Owing to the great increase in disease among animals, and along with this, the advance in prices of nearly all foodstuffs, a desire has been created for some substitute for dairy butter, which would prove both wholesome and appetizing. The following butter substitutes are now used to some extent both for cooking and for table use, and are easily prepared:
Emulsified Vegetable Oil.—Secure a high grade cottonseed, corn, or peanut oil. Beat one egg slightly, then add the oil in a very slow stream at first, beating continuously, and increase as the egg takes up the oil. Add two teaspoonfuls lemon juice, then more oil, until three cupfuls have been used, and the mixture is smooth and thick. Salt to taste, put into a well covered jar, and use the same as butter.
Vegetable Butter.—Take three cupfuls of any good coconut product on the market, such as kokofat or kaola, or a good brand of hydrogenated vegetable fat, as crisco.[A] Add the juice of half a lemon, salt to taste, and a few drops of vegetable butter color. Mix with a spoon until the color of dairy butter. The juice from carrots, grated and pressed, may be used instead of the lemon juice and the butter color if desired.
[A] Note.—The presence of a proprietary substance in a recipe must not be understood as guarantee by the authors. We know very little regarding the manufacture of the above named products; but we have reason to believe they are wholesome, and contain no animal products.
In harmony with the recent food pledge, saying, "Use no butter in cooking," all the recipes in these menus are prepared without the use of dairy butter. However, the same recipes may be prepared with dairy butter instead of the vegetable fats if so desired.
Beans with Noodles.—Wash one cup navy or Lima beans, add three cups water and a little salt, and let boil gently until tender. Beat one egg slightly, with two teaspoonfuls of water or milk and a pinch of salt. Add one cup of pastry flour, or enough to make a stiff dough. Knead well, and divide into two pieces. Roll out into thin sheets about the thickness of paper, having the dough well floured. Let dry a few minutes, then cut into strips about two inches wide. Lay in tiers, and shred very fine with a sharp knife. Drain the liquid from the beans, add to it enough water to make three cups of liquid, and add salt to taste. Add two teaspoonfuls of vegetable butter, and bring to a boil. Sprinkle the noodles into the boiling broth, and let cook gently for fifteen minutes. Add the cooked beans, and shake together, reheat, and serve. New peas may be substituted for beans when in season.
Corn on Cob.—Husk full ears of corn, and brush off the silks with a stiff brush. Wash, and drop into boiling water to which has been added a little milk or lemon juice. Bring to a good boil; then draw the saucepan to one side of the stove, and let simmer for twenty minutes.
Entire Wheat Bread.—Three cups warm water, one half cake compressed yeast, three tablespoonfuls brown sugar, two tablespoonfuls vegetable fat, one tablespoonful salt, seven cups entire wheat flour. Dissolve the yeast in two teaspoonfuls of water, add the liquid, and mix all the ingredients to a medium soft dough. Turn out on a slightly floured board, and knead until elastic to the touch; then return to an oiled bowl, cover, and let stand in a warm room to rise until, when tapped sharply, it begins to sink (about two hours). Work down well, turn over in the bowl, and let rest until it begins to rise again (about fifteen minutes); then mold into loaves, and put into pans for baking. Brush over the top of each loaf with an oiled brush, and let rise until half again its original bulk; then bake in a good oven. These coarse breads must be watched closer during the rising than those made from white flour, as they get light in much less time.
Creamed Rice.—Heat some milk in a double boiler, and when it is hot, add enough cooked rice to have it creamy, but not too soft. Add a pinch of salt, and a little rich cream, if you have it at hand, and serve.
Corn Meal Crisps.—One cup white corn meal, one cup pastry flour, one half teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful brown sugar, two tablespoonfuls vegetable fat, scant one half cup water. Mix all the dry ingredients, add the oil, and rub between the hands to distribute the fat through the grain. Add the water, and mix to a dough. Roll out to a thickness of one fourth of an inch, cut with a biscuit cutter, prick with a fork, and bake in a hot oven, to a light brown.