LXXIII Alice Tells Her Troubles

½ C-butter 1½ C-sugar 2 eggs ¼ t-salt 2½ C-flour 4 t-baking powder 1 C-boiling water 1 t-vanilla

Caramelize two-thirds of a cup of sugar. When the sugar is melted and reaches the light brown or the "caramel" stage, add the water. Cook until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved in the water. Allow it to cool. Cream the butter, add the rest of the uncooked sugar, and then add the egg-yolks. Mix well. Add the salt, flour, baking-powder, vanilla and the cooled liquid. Beat two minutes and add the eggwhites stiffly beaten. Pour into two pans prepared with buttered paper. Bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. Ice with confectioner's icing. Confectioner's Icing (Sixteen portions) 2 T-cream or milk ½ t-vanilla 1 T-carmelized syrup or maple syrup 1½ C-powdered sugar

Mix the cream, vanilla and syrup. Add the sugar (sifted) until the right consistency to spread. Spread carefully between the layers and on the top. Set aside to cool, and to allow the icing to "set." (More sugar may be needed in making the icing.)

[324]

CHAPTER CII

A CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST

OF course a tiny Christmas tree was the centerpiece on Bettina's breakfast table, set for a nine o'clock family breakfast. All of the Christmas gifts except those that were too large were grouped around the base of the tree. Bettina refused to allow even Bob to have a peep at the gifts until the guests, Father, Mother, Uncle John and Aunt Lucy, had arrived. "Now, don't you give us too much to eat, Bettina," laughed Father. "I know your mother has been making some mighty elaborate preparations for dinner at home, and you must leave us with an appetite." "Well, you won't have any appetite left if you eat all you want of these waffles of mine!" exclaimed Bob, coming in from the kitchen with a spoon in his hand and an apron tied around his neck.

[325]

"Go back to the kitchen, Cook!" said Uncle John. "We don't want to see you, but we're willing to taste your waffles. Bring 'em on!" "First," said Bettina, "we'll eat our grapefruit. Then we'll open our packages, and then, Bob, you can help me serve the rest of our Christmas breakfast." "Come on!" said Uncle John. "Then I'll be Santa Claus and deliver the presents!"

For breakfast Bettina served: Grapefruit with Maraschino Cherries Oatmeal and Dates Whipped Cream Ham Cooked with Milk Creamed Potatoes Muffins Orange Marmalade Waffles Maple Syrup Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level) Oatmeal with Dates (Six portions) 1 C-oatmeal 1½ C-water 1 t-salt ½ C-dates, cut fine

Mix the oatmeal, salt and water, and cook directly over the fire for three minutes. Add the dates, put in the fireless, and cook all night. Serve with unsweetened whipped cream. Ham Cooked in Milk (Four portions) 1 lb. ham (a slice two-thirds of an inch thick) 1 C-milk

Pour boiling water over the ham, and allow it to stand ten minutes. Remove the ham, and place in the frying-pan. Add the milk, and allow to cook slowly for twenty-five minutes. Remove from the milk and garnish with parsley. Muffins (Twelve muffins) 2 C-flour 4 t-baking powder 1/3 C-sugar ½ t-salt 1 egg 1 C-milk 2 t-melted butter

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the egg, beaten, and milk, and beat two minutes. Add the melted butter. Fill well-buttered muffin pans one-half full. Bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven.

[326]