LXXVII Hallowe'en Revels

CHAPTER CVII

RUTH'S PLANS

"A ND so, Bettina," said Ruth, sitting down on the high stool in Bettina's neat little kitchen, "Fred says we will begin the house early in the spring —as early as possible—and be married in May or June." "What perfectly splendid news!" said Bettina. "I'm just as glad as I can be!" "We've waited so long," said Ruth, wistfully. "Of course, if it hadn't been for the war—it did interfere so with business, you know—we would have been married last spring." "I know," said Bettina, sympathetically, "but you'll be all the happier because you have waited." "I'll want you to help me a great deal with my plans," said Ruth. "I've had time to do lots of sewing, of course, but I haven't thought anything about the wedding except that it will be a quiet one. And I want to ask you so much about house furnishings—curtains, and all that." "I'd love to help!" cried Bettina with enthusiasm. "There isn't anything that is such fun. Oh, Ruth!" "Gracious me! What?" cried Ruth, for Bettina had jumped up suddenly. "Poor Ruth," laughed Bettina, "I didn't mean to frighten you. I forgot my cake, that was all, and I was afraid it had burned. But it hasn't. A minute longer though— you know a chocolate cake does burn so easily. But it's all right. However, you must admit that I did pretty well not to burn it while I was listening to wedding plans!"

That night Bettina served for dinner: Swiss Steak Mashed Sweet Potatoes Creamed Cauliflower Bread Butter Chocolate Nougat Cake Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level) Swiss Steak (Three portions) 1 lb. of round steak two-thirds of an inch thick 5 T-flour 1 bay leaf ¼ t-salt

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1/8 t-pepper ½ C-water 1 T-onion 2 cloves 1 T-bacon fat

Wipe the steak with a damp cloth, trim the edges to remove any gristle, and pound the flour into the meat, using a side of a heavy plate for the pounding. This breaks up the tendons of the meat. Place the bacon fat in a frying-pan and when hot, add the meat. Brown thoroughly on each side. Lower the flame. Add the bay leaf, salt, pepper, onion and water. Cover with a lid and allow to cook slowly for one and a half hours. More water may be needed if the gravy boils down. Pour the gravy over the meat when serving. This recipe is good for the fireless. Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Two portions) 3 good-sized sweet potatoes 2 C-water ½ t-salt 1 T-butter 2 T-milk ¼ t-paprika

Wash the potatoes and remove any bad places. Add the water, and cook gently until tender. Drain, and peel while still hot, by holding the potatoes on the end of a fork. Mash with a spoon or a potato masher, adding the salt, butter, milk and paprika. Beat one minute. Pile lightly in a buttered baking dish, and place in a moderate oven about twenty minutes until a light brown.

Chocolate Nougat Cake

4 T-butter 2/3 C-sugar 2 squares of chocolate 2 T-sugar 2 T-water 1 egg ½ C-milk 11/3 C-flour 2 t-baking powder ½ t-soda ½ t-vanilla

Cook the two tablespoons of sugar, water and chocolate together for one minute, stirring constantly. Cream the butter, add the sugar, the whole egg and the flour, baking powder and soda sifted together. Add the vanilla. Beat two minutes. Pour into two square layer-cake pans prepared with waxed paper. Bake twenty-two minutes in a moderate oven. Chocolate cakes burn easily and they should be carefully watched while baking.

Ice with White Mountain Cream Icing.

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CHAPTER CVIII

A LUNCHEON FOR THREE

"O H, Bettina, what a perfectly charming table!" exclaimed Alice, while her guest from New York, in whose honor Bettina was giving the little luncheon, declared that she had never seen a prettier sight. "But it's your very own Christmas gift to me that makes it so," declared Bettina, with flushed cheeks. For Alice's deft fingers had fashioned the rose nut cups (now holding candied orange peel), and the rose buds in the sunset shades in the center of the table. "They are almost more real than real ones! I can scarcely believe that they are made of crêpe paper."

The square luncheon cloth on the round table was of linen, decorated with a cross-stitch design in the same sunset shades, so that the table was all in pink and white. A French basket enameled in ivory color held the rose buds, and another Christmas gift to Bettina was the flat ivory basket filled with light rolls. The luncheon napkins matched the luncheon cloth, as the guests noted, and "The menu matches everything else!" exclaimed Alice. "I'm glad you like it," said Bettina. "I have eaten chicken a la king often at hotels and restaurants, but until recently it never occurred to me to make it myself. And it isn't difficult to make either." "You must give me the recipe," said Alice. For luncheon Bettina served: Chicken a la King Toast Light Rolls Butter Bettina Salad Salad Dressing Cheese Wafers Strawberry Sherbet Hickory Nut Cake Coffee Candied Orange Peel

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level) Chicken a la King (Three portions) 2/3 C-cold, cooked chicken, diced 3 T-butter 1 T-green pepper, cut fine 1 T-pimento, cut fine 1/8 t-celery salt 2 T-flour 1½ C-milk ¼ t-salt

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1 egg-yolk, beaten 3 slices of toast

Melt the butter, add the green pepper, cook slowly for two minutes, and then add the flour. Mix well and add the milk slowly. Cook until creamy. Add the celery salt and the salt. When very hot, add the beaten egg-yolk. Mix well, and add the chicken and pimento. Reheat. Serve very hot on hot toast. (Do not cook the sauce any longer than absolutely necessary after the egg-yolk is added.) Bettina Salad (Three portions) 3 slices of pineapple 3 halves of pears 6 marshmallows 3 maraschino cherries 6 halves of nut meats 3 T-salad dressing 3 T-whipped cream 3 pieces of lettuce

Wash the lettuce and arrange on salad plates. Lay a slice of pineapple on the lettuce and half a pear, the hollow side up, on the pineapple. Fill the cavity of the pear with salad dressing, and place one tablespoon of whipped cream on top of the salad dressing. Arrange two nut-halves, two marshmallows and one cherry attractively on each portion. Serve very cold.

Hickory Nut Cake

1/3 C-butter 1½ C-sugar 2 eggs ½ C-chopped hickory nut meats 4 t-baking powder 2 C-flour ¾ C-milk ½ t-vanilla ½ t-lemon extract

Cream the butter, add the sugar and mix well. Add the egg-yolks, the nut meats, and the flour and baking powder sifted together. Then add the milk, vanilla and lemon extract. Beat vigorously for two minutes. Add the whites stiffly beaten. Mix thoroughly and pour into two layer-cake pans prepared with buttered paper. Bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. Ice with confectioner's icing.

Bettina's Confectioner's Icing

2 T-cream ½ t-vanilla extract ½ t-lemon extract 1 C-powdered sugar

Mix the cream and extracts. Gradually add the powdered sugar sifted through a strainer. Add enough sugar to form a creamy icing which will easily spread upon the cake. (More than a cup of sugar may be needed.)

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CHAPTER CIX

THE DIXONS COME TO DINNER

"S

HALL I open this jar of grapefruit marmalade?" asked Charlotte, who was helping Bettina to prepare dinner. "Yes, Charlotte, if you will." "How nice it is, Bettina! How long do you cook it before you add the sugar?" "Well, that depends altogether on the fruit. Sometimes the rind is so much tougher than at other times. You cook it until it's very tender, then add the sugar and cook until it jells." "There's another thing I'd like to ask you, Bettina. How on earth do you cut the fruit in thin slices? Isn't it very difficult to do?" "Not with a sharp knife. I place the fruit on a hardwood board, and then if my knife is as sharp as it ought to be, it isn't at all difficult to cut it thin." "Well, perhaps I haven't had a sharp enough knife. Oh, Bettina, what delicious looking cake! Is it fruit cake?" "It's called date loaf cake. It has nuts in it, too, but no butter. I always bake it in a loaf cake pan prepared with waxed paper. Bob is very fond of it. I think it's very good served with afternoon tea." "I should think it might be." "Tonight, though, I am serving just sliced oranges with it." "That will be a delicious dessert, I think. Listen! Is that Bob and Frank coming in?"

For dinner that night they had: Roast Beef Browned Potatoes Gravy Bettina's Jelly Pickle Bread Grapefruit Marmalade Date Loaf Cake Sliced Oranges Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level) Bettina's Jelly Pickle (Four portions)

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