BEAN PURÉE WITH TOMATO.
To one bowl of cold Boston baked beans, add one half onion, chopped; one half teaspoonful of celery seed, one pint of tomatoes, one bay leaf, and one quart of water. Let boil one half hour, then mash through a colander, if too thick add more water, have ready one heaping teaspoonful of flour blended smooth with water, stir into the strained mixture, and put soup back on the fire, letting it come to a good boil. The flour is added to keep the soup an even creamy thickness. Serve with croutons.
RED KIDNEY BEAN SOUP.
To one can of red kidney beans, cooked in their own juice and then mashed through a sieve to remove skins, add one quart of rich fresh milk, one tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste. Let come to a boil and serve with croutons, or wafers.
BLACK BEAN SOUP.
Soak a pint of black beans in two quarts of cold water over night; boil them four hours or more; mash them thoroughly, strain them through a colander into a saucepan, cover, and let boil. Mix a tablespoonful of flour smoothly with cold milk or cream, stir into the boiling soup until it thickens; add a cupful of butter; if it is too thick, thin with boiling water; add a tablespoonful of lemon juice. Season and spice to taste.
SPLIT PEA SOUP.
Put a pint of split peas, and one bay leaf, with two quarts of cold water in a covered saucepan to boil for four hours; mash the peas thoroughly, strain them through a colander into a saucepan; set it, covered, over the fire to boil; mix one tablespoonful of flour with a cupful of soft butter, stir it into the boiling soup until it thickens; cover and boil five minutes or more. If the soup is too thick it may be thinned with boiling water. Season to taste. One pint of strained tomato added to this makes a very nice soup, of different flavor.
CREAM OF CELERY.
Cut the tops of one stalk of celery; simmer gently until tender in sufficient water to cover, with one teaspoonful salt. Cut up celery stocks in one inch pieces and boil in one pint of water until tender. Boil two tablespoonfuls rice in water until nearly done; then add to the celery soup to boil a few minutes; strain celery tops and add the liquor to the soup pot. Boil one quart of milk in double boiler; thicken with one scant tablespoonful of flour blended with one tablespoonful of butter; add another teaspoonful of salt; add this to soup and let boil but a second. Have ready one half cupful of whipped cream; place in the bottom of the tureen, pour on the hot soup, and serve with crackers.