CHAPTER CXLIII

IN HOUSECLEANING TIME

"GOODNESS gracious, Ruth!" said Bettina. "Surely it can't be half-past five already!"

"Yes, it is, Bettina. Exactly that!" said Ruth, glancing at her tiny wrist watch. "But Bob won't be home till six, will he?"

"No, but I want to have dinner ready when he arrives. You see, as I told you before, I simply shouldn't have gone to Mary's this afternoon. My curtains are down and my rugs are up, and my house isn't an attractive place for a man to come home to, to say the least. And then to come straight from a party and give Bob a pick-up lunch instead of a full meal, will be----"

"The last straw? What had you planned for lunch?"

"Well, I have some soup all made, ready to reheat. Then I think I'll have banana salad, tea, and hot baking-powder biscuits."

"De-licious!" said Ruth, with a Teddy-fied grin. "I believe I'll invite myself to stay!"

"Good! You can make the salad while I'm mixing the biscuits. I also have some chocolate cookies, and I'll open a jar of canned peaches----"

"And I'll be so bright and scintillating that old Bobbie won't even miss the curtains and the rugs!"

That night Bettina served:

Bettina Soup Oyster Crackers Banana Salad Hot Biscuits Canned Peaches Chocolate Cookies Tea

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

=Bettina Soup= (Three portions)

3 C-meat stock (left over) 1/2 C-cooked rice 1/2 C-tomato pulp 1 T-sliced onion 1/2 t-salt 1/4 t-paprika 3 celery leaves

Add the rice, tomato pulp, onion, salt, paprika and celery leaves to the meat stock. Cook for twenty minutes over a slow fire. Strain and serve in hot soup dishes or bouillon cups.

=Banana Salad= (Three portions)

2 bananas 1/2 C-shelled peanuts, broken in halves 1/2 C-celery, cut small 1 T-lemon juice 1/2 t-salt 1/4 t-paprika 1/2 C-salad dressing 3 lettuce leaves

Cut the bananas in one-fourth inch cubes. Add the lemon juice, mixing thoroughly. Add the peanuts, celery, salt and paprika. Add the salad dressing, mixing lightly with a silver fork. Pile on the lettuce leaves which have been washed and arranged on a serving dish. Serve immediately.

=Baking Powder Biscuits= (Eight biscuits)

1-1/2 C-flour 3 t-baking powder 1/4 t-salt 1-1/2 T-lard 1/2 C-milk

Mix and sift well the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the lard with a knife until the consistency of cornmeal. Add the milk slowly, stirring with a knife until the dough is soft enough to be handled without sticking to the fingers. Place on a floured board, pat into shape, with the hands, to a thickness of two-thirds of an inch. Cut with a biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits side by side in a tin pan. Bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes. Serve on a folded napkin.