Cookery for little girls

Cauliflower, after being carefully washed, should be tied up in a piece of cheese-cloth to keep the shape, and after soaking for an hour in cold water, cooked in boiling salted water at least half an hour. When tender, it should be carefully lifted to the vegetable dish and the cream sauce poured around the base. A little chopped parsley scattered on top the sauce improves the appearance. BEETS Young beets have to be washed carefully to avoid breaking the skin, and have roots and half an inch of the tops left on while cooking. They should be kept covered with salted boiling water, and cooked until tender, allowing at least an hour for new beets, and possibly even three for old. When perfectly tender (on being tried by the prong of a kitchen fork), remove from the fire, drop into cold water for a moment to cool enough to slip off the skins, and then slice in a hot dish. They can be served plain, with butter, pepper and salt, although our grandmothers preferred the addition of a few spoonfuls of warm, thick cream. Many, however, like a little vinegar instead. TOMATOES Baked tomatoes are made by taking the fresh tomatoes, scooping out the centers and mixing with bread crumbs, seasoning with butter, pepper and salt, and then refilling the shell, sprinkling a few crumbs on top. They require about twenty minutes to bake, and can be served on rounds of toast, with cream sauce. In winter, however, canned tomatoes, alternated with layers of buttered bread, seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, are nice baked in a dish, with crumbs browned over the top. GREEN CORN Green corn " on the cob " must first have the husks and silk carefully removed and then be dropped into boiling salted water and kept boiling (under a cover) for from ten to twenty minutes, according to the age of the corn. If very fresh and tender, it will cook quickly, but it should be served as soon as removed from the water. CORN OYSTERS Any corn left from a meal can be grated off the cob and used for corn oysters. To one cupful of corn, add half a cup of milk, one beaten egg, half a teaspoon of salt, and one tablespoon of melted butter. Into this stir one-half cup of sifted flour, and bake like pancakes on a hot, well greased skillet. Be careful to avoid too hot a fire or they will scorch on the bottom before cooking through, and they must not be raw in the middle. It may be necessary to put a little extra butter in the pan when they are turned, but they have to be watched carefully all the time. CHAPTER VIII For the Unexpected Guest Entertaining can be made easy by some forethought, and a little girl should be made to realize that hospitality, of all things, should be genuine. In the case of expected company it is well to get whatever is needed in plenty of time, but the unexpected guest should receive none the less cordial greeting while the housekeeper hurriedly reviews her resources in the way of material available.