XCVIII Christmas Gifts

Lyonnaise Potatoes (Two portions) 2 T-onion 2 T-butter ¼ t-paprika ½ t-salt 1 C-cold boiled potatoes, cut in ½-inch cubes 1 t-chopped parsley

Place one tablespoon of butter in a frying-pan and when hot add the onion. Let the onion cook until it is brown. Add the salt and parsley, the rest of the butter, the potatoes and the paprika. Stir well. Cook until the potatoes are well browned. Bean Salad (Two portions) 1 C-kidney beans ½ C-celery, cut fine 2 T-nut meats 1 t-salt 3 T-chopped pickle 1/3 C-salad dressing 2 pieces of lettuce

Mix the beans, celery, nut meats, green pepper, pickles and salt. Add the salad dressing. Serve very cold on lettuce leaves.

Date Rocks

1 C-sugar ½ C-lard and butter mixed 1½ C-flour ½ t-baking powder 2 eggs 1 t-cinnamon ½ t-powdered cloves ½ t-vanilla ½ C-dates, cut fine ½ C-nut meats, cut fine 1/8 t-salt

Cream the butter and lard, add the sugar, and mix well. Add the two eggs well beaten. Mix and sift thoroughly the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves and cinnamon. Add the dates and nuts. Stir these dry ingredients into the first mixture. Add the vanilla. Mix thoroughly and drop from the end of the spoon upon a well larded and floured baking pan. Bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven.

CHAPTER CXXXIX

PLANNING A CHILDREN'S PARTY

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"O F course, I'll help you, Ruth," said Bettina. "I'd love to. A children's party! What fun it will be! How many children will be there?" "Twelve or fifteen, I think. Now let me tell you Ralph's own idea for entertainment. I suppose I'm a doting aunt, but it sounds very possible to me." "Did Ralph suggest the kind of a party he wished? Well, isn't he a clever boy! And he's only eleven years old, too." "He suggested that the invitations invite the children to a circus. You see, we could write a little rhyme to that effect on animal paper, or with an animal picture pasted in the corner. When the children arrive, we'll have the parade. We'll have ready the horns, drums, and so forth, for the band, and some of the children will represent the various wild animals. The parade will lead to the refreshment table (after some circus games, perhaps), which will be set outdoors if it is warm enough. The table must represent a circus ground (I've seen those paper circuses downtown, haven't you?), and the refreshments must carry out the scheme. So, Bettina, do help us to plan the details!"

Bettina's dinner that night consisted of: Sliced Ham and Potatoes en Casserole Baked Creamed Cabbage Bread Butter Plum Pudding Cocoanut Pudding

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level) Sliced Ham and Potatoes en Casserole (Four portions) 1 lb. slice of ham two-thirds of an inch thick 4 new potatoes 1 C-water 12 cloves ¼ t-paprika 1 t-chopped parsley 2 T-flour

Have a frying-pan very hot. Add the ham and brown thoroughly on both sides. Add the water and let boil for one minute. Remove the ham. Stick the cloves into it, and place it in the bottom of a casserole. Add the parsley and paprika to the water in the pan, and pour the liquid over the meat. Cover and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. Roll the potatoes (which have been washed and peeled) in the flour, and add to the casserole. Baste with the liquid. Cover and cook three-fourths of an hour. Serve in the casserole. Creamed Cabbage Baked (Four portions) 3 C-cabbage, cut or chopped fine 1 qt. water

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3 T-flour 2 T-butter 1 t-salt 1 C-milk ¼ C-cracker or dry bread crumbs 1 T-butter

Wash the cabbage and chop into half inch pieces. Cook in boiling water fifteen minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Make a white sauce by melting the butter, adding the flour and salt, and then adding the milk. Cook two minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cabbage, and pour into a well-buttered open baking dish. Melt the one tablespoon of butter, add the crumbs and mix well. Spread the buttered crumbs over the top of the cabbage. Bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. Serve in the dish.

Cocoanut Pudding (Four portions) 1 C-milk ¼ t-salt 3 T-corn starch 1 egg yolk ½ t-lemon extract ½ t-vanilla 3 T-cocoanut 2 T-sugar

Mix the corn starch and salt in the upper part of the double boiler. Add the milk slowly, stirring all the time. Add the sugar. Place the upper in the lower part of the double boiler and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent lumping. When very thick, add the egg-yolk, the vanilla and lemon extracts and the cocoanut. Beat one minute. Cook again for three minutes. Place in a buttered baking dish. Beat the egg-white and when very stiff, add the two tablespoons of sugar. Pile lightly on the top of the pudding and place in a moderate oven for ten minutes to brown the meringue.

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CHAPTER CXL

THE PARTY CIRCUS

RUTH and Bettina led "the parade," the band at its head, to the cheerful sunroom, where the table had been set. At sight of the "party" spread before them, the young musicians and the others gave a sudden shriek of delight. "It's a circus!" explained Ralph to curly-headed Margery, who was adding her own piping voice to the general din.

A small American flag floated from a flag pole in the center of the table, and around it were arranged paper circus tents and circus wagons of the five and ten

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