A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband with Bettina's Best Recipes. Louise Bennett Weaver
dish and put a little parsley and a lump of butter on the top. There, doesn't that look delicious?"
"I should say so! And look at the fancy tomatoes, each one with a cover! What on earth is inside?"
"Just wait till you taste them; they're a new invention of mine, and I do believe they'll make a splendid luncheon dish for the next time that Ruth is here, or Alice brings her sewing over. I'm practising on you first, you see, and if you survive and seem to like them, I may use them for a real company dish."
"You can't frighten me that way! Creamed chicken?"
"Creamed veal. Don't you remember what we had for dinner last night? There were two chops left and I made it of them. I know it is good when made of cold veal roast, but I had never tried it with cold veal chops—so again I am experimenting on you, Bobby!"
"You don't frighten me so easily as that! I've just caught a glimpse of something that looks like cocoanut cake, and I'll be happy now, no matter how the rest of the dinner tastes!"
"There, everything is on, Bob! Let's sit down to dinner, and you tell me all about your day!"
Dinner consisted of:
Creamed Veal Mashed Potatoes
Stuffed Tomatoes Bettina
Bread Butter
Sliced Peaches Cream
Cocoanut Cake
Iced Tea
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
Creamed Veal (Two portions)
1 C-cooked veal chopped
½ C-white sauce (medium)
3 rounds of toast
Mix the veal and sauce. Heat and serve hot on rounds of toast.
Mashed Potatoes (Two portions)
4 potatoes
2 C-water
1 t-salt
½ T-butter
½ t-salt
¼ t-paprika
1 T-milk
Wash and peel medium-sized potatoes; cook in boiling water (salted) until tender. (About twenty minutes.) Drain and shake over the fire a minute or two until they are a little dry. Either mash with potato masher, or put through potato ricer. Add butter, salt, paprika and milk. Beat till very light, fluffy and white. Reheat by setting the saucepan in a larger kettle containing boiling water. Place over flame. More milk may be needed. Pile them lightly on the hot dish in which they are to be served.
Stuffed Tomatoes Bettina (Two portions)
2 firm, good-sized tomatoes
3 T-fresh bread crumbs
2 T-left-over cooked vegetables (peas, beans, celery or corn)
1 T-chopped cooked ham or cooked bacon
1/8 t-paprika 1 T-egg 1 t-melted butter ½ t-salt
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and cut a slice one inch in diameter from the blossom end, reserving it for future use. Carefully scoop out the pulp, being careful to leave the shell firm. To the tomato pulp, add bread crumbs, left-over vegetables, chopped meat, egg, melted butter, salt and paprika. Cook the mixture four minutes over the fire. Fill the shells with the cooked mixture. Put the slices back on the tomatoes. Place in a small pan and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven.
CHAPTER XIV
A SUNDAY EVENING TEA
"WHAT kind of tea is this?" Ruth inquired one Sunday evening on the porch.
"Why, this is a mixture of green and black tea," said Bettina. "I like that better for iced tea than either kind alone."
"I like tea," said Fred, "although perhaps that isn't considered a manly sentiment in this country. I hope you do too, Ruth. Nothing seems so cozy to me as tea and toast. And I like iced tea like this in the summertime. An uncle of mine is very fond of tea, and has offered to send me some that he considers particularly fine. I believe that Orange Pekoe is his favorite."
"I think that has the best flavor of all," said Bettina, "though just now we are using an English breakfast tea that we like very much. And the green tea mixed with it for this is Japan tea."
"I've heard my uncle say that 'Pekoe' means 'white hair,' and is applied to young leaves because they are covered with a fine white down. Uncle also says that black teas are considered more wholesome than green because they contain less tannin. I tell you, he's a regular connoisseur."
"I see that I must become an expert tea-maker!" said Ruth. "I'm learning something new about Fred every day. Bettina, do tell me exactly how you make tea. Fred can listen, too, unless he already knows."
"Well, let's see, Ruth. I take a level teaspoonful of tea to a cup of water. I put the tea in a scalded earthenware tea-pot—that kind is better than metal—and pour boiling water over it—fresh water. Then I cover it and allow it to steep from three to five minutes. Then I strain and serve it. You know tea should always be freshly made, and never warmed over. It shouldn't be boiled either, not a second. Boiling, or too long steeping, brings out the tannin."
"But how about iced-tea? That has to stand."
"It shouldn't steep, though. I make it just like any tea and strain it. Then I let it cool, and set it on the ice for three or four hours. I serve it with chipped ice, lemon and mint."
"Mother always added a cherry to her afternoon tea," said Ruth.
"That would be great," said Bob. "I don't care much for hot tea, but I believe I would be willing to drink a cup for the sake of the cherry."
"Ruth," said Bettina, "I know now what I will give you for an engagement present since Fred likes tea, too. A silver tea-ball. Surely that will symbolize comfort and fireside cheer."
"Speaking of firesides," asked Bob, "what material have you decided upon for your fireplace? It seems to me that we're talking too much about tea-making, and not enough about house-building."
That evening Bettina served:
Salmon Salad with Jellied Vegetables
Boston Brown Bread Sandwiches
Sliced Fresh Peaches
One Egg Cake Chocolate Icing
Iced Tea
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
Salmon Salad with Jellied Vegetables (Four portions)
1 C-cooked mixed diced vegetables (string beans, carrots, peas or celery)
1 C-meat stock or water (hot)
2 t-granulated gelatin
1 t-salt
1 T-chopped pimento
3 T-cold water
1 t-lemon juice
Cooked vegetables may be combined for this salad. Soak the gelatin in cold water a few minutes, add the meat stock or water and stir until the gelatin is thoroughly dissolved. If it is not completely dissolved, heat over a pan of hot water. Add the vegetables in such proportions as desired or convenient. Add the salt, lemon juice and pimento; turn the mixture into a moistened mould. (A ring mould is attractive.) Allow to stand for one hour or more in a cold place. When ready to serve, remove from mould to a chilled plate. If a ringed mould is used,