The domestic wheels ran smoothly. A
neighbor who needed a little extra money came
in early every morning, filled the lamps and
put the front of the house in order from top
to bottom. This being vacation, the Head of
the House was gardener and out-door man;
the Crown Prince, measuring eighteen years,
six feet and one inch, attended to the floors
and windows, while the Youngest Member
waited upon table and took care of the dishes.
I reigned supreme in the kitchen, having at
this late date, I confess it to my shame, just
discovered that the theater tickets for which I
had longed; books which the Head of the
House had coveted; sundry sorts of luxuries
and pleasures which we had denied ourselves,
had been carried out the back door in the
kitchen waste.
24 COMFORT OF THE FAMILY
Now an elaborate system of accounts would
whiten my hair and turn the edge of my tem-
per, but I keep a card index box in the kitchen
in which I register every cent spent in that de-
partment. In these days, when food prices are
emulating the aviators in their skyward flights,
the housekeeper who does not cater on a stipu-
lated allowance is steering her domestic ship
straight for financial reefs.
Every week has its day of reckoning; the
day when, I realize that I must slow up or the
week's appropriation will be spent before its
time; 'tis then that I play that absorbingly
interesting game "Use What You Have."
To play fairly one cannot open an expensive
can of something, which if credited will make
a big hole in the week's expenditure, but one
must use one's imagination, skill and ingenuity
in fashioning into tempting meals the provi-
sions on hand.
For instance, suppose that my larder offers
only cold lamb. Lacking the courage to serve
it again "as is," I cut it into as uniform pieces
as possible, place these in a baking dish with
alternate layers of cooked macaroni and over
RECKONING-DAY DISHES 26
each layer pour tomato sauce. The top is cov-
ered with buttered crumbs and the dish is then
heated in the oven till the sauce bubbles around
the edges.
Or perchance I line a mold with rice which
has been boiled in salted water, fill the cavity
with lamb which has been chopped and mixed
with enough brown sauce and mushrooms to
make it quite moist. Cover the top with rice,
cover this with a plate, set the mold in hot
water in the oven and bake until the mixture
has been thoroughly heated. Unmold on a lace
paper doily, garnish with sprays of parsley,
and the result will be both tempting and de-
licious.
Left-over beef is most palatable made into
a loaf. Soak one tablespoon of gelatine in
one-half cup of cold water ten minutes. Heat
three-quarters cup of well-seasoned stewed to-
matoes to boiling and pour over the gelatine,
stirring well till gelatine is dissolved. Have
ready two cups chopped and seasoned meat
mixed with one tablespoon of lemon juice; stir
the tomato into the meat mixture and mold in
an earthen dish.
26 COMFORT OF THE FAMILY
Page 4
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The domestic wheels ran smoothly. A neighbor who needed a little extra money came in early every morning, filled the lamps and put the front of the house in order from top to bottom. This being vacation, the Head of the House was gardener and out-door man; the Crown Prince, measuring eighteen years, six feet and one inch, attended to the floors and windows, while the Youngest Member waited upon table and took care of the dishes. I reigned supreme in the kitchen, having at this late date, I confess it to my shame, just discovered that the theater tickets for which I had longed; books which the Head of the House had coveted; sundry sorts of luxuries and pleasures which we had denied ourselves, had been carried out the back door in the kitchen waste.
Now an elaborate system of accounts would whiten my hair and turn the edge of my temper, but I keep a card index box in the kitchen in which I register every cent spent in that department. In these days, when food prices are emulating the aviators in their skyward flights, the housekeeper who does not cater on a stipulated allowance is steering her domestic ship straight for financial reefs.
Every week has its day of reckoning; the day when, I realize that I must slow up or the week's appropriation will be spent before its time; 'tis then that I play that absorbingly interesting game "Use What You Have."
To play fairly one cannot open an expensive can of something, which if credited will make a big hole in the week's expenditure, but one must use one's imagination, skill and ingenuity in fashioning into tempting meals the provisions on hand.
For instance, suppose that my larder offers only cold lamb. Lacking the courage to serve it again "as is," I cut it into as uniform pieces as possible, place these in a baking dish with alternate layers of cooked macaroni and over
each layer pour tomato sauce. The top is covered with buttered crumbs and the dish is then heated in the oven till the sauce bubbles around the edges.
Or perchance I line a mold with rice which has been boiled in salted water, fill the cavity with lamb which has been chopped and mixed with enough brown sauce and mushrooms to make it quite moist. Cover the top with rice, cover this with a plate, set the mold in hot water in the oven and bake until the mixture has been thoroughly heated. Unmold on a lace paper doily, garnish with sprays of parsley, and the result will be both tempting and delicious.
Left-over beef is most palatable made into a loaf. Soak one tablespoon of gelatine in one-half cup of cold water ten minutes. Heat three-quarters cup of well-seasoned stewed tomatoes to boiling and pour over the gelatine, stirring well till gelatine is dissolved. Have ready two cups chopped and seasoned meat mixed with one tablespoon of lemon juice; stir the tomato into the meat mixture and mold in an earthen dish.