CI Bob's Christmas Gift to Bettina

"GOODNESS gracious, Ruth!" said Bettina. "Surely it can't be halfpast 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) ½ C-cooked rice ½ C-tomato pulp 1 T-sliced onion

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½ t-salt ¼ 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 ½ C-shelled peanuts, broken in halves ½ C-celery, cut small 1 T-lemon juice ½ t-salt ¼ t-paprika ½ 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) 1½ C-flour 3 t-baking powder ¼ t-salt 1½ T-lard ½ 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.

CHAPTER CXLIV

MRS. DIXON HAPPENS IN

"I MUST hurry home to get dinner," said Mrs. Dixon. "See, Bettina, I've been to the market! Isn't this a fine big cantaloupe? I have two more just like it. Frank is very fond of them, but——" she added ruefully, "I like them cold, of course, and after I've fixed them and had them in the refrigerator a while, everything in it—milk, butter and eggs—has the cantaloupe taste!"

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"I'll tell you how you can prevent that, Charlotte. Of course they must be very cold when served, but I never prepare them till just before the meal. I put them in the ice box whole, in a paper sack, taking care that the mouth of the sack is closed. They become very cold that way, and at the same time can't affect the other food." "I'm so glad you told me that, Bettina. I've learned a great many things from you, haven't I? Oh, yes, another thing puzzles me. I like chipped ice served in and with the cantaloupe, and I don't own any tool for preparing the ice. I do fix it somehow, of course, but I've wondered how other people manage." "Well, there are regular ice shavers, you know; but I haven't one, either. I keep a salt sack that I use for that purpose whenever I need just a little chipped ice. It isn't hard to break off a piece small enough to go in a salt sack; in fact, you usually have one in your ice box already. I put it in the sack and break it fine with the flat side of a small hatchet." "Well, I've learned something more, and I'll use the knowledge tomorrow evening. I must be going now. How lovely those asters are on your dinner table! They seem to prophesy an especially good meal! Do tell me what you are going to have! I never can think of a variety—simple meat dishes are my bugbear." "We have veal chops for tonight—just plain veal chops and boiled new potatoes and carrots with Bechamel sauce." "Gracious me! Here comes Bob. I must hurry along or Frank will be home before I am."

Bettina's dinner that evening was made up of: Veal Chops New Potatoes Carrots Bechamel Sauce Bread Butter Peaches Custard Sauce

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level) Veal Chops (Two portions) 2 chops 1 t-salt ¼ t-paprika 4 T-flour 1 T-fat

Trim and wipe chops one-half inch thick, which are cut from the thick part of the leg. Season with salt and pepper and roll in flour. Put the fat (bacon fat or lard) in the pan, and when hot, add the chops. Brown both sides evenly and allow to cook ten minutes.

Creamed Carrots (Two portions)

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