Efficiency in home-making and first-aid to good cooking

Drain the liquor from the oysters ; put in dish of cold water and rinse ; remove the oysters, watching for bits of shell. Put thin layer of bread crumbs in bottom of shallow baking dish, then layer of the oysters ; sprinkle salt and pepper; add a little butter, then layer of crumbs, layer of oysters, salt, pepper, and butter again ; then finish with layer of crumbs ; moisten well with milk or half milk and half oyster juice ; bake in moderate oven from y2 to Y\ of an hour, until oysters in middle of dish have sides curled and are nicely cooked. OYSTER PIE. 1 quart oysters, washed in a dish with 3 pints of cold water ; drain ; pepper, salt and butter to taste ; 1 quart flour, 2 tablespoons of lard, 1 teaspoon salt ; mix with water for pie crust ; butter plate, then line pie plate with crust, fill with oysters, seasoned; put over a crust and bake. 130 First Aid to Good Cooking DELICIOUS RABBIT. Clean a young rabbit, and cut up as for frying. Then follow recipe for mock fried chicken, and it will be even nicer than chicken. MINCED MEAT ON TOAST. Take cold meat, either steak, chops, or roasted meat or fowl of any kind ; remove all the gristle, skin and bone ; chop very fine or put through a meat-cutter; moisten with hot water, milk or gravy ; add a little butter if water is used, a dash of salt; heat very hot, and serve on slices of evenly toasted bread. Spread only a thin layer on the toast so it will look dainty and appetizing. HAMBURG STEAK. 1 Yi pounds of beef chopped 1 teaspoon salt. in a meat cutter. x/\ teaspoon pepper. 2 tablespoons water. Mix well together, form into small cakes, being careful to keep them light and fluffy. Do not patdown hard. Broil, or pan-broil, them. Have a strong heat the first few minutes to sear over the outside, to keep the juices in. After both sides are seared over finish cooking at a slower heat. BEEF LOAF. 2 pounds of ground beef. 1 teaspoon salt. 2 eggs broken into meat % teaspoon pepper. without beating. 1 teacup bread crumbs. Mix all together and form into a roll. Put into pan and dredge with flour. Over this pour boiling water, adding a tablespoon butter and bake in the oven \]/z hours, basting often. Then remove roll, and add 1 tablespoon flour mixed with a little cold water. Cook until thickened, finally adding milk, pepper and salt to taste. Sometimes for a change add a little salt pork ground in the cutter with the beef. First Aid to Good Cooking 131 SALMON LOAF. 1 pound of canned salmon. 1 tablespoonful of melted 3 eggs. butter. y2 cup of bread crumbs. 1 teaspoonful of salt. Drain and break the salmon into flakes with a fork, removing dark skin or bone, add the egg yolks well beaten, crumbs, butter, salt, beat thoroughly, then fold and cut in the stiff beaten whites of the eggs. Bake in moderate oven about 30 minutes. FISH BALLS. Boil about 5 potatoes, or enough to make 1 pint when mashed. When nearly done pour off most of the water and add half box of shredded codfish, after rinsing it in cold water. When potatoes have finished cooking drain off water, shake kettle over fire, mash, and beat very light ; add 2 level tablespoons of butter, 1 egg, and a little salt if needed ; form into balls, dip in flour, then into egg beaten with a little water, then into bread crumbs, and fry in deep fat until light brown. MEAT CROQUETTES.