FOR FIFTY POUNDS.—Saltpetre, one ounce; sugar, one and three-fourths pounds; coarse salt, three and one-half pounds; water, two gallons; boil together; let cool; pour over meat. Keep the meat under the brine.
VEGETABLES.
"Cheerful cooks make every dish a feast."
—MASSINGER.
Always have the water boiling when you put your vegetables in, and keep it constantly boiling until they are done. Cook each kind by itself when convenient. All vegetables should be well seasoned.
BEETS.
Boil the beets in salted water until tender. When cold, skin; cut in thin slices, and dress with white pepper, salt, oil, or butter, and vinegar; or pour over them a French dressing, and toss with a silver fork until every piece is coated with the dressing.
STRING BEANS, WITH ACID DRESSING. MRS. W. H. ECKHART.
Cook wax beans in salted water with a little salt pork. When the beans are tender, take out and drain. Let a few bits of breakfast bacon brown in a skillet, then put in a half pint of good vinegar and a spoonful of sugar (omit the sugar if you prefer the pure acid); let boil; add an onion, sliced fine; pour over the beans, and mix well before serving.
BAKED BEANS. MRS. S. A. POWERS.
Pick over and wash well one quart of small white beans; soak over night. In the morning, pour off the water and cover with cold water. After boiling one-half hour, drain them, and cover again with cold water. Boil until cooked, but not broken. Put them in a baking dish. In the center place one pound salt pork (which has been parboiled and well gashed), one tablespoonful of molasses, one dash of cayenne pepper, black pepper to taste, and, if necessary, a little salt. Ordinarily the pork should salt the beans. Cover with part of the liquor in which the pork has been parboiled, and bake three hours.