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.