Lessons in cooking through preparation of meals

Cream 3^ c butter and i c sugar thoroughly, add i egg and beat all well. Add alternately ^ c milk or water, and 2 c flour with which 2 t baking powder have been sifted. Mix all well, then add enough more flour to roll, from i to 2 c according to the kind of flour used. Roll out the dough to about ^ inch in thickness, sprinkle with granulated sugar, cut with a cooky cutter, and bake in a hot oven. Mince Meat 2 lbs. chopped meat 2 T salt I lb. suet 3 T cinnamon 3 lbs. raisins 2 t mace 3 lbs. currants 2 t powdered cloves 2^2 lbs. brown sugar 4 lemons (grated rind and lys cups molasses juice) 3 qts. chopped apples I piece (a quarter) of citron, I qt. meat liquor shredded fine Cook about 2^/2 lbs. of the round, flank or shoulder of beef m lyi qts. water till tender, saving the liquor. Chop or grind the meat fine, being careful to remove all gristle. If the meat is very fat use less suet. Mix ingredients in the order given and cook slowly until the fruit is tender. When done add i qt. sweet cider. Store in stone jars in a cool place. Add more cider when using if it is not sufficiently moist. Half glasses of jelly, syrup from pickled peaches, bits of preserves, etc., may be added to the mince meat. SUPPLEMENTARY RECIPES 429 Mince Pie Fill a shallow plate lined with plain paste with mince meat, cover with an upper crust made either of plain or puff paste, and bake in a moderate oven. Apple Pie Line a deep pie plate with plain paste (see page 130). Pare, core and cut 4 or 5 sour apples into eighths, and spread on the plate until filled. Mix ^ c sugar, ^ t nut- ^^Sf yk t salt, I t lemon juice, and a few gratings of lemon rind together and sprinkle over the apples. Dot with i t butter. Wet the edges of the lower crust, put on the upper crust, and press the edges well together. Cut a few slashes in the upper crust to allow steam to escape and bake 40 to 45 m in a moderate oven. If desired the butter, lemon juice and rind may be omitted and cinnamon substituted for the nutmeg. Also dried apples which have been soaked for 12 h or more may be used in place of the fresh fruit. Pumpkin Pie Pare and cut into small pieces sufficient pumpkin, and steam until tender, or about i h. For each pie put enough pumpkin through a colander to make i^ c pulp. To this add y^ c brown sugar, i t cinnamon, ^ t ginger, 3^ t salt, 2 beaten eggs, 13^ c milk and 3^ c cream. Mix well together, and pour into a pie plate lined with plain paste. Do not use an upper crust. Bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set and the crust browned. Care must be taken that the oven is not too hot, as the custard is then apt to curdle. Squash Pie may be made with this recipe. Puff Paste Wash I pound of butter, patting all the water out of it. Into 4 c sifted pastry flour work 2 T butter, then add enough ice water to make a paste. Toss onto a floured board and roll out to 34 "ich in thickness, keeping the paste oblong in shape. Spread generously with y^ of the remaining butter. Fold, bringing the upper half over to the center, then the lowei half up to the center, then the right side, then the left, each brought to the center ; then double. Place