Mary Jane's cook book

Wash the ham thoroughly, put in kettle with enough new sweet cider to almost cover. Cover the kettle tightly, put on a slow fire and leave for two hours. It should not boil. At the end of the 2 hours let it boil very slowly, allowing 15 minutes to a pound. Remove from fire and allow to remain in the cider till quite cold. Then skin the ham, removing the rind but none of the fat. Mix the bread crumbs with mustard, brown sugar, molasses, vinegar and butter. Spread the paste all over the ham, stick in cloves here and there, shake over a little pepper, dot with bits of butter and put in a hot oven. Baste with a cup of the cider. If it is impossible to use cider, boil the ham in water, using 1 cup of vinegar and 2 cups of sugar to each quart of water. MILK BAKED HAM. Raw ham, 1 thick slice. Mustard, 1 teaspoon. Sugar, 1 tablespoon. Milk, 1 cup. Mix thoroughly the sugar and mustard and rub well into the ham, lay in a deep granite ware or crockery pie dish, cover with milk and bake 1 hour. A. M., Bridgewater. BEEF A LA MODE. Beef, 3 pounds. Potatoes. Onions, 6. Salt. White turnips. Flour. Cold water. Use a cheap cut of beef, wash, put in roasting pan and sprinkle well with salt. Pare the onions and slice turnips thin, lay around the meat and pour the water over all. Bake 3 hours. Pare as many potatoes as desired and put in iy2 hours before serving. As the water cooks away add more. Thicken gravy with a little flour blended smooth in cold water. E. A. T., Boston. PLANKED STEAK. Heat plank very hot before using. Broil steak lightly on one side, then place broiled side down on plank, brush over with melted butter or olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and salt and lay plank on broiler of gas stove. Have low flame and broil slowly for about 15 minutes. Have ready freshly boiled potatoes, press through a ricer, season with salt, pepper and butter and moisten with cream. Beat with a fork until light. . Also have ready onions boiled in milk, spinach finely chopped and well seasoned, asparagus tips or cauliflower, baked stuffed tomatoes or peppers, peas and a good mushroom sauce. When steak is nearly done remove plank from oven, press potato through a pastry tube to form a border around edge of plank. Between this and the steak place the other vegetables neatly and over steak pour the mushroom sauce. Return to oven to heat through, allowing potatoes to brown slightly. Garnish with parsley or watercress and send to table on a large tray or platter. BEEFSTEAK SMOTHERED IN ONIONS. Broil or pan-broil the steak as usual. In the mean time peel and slice the onions and separate into rings. Melt a generous lump of butter in a frying pan and when hot put in the onions. Cook very slowly, uncovered. When well browned, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a tiny bit of sugar. Place steak on a hot platter and smother with onions, pouring on butter as well. ROAST BEEF. Wipe and trim meat, sear lean surface in hot dripping pan. Dredge with flour and salt and bake in a hot oven, allowing 12 minutes to a pound. Decrease the heat after 10 minutes. Baste frequently while cooking. Serve with Yorkshire pudding. LOIN OF VEAL.