Part 6

=Supper= Stewed Cranberry Beans Baking Powder Biscuit Cream Puffs Cocoa. Tea

THURSDAY

=Breakfast= Grapes French Hash (remnants from Casserole) Fried Corn Meal Mush Dry Toast. Coffee

=Dinner= Cream-of-Potato Soup Stuffed Tomatoes, Baked or Cabbage Scalloped with Cheese Chocolate-Cornstarch Pudding, Sugar, Cream Half Cups of Coffee

=Supper= Green Corn Fritters. Bread and Butter Stewed Crab Apples. Cottage Cheese

FRIDAY

=Breakfast= Blackberries, Sugar, Cream Fish Flakes, Country Style Baked Potatoes Graham Baking Powder Biscuit Coffee. Cocoa

=Dinner= Boiled Swordfish, Pickle Sauce or Broiled Swordfish, Mâitre d'Hôtel Butter Boiled Potatoes Onions in Cream Sauce or Buttered Cabbage Salad. Blueberry Pie. Coffee

=Supper= Potato Salad, Sardines. Rye Biscuit Baked Apples. Tea

SATURDAY

=Breakfast= Egg-O-See, Thin Cream Tomato Cream Toast with Cheese Corn Meal Muffins Coffee. Cocoa

=Dinner= Hamburg Steak Stewed Tomatoes Squash Coffee Jelly, Whipped Cream

=Supper= Creamed Swordfish (left over) Potatoes Scalloped with Onions and Cheese Pickled Beets Cookies. Tea

Rhymed Receipts for any Occasion

By Kimberly Strickland

NUT WAFERS

Here's a cake for dainty eating. Peanut butter, just a cup, In the bowl some soda meeting (Half a teaspoon, you take up).

Add one cup of clear, warm water, Stir till paste is smooth as silk, Leaving not a trace, my daughter, Of the soda--white as milk.

Then, still beating like a Vandal, Mix in flour just enough To form dough that you can handle-- It must be a plastic stuff.

Knead this well with your ten fingers, After which roll very thin, Seek where moderate heat lingers As the place to bake it in.

Let the oven do its duty, You'll discover by and by That each wafer is a beauty, When it comes out crisp and dry.

BANANA SALAD

Select bananas, gold of hue, And uniform in size, With care remove the fruit, and slice Quite thin--I would advise.

Mix these slim rounds with pecan meats, Broken in tiny bits, And grape-fruit shredded finely, too, And robbed of all its pits.

This medley next is drenched with oil, And lemon juice combined, The hollow skins are then filled up-- Or, shall we say, relined?

Now place upon crisp lettuce leaves, Or curly water-cress, The golden shapes, and walnuts add, Shorn of their outer dress.

FRENCH ORANGE COMPOTE

Sugar and water you combine To make a syrup sweet, Adding a little lemon juice, The flavor to complete.

Peel oranges, the seeds remove, Cut into quarters true, Lay in the boiling syrup next, And cook ten minutes through.

Place on a crystal dish the fruit O'er which the syrup pour, And strew with candied cherries red-- To give the one touch more.

In Time of Vacation

By Janet M. Hill

Any part of a house in disorder and confusion is a source of mental distress to a neat and conscientious housekeeper, and often an occasion for slurs from other members of the family. The number of steps to be taken and the motions to be made, each day, to keep a house in order and set three meals upon a table are often overlooked or largely underestimated. We are speaking now of the homes of the "four-fifths," where little help outside of the family is available. Mothers are thought "slow and poky" by the younger members of the family, who are inclined to value the slight and irregular assistance which they give more highly than it deserves. There are members of the family, perhaps, who should keep their strength, mental and physical, for their work away from home; but in general the young people should be trained to take a part in the responsibility of the housekeeping and home-making. If boys and girls, as soon as they are old enough, be taught to open their beds for airing, hang up their clothing and leave the bowl and bath tub in suitable condition for the next occupant of the room, the mother can prepare the breakfast and begin the work of the day without fret as to the condition of the upper part of the house, or without the mental fatigue that comes where there are so many things to be done at once that one knows not where to begin.

Often where one maid is kept, too much is expected of her, even by the house-mother. With the advent of a maid, the dishes multiply and time is spent in dish washing that should be given to the larger affairs of the housekeeping. For the mother or one maid the washing of dishes must be regulated to make the work an incident and not the event of the day. We are not protesting against a change of plates, or forks, etc., for the dessert; but extra dishes for vegetables, the plate underneath the plate, both handled and therefore to be washed, much glassware that requires careful washing and polishing, all tend to prolong the time at the sink. Such work may be increased at will, when some one is hired for this special purpose, or when the daughter of the family is willing to take the responsibility of it. For the mother or the one maid, day in and day out, more necessary duties must eliminate some of the niceties of table service. We should not be "more nice than wise."

We believe in work; it is the refuge and the safeguard of the race: but there must be times for relaxation and repose, and, that this be possible for each member of the family, there must be a division of labor. If one individual be a drone, some one else is obliged to work for him. We wish to emphasize the necessity of systematic training, in the doing of these daily duties, of the young people in a family. Let each child be held responsible for a certain amount of work each day. It will not burden the normal child, but will give satisfaction and a feeling of being of use in the world. No better time than this, the vacation season, can be found for putting in practice the idea herein suggested.

We are admonished by many innovations that times have changed. The fact that graduates from Colleges of Home Economics are taught to see the subject in "its broad relations, both to science and to practice," and that every graduate is expected "to have a fair working knowledge of the household-arts" and be able to cook a meal or make a dress, has given the practice of the so-called homely arts an impetus that will do much for the betterment of the race. Cooking and sewing have had a renaissance. To be able to cook well is a desideratum to be desired, and rivalry in pleasing and artistic tea-rooms, "cake and cooky shops" and places for the sale of cooked food is abroad in the land. We look to see this same pleasing rivalry displayed in dressmaking rooms and laundries, where fine work can be essayed. These private and small enterprises, which might grow into larger ones, should furnish a generous return for the time and money invested and an increase in the happiness of those employed as well as of those whom they serve. All of these ventures are at once a source of independence to the serving and the served, and give an opportunity for self-direction that argues well for their permanency.

Earthen dishes for cooking, which conserve heat and answer for serving as well as cooking, are to be commended at all seasons; but in hot weather, when it is eminently desirable to limit heat and work, they are more than ever a source of pleasure and comfort. Not so very long ago all such ware was imported, and the duty, added to the first cost, placed it in the list of luxuries, but now the dainty contours of all these casseroles, ramekins, terrines, au gratin dishes, etc., are duplicated in American ware, and at a price that puts the goods within the reach of all. In the seasonable recipes for this issue, terrine of chicken and ham, green corn au gratin in ramekins, and pears Béatrice are cooked in Guernsey earthen ware. An extremely useful dish in this ware is the mixing bowl in which Kugelhopf kuchen, ready for shaping, is shown. Nothing daintier for mixing purposes than this bowl of smooth and highly polished interior can be imagined; from such a surface any mixture can be rinsed with ease, and thus the labor of dish washing is lessened, which is a strong point in favor of any utensil.

The Task We Love

By L. M. Thornton

Here's to the task we love, Whatever that task may be, To till the soil, in the shop to toil, To sail o'er the chartless sea. For the work seems light and the guerdon bright, If to heart and hand 'tis a sure delight.

Here's to the task we love, Wherever it lead our feet, Through stress and strife or the simple life, For still are its victories sweet. And we never tire, if our hearts desire Flame in its dross-consuming fire.

Here's to the task we love, The task God set us to do. And we shall not pale nor faint nor quail And for us there's no such word as fail, If we follow, with purpose true, The creed He writes, and the star He lights To guide our soul to the distant heights.

A Group of Choice Spanish and Mexican Recipes

By Mrs. L. Rice

Baked Tripe, Spanish

Boil four pounds of fresh tripe until tender; drain and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and arrange in a well-buttered dish. Pour over it one quart of chopped tomatoes, one large onion, sliced very thin, one-half a cup of chopped parsley, and skin of one large red pepper, minced fine, one-half a cup of chopped olives and one teaspoonful of tabasco sauce. Pour over all one-half a cup of melted butter and bake one hour.

This is equal to finest fish and is certainly delicious.

Chili Con Carne, Spanish

To prepare the chili used in this dish: from two pods of dried red chili peppers take out all the seeds and discard them. Soak the pods in warm water until soft, then scrape pulp from the skins into the water, discarding the skins and saving the pulp and water. Cut two pounds of round steak into small pieces and cook in hot frying pan, in pork drippings, until well browned; add three or four tablespoonfuls of flour and stir until browned, then add one clove of garlic, in which two gashes have been cut, and chili water, of which there should be about one pint; let simmer until meat is tender (about two hours), adding hot water if needed.

When done the sauce should be of good consistency; add salt to taste.

String Beans, Spanish

Take two pounds of green string beans and chop fine. Put one tablespoonful of bacon drippings in a frying pan and one onion, cut fine, half a dry red pepper, cut fine; let onion and pepper fry brown, then add three ripe tomatoes, cut fine, and stir in one tablespoonful of flour; then add one quart of cold water; then the chopped beans, with salt and pepper to taste, and let the beans cook until tender; keep adding water as needed, so as not to let them get too dry.

Spaghetti à la Mexicana

Fry three large pork chops brown. Fry three minced onions and two cloves of garlic in pork drippings. Put the chops and onions into a granite kettle with two cans of tomatoes and two green chili pepper pods (remove the seeds), one tablespoonful, each, of dry chili powder, brown sugar, tarragon vinegar and sage, one teaspoonful of Worcestershire sauce and celery salt, table salt to suit; let simmer slowly until pork chops fall to pieces; strain through coarse colander. This sauce should be of the consistency of thick cream, without adding any thickening.

Boil one-half a package of spaghetti in large kettle of salted boiling water; do not break into short pieces, but drop ends into the water and gradually immerse the whole stick. Keep the water boiling rapidly, adding boiling water as it boils down; do not cover; let boil forty-five minutes, drain in colander and pour one quart of cold water through to blanch.

Put the spaghetti into the tomato sauce and set on stove where it will keep hot, but not boil, for fifteen minutes. Arrange in a deep platter and sprinkle top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve with grated cheese and stuffed olives. If care is taken in preparing this dish you will be rewarded with something certainly delicious, and a typical Mexican dish.

Rice, Spanish

Put two frying pans on the stove, and in each put one teaspoonful of bacon fat. Take one onion and four green chilis, chop very fine, salt; put this in one frying pan and cook until done without browning. In the other pan, put one cup of rice, washed and dried; stir and let cook a light brown; add the onion and chilis and one cup of tomato; fill frying pan with boiling water and let cook until rice is dry.

Ice Cream à la Mexicana

Put two cups of granulated sugar in saucepan over fire and stir constantly until it is melted; add two cups of English walnut meats and pour into shallow, buttered pan to harden. When perfectly cold, grate or chop fine. Crumble two dozen macaroons into fine crumbs, then toast in hot oven a few minutes. Now make a rich, boiled custard, of yolks of four eggs, one-half a cup of sugar and two cups of cream, then pour over the stiff-beaten whites of two eggs and let cool. To one quart of cream add one-third a cup of sugar and beat until thoroughly mixed, add to the custard, and flavor with vanilla or maraschino, then freeze. When half frozen add the macaroon crumbs and half of the grated walnut mixture and finish freezing. Let ripen two or three hours. Sprinkle remaining grated walnuts over the cream when serving. This is the typical ice cream of Mexico, just as it is served there.

Caramels à la Mexicana

Put one cup of granulated sugar in an iron skillet and stir constantly over a slow fire until the sugar is melted. As soon as the sugar becomes syrup, add one cup of rich milk or cream,[A] and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add, next, one cup, each, of granulated and light brown sugar and boil steadily until mixture forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. Take from the fire, add one cup of coarse chopped nut meats and stir to creamy consistency. Pour into shallow pans, lined with paraffine paper, spread smoothly about half an inch in thickness and mark into squares while warm.

FOOTNOTE:

[A] Dissolve the caramel in half a cup of boiling water, then add the cream or milk; by this means the liability of the milk or cream to curdle is lessened.--EDITOR.

The Nursery

By E. R. Parker

It is frequently a matter of surprise to foreigners that in the average American home, which is otherwise so well equipped, little or no attention is given to the nursery, and it is to this neglect they trace many of the shortcomings of our little ones.

It may be that the busy mother, who has to perform the duties of nursemaid and perhaps look after her household at the same time, sees little reason for having a room specially dedicated to the use of the children; but when one considers the necessity of regularity in the feeding, bathing, sleeping, and every other particular of the infant's daily life, such a need becomes apparent, with the arrival of the first baby. Select a room in a secluded part of the house, and one which receives all the sunshine possible, for the nursery. Fresh air should be admitted at all times, but in such a manner as to avoid drafts. For the use of the young infant, limit the furnishings to bare necessities, and have the floor and walls hard finished. It is not well to have plumbing of any kind in the room, nor should it be directly connected with the bathroom. Regulate the temperature carefully, letting it range between 75 and 80 degrees Fahr. during the first week; after that it may be kept at 75 degrees until the child is three months old, and then gradually lowered to 70 degrees or even 65, at night. Needless to say the metal crib is the most important furnishing; it should be fitted with a soft hair mattress and a thin pillow, though some persons prefer to use no pillow at all. Under no circumstances should the baby sleep with its mother, and eminent physicians now agree that it is more or less injurious for a child to sleep in the room with an adult. Dr. Cotton, the distinguished specialist for children, recommends, as additional furnishings for the infant's room, a flexible rubber bathtub, a bath thermometer, wall thermometer, scales and a double ewer and soap dish on a low table surrounded by a high folding screen.

As the child grows older it will require the addition of low chairs, tables, etc., in the nursery; these should be simple and substantial. Do not fit up the nursery with broken or cast-off articles of furniture from other parts of the house. Few mothers realize what a deep impression these early surroundings make upon the child, and how nervous, sensitive children may be made to endure positive suffering from contact with unsightly objects.

A window seat, that will also serve as a convenient receptacle for toys, may be made by having the top hinged on a low wooden box, and covering the box with some suitable dark material. Do not make the mistake of giving children a quantity of toys at one time; such a practice has the bad effect of dulling their sense of enjoyment and making them tire easily of their playthings. If fond relations insist upon trying to shower all the dolls and books and drums in town on them for one Christmas or birthday celebration, try putting some of them away and keeping them for rainy days or the trying period of convalescence. Toys which will excite the imagination and leave something to their own ingenuity are to be preferred to those that are complete in themselves. Among the former are paints, brushes and outline pictures, games, dolls with patterns and material for clothing, stone building blocks, which come in different sizes and shapes with designs for building.

Decorate the walls with stencil designs or a few good pictures, which should be chosen with reference to the child's age. Few persons are aware that until a child is three years old he cannot distinguish clearly between green, gray and blue, hence decorations containing these colors are lost upon him, and the reason for his love of red and yellow is apparent. The Perkins pictures, issued by the Prang Educational Company, are justly popular for nursery walls, and photographs of the masterpieces can be purchased quite reasonably. A small bookcase should also be given an honored place in the nursery, for older children, and nothing but books of the very best from a literary standpoint, well printed on good paper and substantially bound, should find their way to its shelves. Cheap toy books from the five and ten cent counters, many of which are poorly bound, grotesquely illustrated and insipid in contents, had better be kept away from the children. I would rather give them one good book a year than an armful of poor ones. Some children do not enjoy being read to, but all of them love a story, and, with a little tact on the part of the mother, it is but a step from the story she tells to the one she reads, and she can easily cultivate a taste for good reading, for, after all, she is the genius that shapes and molds, and without whom the most ideal nursery is but a dreary place. We are told that even the songs she sings to the babe at her breast have an occult influence over its future life. What a power and privilege, then, are hers to guide the little groping hands and watch the unfolding mind; and surely she should spare neither time nor trouble in the accomplishment of such a task!

Practical Home Dietetics

By Minnie Genevieve Morse

II. The Rôle of Diet in Reducing and Increasing Weight

In addition to the natural and proper inclination to make the best of oneself, there is scientific reason in the stout woman's desire to reduce her weight, and the painfully thin woman's wish to take on a few more pounds of flesh; health itself is at its best when the body maintains its normal proportions, without serious loss or gain. Any considerable variation from the normal standard shows a disturbance in the balance of nutrition; either the vital fire is being fed too generously, and the excess of fuel, instead of being turned into heat and energy, is accumulating in the tissues, to be a burden to the organism and, perhaps in time, cause disease, or else the expenditure of force is greater than the supply of fuel, the bodily tissues are drawn upon to aid in feeding the fire, and all the systems of the body suffer from the insufficiency of nourishment. Stout people become increasingly disinclined to either physical or mental exertion; they are apt to suffer from indigestion and constipation, rheumatic troubles and shortness of breath; and, when a condition of actual obesity is reached, a fatty degeneration of one or more of the vital organs is liable. The insufficiently nourished person, on the other hand, is usually anæmic and nervous, the weak and faulty performance of many of the bodily functions testifying to the lack of proper nutrition.

With regard to the matter of physical attractiveness, the advantage of proper proportion between the weight and the height is obvious. The too-thin woman has fewer difficulties to contend with than her too-stout sister, in fulfilling fashion's requirements, for her figure can be modified to a far greater extent by the dressmaker's art. But the face and hands cannot be filled out correspondingly, and the thin woman early takes on lines and wrinkles, usually looking much older than a plumper woman of the same age.

Proper balance between the intake of food and the outgo of energy is thus necessary, both for the maintenance of good health and for the preservation of one's fair share of natural comeliness. The generally-accepted standard of weight in proportion to height which a woman should maintain, in order to fulfil these requirements, is as follows: Five feet one inch, 120 pounds; five feet two inches, 126 pounds; five feet three inches, 133 pounds; five feet four inches, 136 pounds; five feet five inches, 142 pounds; five feet six inches, 145 pounds; five feet seven inches, 149 pounds; five feet eight inches, 155 pounds; five feet nine inches, 162 pounds; five feet ten inches, 169 pounds.

The purposes for which food is taken into the body are two: the rebuilding of the bodily tissues, which are constantly consumed by physical and mental activities, and the production of heat and energy. During the period of growth, the body necessarily demands a large amount of tissue-building material, and it is natural and reasonable that a growing child should have a large appetite, and be ready to eat at all times of day. If, however, a person who has come to maturity continues to eat as heartily as in early life, more food is taken into the body than is required after the growing period is ended, a heavy strain is put upon the organs which remove waste products from the system, and there is likely to be a deposition of fat in the tissues. Another factor in producing these results is the fact that the adult usually leads a far less active life, physically, than the growing child, so that less food is needed for transformation into energy, as well as for the purpose of body-building.