Cup Custards.—Boil a pint of milk, (cost four cents,) with two ounces of sugar and half the yellow rind of a lemon, (cost three cents;) meantime beat four eggs, (cost four cents,) and strain the milk into them; mix thoroughly, strain again, and pour into cups; set these in a baking pan containing hot water enough to reach half way up the sides of the cups, and either set the pan over the fire until the custards are firm, or bake them in the oven; they will set in twelve or fifteen minutes. The cost will be about twelve cents.
Fruit Dumpling.—Make a nice suet crust, as directed for SUET DUMPLINGS on page 53, roll it out about quarter of an inch thick, spread it with ten cents' worth of ripe fruit, quarter of a pound of sugar, (cost three cents,) and a teaspoonful of mixed spice; roll it up, tie it in a cloth wet with scalding water, and well floured next the dumpling, and boil it in a large kettle half full of boiling water for two hours, taking care that the pot does not stop boiling, or remain uncovered, or the dumpling will be heavy.
When it is done take it from the pot, unroll it from the cloth, and serve it with a few cents' worth of molasses; it will cost about twenty cents.
Apple Dumplings.—Pare and core five cents' worth of apples, keeping them whole; make a suet crust as directed for SUET DUMPLINGS on page 53, roll it out, and cut it in as many squares as you have apples; sprinkle a little spice on the apples, fold the corners of the pieces of paste up over them, pinch them together, tie each one in a floured cloth, and boil for one hour as directed in the previous receipt; then take them from the pudding cloths, and serve them with five cents' worth of butter and sugar; they can be made for about fifteen cents.
Baked Apple Dumplings.—Make a paste of half a pound of flour, (cost two cents,) quarter of a pound of butter, (cost eight cents,) and enough cold water to wet it up, about half a pint; roll it out very thin and fold it four times; repeat this process twice; then put the paste in a cool place for five minutes, and roll and fold again; do this three times, and then cut the paste in squares, and lay on each an apple prepared as above; fold the paste over the apples, turn them bottom up on a baking sheet, brush them with a well beaten egg, (cost one cent,) sift over them an ounce of powdered sugar, (cost one cent,) and put them in a moderate oven to bake for three quarters of an hour. They will cost about eighteen cents, and be very nice.
Lemon Dumplings.—Sift eight ounces of dried bread crumbs, (cost three cents,) mix them with the same quantity of very finely chopped suet, (cost four cents,) pare off the thin yellow rind of a lemon, (cost two cents,) chop it very fine, and add it with the juice to the bread and suet; mix in half a pound of sugar, (cost six cents,) one egg, (cost one cent,) and enough milk to make a stiff paste, about half a pint, (cost two cents;) divide the paste into six equal balls, tie them in a floured cloth as directed for BOILED APPLE DUMPLINGS, and boil them an hour. Serve them with five cents' worth of butter and sugar, or syrup. They will cost about twenty-three cents, and are really delicious.
Rice Croquettes.—Boil half a pound of well washed rice, (cost five cents,) in one quart of cold water, with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a pint of milk, (cost two cents,) half the yellow rind of a lemon, or two inches of stick cinnamon, and two ounces of sugar, (cost two cents,) for half an hour, after it begins to boil, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; take it from the fire, stir in one at a time, the yolks of three eggs, (cost three cents,) and return to the fire for ten minutes to set the egg; then spread the rice on an oiled platter, laying it about an inch thick, and let it get cool enough to handle. When it is cool enough turn it out of the platter upon some cracker dust spread on the table, cut it in strips one inch wide and three inches long, roll them into the shape of corks, dip them first in beaten egg, then in cracker-dust, and fry them golden brown in plenty of smoking hot fat; lay them on a napkin for a moment to free them from grease, put them on a dish, dust a little powdered sugar over them, and serve them. They will cost, including the last mentioned ingredients, about twenty cents.
Fruit Tarts.—Stew ten cents worth of fruit and four ounces of sugar together; make some pastry according to the directions in the receipt for BAKED APPLE DUMPLINGS; line deep pie-plates with the paste, building up a rim of paste around each; fill them with the stewed fruit, and bake them about three quarters of an hour in a moderate oven; two good sized tarts can be made for twenty-five cents; and the fruit can be varied to suit the season of the year, and the taste of the eaters.
Rice Cakes.—Sift together six ounces each of rice and wheat flour, (cost about seven cents,) rub into them four ounces of lard or meat drippings, (cost four cents,) four eggs, (cost four cents,) and sufficient milk to make a thick cake-batter; beat it thoroughly, pour it into a greased cake-pan, and bake it one hour. A good sized cake will cost about fifteen cents.
Rock Cakes.—Mix well together four ounces each of butter and sugar, (cost twelve cents,) add four ounces of well washed currants, (cost three cents,) one pound of flour, (cost four cents,) and three eggs, (cost three cents;) beat all these ingredients thoroughly, roll them into little balls, or rocks, and bake them on a buttered baking pan. A good supply will cost about twenty-two cents.