BAKED FISH.—Large white fish, pike or cat fish are best, but small fish can also be used. Put in a pan, sprinkle well with salt and pepper and cover with bits of butter; then pour a little water or milk in the pan and bake, basting the fish often, and adding more water or milk as needed. This takes about a half hour to bake in a hot oven. Make a white gravy of milk, butter and flour, season well and add a can of mushroom and serve over the fish. Delicious.—Mrs. T. B. Huff.
COCOANUT CHEESE CAKES OR TARTS.—Boil one pint of sugar with two thirds of a pint of water and add one and one half cups of shredded cocoanut and boil slowly twelve minutes; remove to rear of range and while warm beat in one half cup of butter until smooth; then beat in the beaten yolks of five or six eggs. Flavor with lemon juice or vanilla or almond extract. Line patty pans or gem tins with a rich pastry crust, fill with the cocoanut custard and bake. They are pretty capped with a cube of currant jelly. Serve either hot or cold.
APPLE CHEESE CAKES.—One pint of steamed, sweetened and stewed apple sauce heated. Add grated rind of half a lemon, two level tablespoons of butter and beat smooth, then cut in two eggs beaten well. Bake in patty pans lined with pastry. Good way to use left over pie crust and apple sauce.
MINCE MEAT.—Four pounds of lean boiled meat, chopped fine; twice its weight in sour apples, peeled, cored and chopped fine, one pound of minced suet; three pounds of seeded raisins, two pounds of currants; one pound of brown sugar; one pint of molasses and of maple syrup or of fruit syrup, two quarts of sweet fresh cider, one pint of cider boiled, one tablespoon of salt, one scant teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon each of mace, allspice and cloves, four tablespoons of cinnamon. Mix well and bring to a boil on the stove. When nearly cold stir in one pint of brandy and one pint of wine. If these are not liked use syrup from pickles or pears or unfermented grape juice. Pack in a large stone crock or seal in Mason jars and keep covered in a cool place. Will keep good all winter. Half of this recipe will suffice for the winter for a small family. Considering that the mince meats put up in cartons and packages contain no meat and often an inferior grade of dried apples, it certainly pays to make mince meat at home out of fresh material, when butchering is done and apples are cheapest.—Mrs. Whitehead.
MINCE MEAT. (Small jar for small family.) Two cups chopped boiled meat, or of hamburger steak, steamed tender in a double boiler, four cups of chopped apples, one pint of sweet cider or of juice from pickled peaches, one cup molasses, two cups sugar (scant), juice of three lemons, one cup shredded or chopped suet or one half cupful of butter or sweet drippings, one teaspoon of salt, mixed spices to suit taste. Cook five minutes. When ready for pie thin the mixture with cider or with a glass of tart jelly melted and add seeded raisins or currants and a little brandy if liked. Bake between two crusts of pastry and serve warm. One heaping cup of mince meat will make one pie. Fruit juice left from canned fruit is nice added to mince meat and often can be nicely utilized this way.
NEOPOLITANS.—Take pie crust left over after mixing pie. Roll it into a thin sheet and cut into oblong strips three by two inches. Bake in quick oven. Spread half with jam, lay balance of strips over that like sandwiches and spread jam or jelly on top. Dust with powdered sugar. Lemon or orange cake filling or frosting may be used instead of juice or marmolade, and crushed fresh, sweetened berries make a good filling and covering if capped with whipped cream.
ENGLISH CHEESE PIE.—One cupful of thick sour cream or milk curd, salted slightly, two beaten eggs, three fourths cup of sweet milk, one half cup sugar, one half cupful of English currants (dried). Rub curd thoroughly first and mix with other ingredients. Bake in a deep pie tin lined with pie crust. Powder with cinnamon.
FRENCH TART.—Pound eight macaroons fine, pour boiling milk over them to make a soft batter, add six well beaten eggs and one half cupful of sugar. Cook thick, add one half cup of butter and the juice of an orange. Line a pie with pastry, fill with the mixture and bake. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Eight good sized macaroons will take from two to three cups of milk.
PATTIES.—Three cups flour, one cup lard, three fourths cup of ice water, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon salt. Mix and roll like pie crust. Bake in patty pans. Makes thirty patties.
PIE CRUST.—One and one quarter cups flour, pinch baking powder, mix with one half cup lard and one teaspoon salt. Add ice cold water enough to roll out—about one fourth cup. Flour board and roll thin.