder, spices, and salt; beat well; add figs and currants mixed with one-half cup of flour. Pour into a greased mold, and steam three hours, or pour into greased one-pound baking powder boxes, and steam an hour and three-quarters. Serve with Cranberry Sauce (see No. 606) or Currant Jelly Sauce (see No. 608). This pudding keeps well and can be reheated in the top of the double boiler.

551.—STEAMED FRUIT PUDDING

Mix egg, molasses, water, and shortening; add dry ingredients sifted together; add fruit; mix well, pour into greased one-pound baking powder boxes, and steam an hour and three-quarters. Serve with a tart sauce. One cup of dates, stoned and cut in pieces, may be used instead of raisins and currants.

552.—MOCK INDIAN PUDDING

Butter two slices bread cut three-quarters of an inch thick, put into buttered baking dish, and pour over the bread the rest of the ingredients mixed together. Bake one and a half hours in a slow oven.

553.—INDIAN TAPIOCA PUDDING

Soak tapioca in cold water for one hour, and drain; add salt to boiling water, sift in corn meal, and boil ten minutes, stirring often; add tapioca and other ingredients, pour into a greased earthen dish, and bake slowly for two hours.

554.—PEACH DUMPLINGS

Cover halves of preserved peaches with Shortcake Dough (see No. 441) rolled thin; bake in hot oven, and serve with hot peach sirup and hard sauce.

555.—BAKED RICE CUSTARD

Mix in order given and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. Serve hot or cold with cream or rich milk.

556.—BAKED RICE PUDDING

Wash rice, mix with other ingredients, pour into a greased baking dish, and bake slowly for three hours. Stir occasionally during first hour of baking to prevent rice and fruit from settling. Serve with rich milk or cream.

557.—MULLED RICE

Wash rice, and cook with milk, butter, sugar, and salt in double boiler until tender; beat egg, add nutmeg and grape juice, stir into rice, and cook five minutes. Serve with cream or rich milk.

CHAPTER XXV