OFF THE BEATEN TRACK—Now and then introduce the family to a new food, or an old favorite in new guise. But don’t overdo it. One new food at a meal is enough.
DESSERT—Dessert is actually a part of the meal and should always be planned as such. Serve a light dessert when the main course is hearty. Serve rich cake and pie only when the main course is not too filling.
LITTLE EXTRAS—A few sprigs of parsley go a long way to make the meat platter more attractive. A sprinkling of paprika provides a flourish of color for creamed dishes.
A tray of raw relishes ... carrot sticks, celery curls, green pepper rings, radish roses and cucumbers cut lengthwise into fingers ... may pinch-hit for the salad occasionally.
Used with discretion, food coloring is a boon to the cook. Add a few drops of yellow coloring to chicken gravy; a few drops of red coloring to step up the eye appeal of desserts made with canned cherries.
SUPPER IN A Half-hour!
Every homemaker needs two or three quick supper dishes “to fall back on” when kitchen time is limited. They can be hearty and attractive, as well as inexpensive.
Following are four such supper menus, easily prepared in about half an hour. Three of them are planned around canned meat, dried beef and corned beef, which should always be kept on hand for emergency meals.
Fruit in season, quick-frozen fruit, or canned fruit, well chilled, always makes a tempting dessert. Strawberry shortcake is an all season quick dessert, with frozen strawberries and individual sponge cakes made especially for this purpose by professional bakers.