Harper's cook book encyclopædia

used, but the ordinary, old-fashioned stuffing for a turkey is generally liked. Take the soft part of good, light bread (not the crust), and do not wet it, as is usually done, but rub it dry and fine, and work into it a piece of butter the size of an egg. Season with salt, pepper, and summer-savory. Add to this a dozen or more oysters, whole, and it will be very fine. Some cooks add to the stuffing large chestnuts boiled in a saucepan to burst the skins ; they are then boiled in very salt water or stock ; then mixed with the stuffing whole. See also Force-meats. Turkey, Chestnut Stuffing for. — Take as many sound chestnuts as will completely fill the body of the bird. Make a small gash with a sharp knife in the outer skin to keep them from bursting, throw them into plenty of fast-boiling water, and let them boil until soft. Drain and dry them, and peel off the outer and the inner skin ; look them over carefully, and reject any decayed or mouldy nuts. Fill the turkey’s crop with good veal force - meat, afterwards fill the body of the bird with the boiled chestnuts and the liver, and sew it up securely. Put it down to roast, and baste liberally. Serve with brown gravy, and either bread sauce or onion sauce. The brown sauce may be made with the turkey giblets as follows : Mince the heart and gizzard, and let them simmer gently for an hour or more. Skim the liquor, strain it, thicken with a little brown thickening, and season with pepper and salt. Add a glassful of claret — which may be omitted if not desired — and a table- spoonful of mushroom catsup ; let it boil a minute or two, and it will be ready for serving. Time to roast the turkey, an hour and a half to two hours and a half, according to size. See Gravies. Prairie Chicken. See Grouse, under Game. See Cakes. Prawns in Shells, See Fish. Poultry, Gravy for. Pound Cake. Apple Butter PRESERVES, ETC Apple Butter PRESERVES, JAMS, MARMALADES, FRUIT JELLIES, ETC. First of all the range fire should be permitted to go out and a gas-stove, or one for gasoline, or even kerosene, substituted. The expense of one of these is small, and it will be saved in the cost of coal and wood in a few days’ time, while the saving of exhaustion from heat is incalculable. Then, if you have old-fashioned cans with metal tops, you will do well to lay in a supply of the newer ones, which have the glass covers and the tighter and simpler fastenings ; the old ones need not be thrown away, but kept for the richest of the preserved fruit, which is not hurt by a possible admission of air. Next, see to your rubbers. Economy here is impossible, for, once used, every rubber loses its elasticity and becomes untrustworthy ; have a new band for every can. The preserving-kettle should be of iron, porcelain lined; the agate ones sometimes used are better than tin, certainly, but they, too, may burn, while the iron will not. Have several wooden spoons, a wooden pestle — a potato-masher will do — a cup with an easy handle, pans for holding sugar, and a simple and accurate scale for weighing, and your utensils are ready. Home-made preserves are both a convenience and a luxury. They require time and labor at the warmest season of the year, but when well made they are superior to those bought at the stores, and much more economical.