Cooking in the elementary schools, January, 1922

1. Separate yolks from whites. 2. To yolks add salt and beat until thick and lemon colored. 3. Add milk. 4. Beat whites until stiff and fold into first mixture. 5. Heat pan and add fat and the mixture. 6. Cook slowly until puffed and brown on the bottom. 7 Fold. (Note: If not cooked on top, place in oven or brown under flame a few minutes before folding. Note : Whites of eggs will curdle if beaten too much.) Plain Omelet Plain Omelet is the same as Fluffy Omelet, except that yolks and whites are not separated in the beating. Souffle Omelet 4 eggs 1 c. medium white sauce A Souffle Omelet may be made either as a fluffy or plain omelet by substituting white sauce for the milk. Baked Cheese Omelet 6 eggs, beaten separately 1 c. grated cheese 11/2 c. milk 11/2 t. salt A little paprika 1. Beat eggs lightly. 2. Fold in milk, cheese and seasonings. 3. Bake in pan set in hot water for I/2 hour, or until set. 4. Test as for custard, NOTE — Variety in omelets may be gained by : 1. Folding into the mixture, just before cooking, minced ham, chopped meat, mushrooms, nuts, etc. 2. Adding vegetables, as peas, asparagus, mushrooms, before folding and turning out. 3. Adding jelly or heavy preserves for a sweet omelet. Page 15 GENERAL PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING PREPARATION AND COOKING OF VEGETABLES 1. Cook all vegetables uncovered after they reach the boiling point. a. To keep color and texture. b. To lessen odor of cooking. c. To let undesirable compounds escape in steam. 2. a. Cook all fresh vegetables in boiling salted water. b. Start w^ithered vegetables in cold water unless they have been soaked. 3. Some very young vegetables, such as peas or greens, can be cooked without the addition of water. 4. Use water in which vegetables have been cooked, because it contains a large proportion of the mineral salts of the vegetables. 5. Green vegetables should be cooked just long enough to make them tender. Overcooking makes them less digestible, as well as less palatable. This is especially true of cabbage and green beans. 6. In preparing lettuce for salad, soak in cold water and cut under water. Chill by hanging in a draft or placing on ice. NOTE — Vegetables furnish 8.7 per cent of the protein ; 1 per cent of the fat and 12 per cent of the starch and sugar of the average American dietary and are therefore an important factor in the food supply and should be used to a much greater extent than they are. They contain valuable mineral salts and vitamines. TIME TABLE FOR COOKING VEGETABLES Asparagus 15 minutes Onions % to 1 hour Beans (String) .... 1 hour Oyster Plant 45 to 60 min. Beans (Shelled) ... 1 to 1^/2 hours Parsnips 30 to 45 min. Beets 1 to 4 hours Peas 20 to 30 min. Brussels Sprouts... 20 to 30 min. Potatoes (Irish)... 30 to 45 min. Cabbage V2 hour Potatoes (Sweet) . . 20 to 30 min. Carrots 20 to 45 min. Squash (Summer) . 20 to 30 min. Cauliflower 20 min. Squash (Winter) . .30 min. Celery ^ hour Tomatoes 15 to 20 min. Corn 10 min. Turnips 30 to 45 min. Greens (Spinach) . .20 to 30 min. Kohl-rabi 30 min. Page 16 SCALLOPED DISHES Potatoes au Gratin 6 medium-sized boiled or I/2 c. grated cheese steamed potatoes I/2 c. crumbs 2 cups white sauce