[600]. Indian Meal Griddle Cakes. Mix well together with a pint of Indian meal a quart of milk, a tablespoonful of butter, a little salt, and two eggs; beat all well together and bake on a griddle.
[601]. Corn Bread. With two teacupfuls of hot hominy mix a liberal tablespoonful of butter; beat four eggs very light, and stir them into the hominy and butter; then add gradually a pint of milk, stirring constantly, and, when thoroughly mixed, half a pint of Indian meal. If thicker than the consistency of rich boiled custard, add a little more milk. Bake in a deep pan (so as to allow the mixture to rise), in an oven which is quite hot at the bottom and not too much so at the top.
[602]. Fairies. With a pint of flour mix a scant tablespoonful of butter, some salt, and enough water to make a dough which may be kneaded. When kneaded sufficiently, roll the dough out as thin as a sheet of paper; cut it in rounds with a muffin-ring, prick them with a fork, and bake them for an instant in a moderately hot oven.
[603]. Waffles. Dissolve half a pound of fresh butter in a quart of new milk; then thoroughly mix with the above a quart of flour; add six fresh eggs which you have previously beaten very light, and a little salt. Bake in waffle-irons, which should be greased with good butter after the baking of each waffle. Butter the waffles while very hot, before serving, and serve with them one and a half tablespoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, well mixed with six tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. When very rich cream may be procured, three or four tablespoonfuls may be added to the milk in the above receipt.
[604]. Gingerbread. Mix well with a pint of molasses half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, and three eggs. Dissolve an ounce of baking soda in a pint of water, which add to the above ingredients, with also an ounce of ground ginger; then add two pounds of flour; mix all well together, and bake in a moderately hot oven.
[605]. Ginger Snaps. Sift half an ounce of baking soda through a pound and three quarters of flour; also sift half a pound of sugar through the flour, which then mix well with half a pound of butter; add half an ounce of ginger, the same of ground allspice; mix together a pint of molasses with half a gill of water, which add to the other ingredients, mixing all thoroughly together; roll out very thin and bake until very crisp. When ginger snaps are liked very hot, sometimes red pepper is added.
[606]. Cookies. Take four ounces of butter, three ounces of pulverized sugar, and six ounces of flour; rub all together until in crumbs; add two yolks of eggs, which mix thoroughly together with the above ingredients until quite smooth. Put this mixture on a plate, which cover with another plate, and let it rest in a cool place for half an hour; roll it out an eighth of an inch thick, cut it out in small rounds a little larger than a silver dollar, and bake in a moderate oven until colored a very light brown; spread some raspberry jam on half of the rounds, and cover with the other half.
[607]. Boiled Potatoes. Take about twelve potatoes, which wash well in cold water; peel them, cutting out the eyes or any black specks which the potatoes may have; then put them in a saucepan in which there is enough cold water to cover them, sprinkle them over with about a teaspoonful of salt, and put them on the fire for about half an hour, then pierce them with a fork, to see if they are thoroughly done; if so, drain them, place a cloth on top of them, cover the saucepan with its lid, and put it at the side of the range, to steam the potatoes until quite dry, and serve them very hot. Some persons prefer them boiled and served with the skins on, or boiled in their skins and peeled before serving.
[608]. Boiled Rice. Take three quarters of a pound of rice, which wash well in cold water, drain and rub the rice with your hands; pick out the yellow grains and specks of black; then wash the rice again three or four times, changing the water, and rubbing it with the hands. After the last time, pour some cold water over it, and put it in a saucepan on the fire in which there are about five quarts of boiling water. Stir with a wooden spoon, and add half a teaspoonful of salt. Boil the rice rapidly for about twenty minutes, skimming off at intervals the scum which rises. When the rice is soft, drain it, and then pour a little cold water over it, which also drain instantly. Put the rice, without any water, into a saucepan, which half cover, and put at the side of the range. Stir every now and then, and, when the rice is perfectly dry, serve.