Healthful cookery

Baked Beets. — Beets are far better baked than boiled, though it takes a longer time to cook perfectly. French cooks bake them slowly for six hours in a covered dish, the bottom of which is lined with well-moistened rye straw ; however, they may be baked on the oven grate, like potatoes. Wipe dry after washing, and bake slowly. They are very nice served with a sauce made with equal quantities of lemon juice and whipped cream or Cocoanut Cream, with a little salt. Beets and Potatoes. — Boil newly matured potatoes and young beets separately till tender; then peel and slice. Put them in alternate layers in a vegetable dish, with salt to taste, and enough sweet Healthful Cookery cream or Cocoanut Cream to nearly cover. Brown in the oven, and serve at once. Beet Hash. — Chop quite fine an equal quantity of cold boiled or baked beets and boiled or baked potatoes. Put into a shallow saucepan, add salt, and sufficient hot cream to moisten. Toss frequently, and cook until well heated throughout. Serve hot. Beet Greens. — Take young, tender beets, clean thoroughly without separating the tops and roots Examine the leaves carefully, and pick off inferior ones. Put into boiling water, and cook for nearly an hour. Drain, press out all water, and chop quite fine. Serve with a dressing of lemon juice or cream, as preferred. ASPARAGUS Asparagus and Peas. — Asparagus and green peas make a nice dish served together, and if of proportionate age, require the same length of time to cook. Wash the asparagus, shell and look over the peas, put together into boiling water, cook, and serve as directed for stewed asparagus. Asparagus Points. — Cut off enough heads in two-inch lengths to make three pints. Put into boiling water just sufficient to cover. When tender, Vegetables drain off the water, add a half cup of cream or Nut Cream, and salt if desired. Serve at once. Asparagus with Cream Sauce. — Thoroughly wash, tie in small bunches, and put into boiling water; boil till perfectly tender. Drain thoroughly, untie the bunches, place the stalks all the same way upon a hot plate, with a dressing prepared as follows : Let a pint of sweet cream (about six hours old is best) come to the boiling point, and stir into it salt to taste and a level tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a little cold cream. Boil till the flour is perfectly cooked, and then pass through a fine wire strainer. Asparagus on Toast. — Cook the asparagus in bunches, and when tender, drain, and place on slices of nicely browned toast moistened in the asparagus liquor. Pour over all a cream sauce prepared as directed in the foregoing recipe. Asparagus with Egg Sauce. — Prepare and cook asparagus as directed above. When tender, drain thoroughly, and serve on a hot dish or on slices of nicely browned toast, with an egg sauce prepared in the following manner: Heat a half cup of rich milk to boiling, add salt, and turn into it very slowly the well-beaten yolk of an egg, stirring constantly at the same time. Cook only until it thickens. Healthful Cookery Stewed Asparagus. — Wash, break into pieces, simmer till tender in water enough to cover; add sufficient rich milk, part cream if convenient, to make a gravy; if preferred, thicken slightly with flour, a teaspoonful to a pint of milk ; add salt if desired, boil up together once, and serve. SPINACH