Dr. M'Millan's formulas and domestic guide

FANCY MASHED POTATOES. Peel 2 quarts of potatoes, and when they are cooked turn off every drop of water and put in a little salt, pepper and butter. Then take a carving fork and break them up a little. Next add a little more butter, say in the whole a piece as large as an egg, and a cup of nice milk or cream. Now take a silver fork, or three-pronged one, and beat them briskly 5 minutes, or until they are light and creamy. They must be carried at once to the table, or they will become heavy and clammy. If once tried this way you will never again resort to the old masher. Remember, they must be served immediately. FRIED POTATOES. Peel and then slice rather thin in cold water. If very thin they may be too crisp. Let them stand in the water a short time, and then drain through a colander. Have ready on the stove a kettle of hot lard, as for fried cakes, and put in part of the potatoes and cover the kettle. Stir them occasionally. When done they should be a delicate brown. Skim out into any dish, and sprinkle a little salt over them. When the second batch of potatoes is partly cooked let me advise you to ring your bell, as they will be cooked by the time the first lot is disposed of, and are much better hot BOILED POTATOES. In boiling potatoes when they are not previously pared always have a ring of the skin a quarter of an inch peeled from end to end. This is not a "notion," but the escape of the water, and consequently the mealiness of the potatoes, is very much promoted by it. It does no harm to cut large potatoes in halves or quarters before boiling them. BOILED-BAKED SWEET POTATOES. Boil your potatoes until tender, then slice several times the long way of the potato; place a layer of slices on the bottom of an earthen dish, sprinkle lightly with white sugar, and heavily with lumps of butter (it is the butter that makes it nice), then another layer of potatoes, and so on, until you have the sugar and butter for a top layer, then bake 30 or 40 minutes. EGG PLANT. To cook egg plant, slice the plant ½ of an inch thick, sprinkle with salt, place layer upon layer and let it stand for 1 5 minutes, dip in a batter and fry in butter and lard. Another good way is to dip in eggs, roll in crackers and fry in the same way. ASPARAGUS. Scrape. Put in water and salt, and at first boil drop in the asparagus, boil till tender. Sauce: The yolk of i egg mixed with a tea-spoonful of water, a piece of butter added, and when hot, stir in 2 table-spoonfuls of milk, pour over the drained asparagus. CORN OYSTERS. Six ears of sweet corn (those which are not too dry). With a sharp knife split each row of the corn in the center of the kernel lengthwise, and scrape out all the pulp. Add : Eggs I well beaten. A little salt. Sweet milk i table-spoonful. Flour enough to make a pretty stiff batter. Drop in hot lard and fry a delicate brown. If the corn is quite young omit the milk. BAKED BEANS. Take as many beans as you think you want, wash, boil till tender, and add salt, pepper and molasses to taste. If you like them greasy put in " right smart" of pork. A small piece will answer. Bake in covered dish of any sort.