For the comfort of the family

And those meals! Simple, perhaps, but so delicious. Some of the recipes I procured, but having been cooking for weeks for a hungry horde I felt as I read the amount of the ingredients that I had a prescription for bird feed. There was a delicious celery soup made by cooking one stalk of celery which had been chopped in two-thirds cup of milk in double boiler twenty minutes, then thickened with one-half tablespoon of butter and three-quarters tablespoon of flour which had been cooked together. The mixture was then cooked one minute, seasoned with salt and pepper, and served with a floating island of whipped cream. One day, as the tray for the Princess was OUR INVALID NEIGHBOR 71 being carried by, I caught the aroma of oysters. Oysters in shells had been used. These had been washed and scrubbed, then placed on rock salt in a tin pan, so that the shells would not tip. They were then baked in a hot oven till the shells opened. The flat side of shell was removed, leaving oysters in the deeper half. These were arranged on a napkin in a soup plate and each oyster was dressed with melted butter to which had been added a few drops of lemon juice, salt and paprika. Three fresh, tempting mushrooms which the Youngest Member discovered in the pasture were sautéed in butter three minutes, then covered with hot cream and served around an egg timbale. This was made by melting one teaspoon of butter to which was added one teaspoon of flour, and when smooth one-fourth cup of scalded milk. When this sauce was cold the yolk of one egg was added and the mixture beaten two minutes, after which the white of the egg beaten till stiff was folded in and one-eighth teaspoon of salt was added. This was turned into a buttered mold, set in a pan of hot water, and baked in slow oven till firm. I have tried this same timbale surrounded by fresh green peas or asparagus tips and it is equally delicious. Then there was a tempting cake of chopped beef which had been cooked on a hot griddle for five minutes and was served in a little pool of its own succulent juice, which had been lightly seasoned with salt, pepper and melted butter. Sometimes there- is creamed chicken in a halo of delicately browned mashed potato ; with this is served a tiny mold of currant jelly or a tempting lettuce sandwich. The salads are of the daintiest. There is one made by arranging the delicate green leaves of lettuce in nest shape. In the heart of this snuggle three egg-shaped balls of cream cheese — ^which have been mixed with cream and tinted with vegetable coloring until the delicate hue of a bird's egg — ^flecked with paprika. Over it is poured French dressing. Another tempting salad is made by taking two sections each of grapefruit and orange, removing the membranous covering and laying them alternately on a bed of tender lettuce. Outline the top of each section with a tiny OUR INVALID NEIGHBOR 78 thread of pimiento and pour over it French dressing. Brown a saltine, which has been buttered, in the oven and when crisp pile on it lightly cream cheese which has been mixed with cream. In the center place half an olive and serve with the salad. One day while serving ice cream — to which had been added, before the final packing, chopped preserved marrons and a dash of sherry — I had an inspiration. I filled a miniature stein with the ice cream, heaped whipped cream on the top, and sent the foaming tankard to the Princess across the way.