Metropolitan cook book

MEASUREMENTS Much good food is spoiled in cooking. In order to have good results in cooking, reliable recipes should be followed accurately. Correct measurements are absolutely necessary to insure successful results. A FEW GENERAL RULES Sift flour, meal, powdered sugar, confectioners' sugar and soda before measuring. Mustard and baking-powder are apt to settle in the can, and therefore should be stirred to lighten before measuring. Salt lumps easily, and the lumps should be broken before measuring. Dry materials, such as flour, should be measured lightly with a scoop or spoon, and not packed hard into the measure. Every household should have measuring cups, measuring tablespoons and teaspoons on hand. All the recipes in this book call for level or flat measurements. To measure butter, lard, or any kind of fat, pack solidly into the cup or spoon and make level with a knife. If the fat is very hard, it may be softened by leaving it in a warm place for awhile, or it may be cut into small pieces before measuring it. To measure a spoonful of any dry material, dip the spoon into it, fill it, lift it and level it with a knife. For a half spoonftxl, divide lengthwise. For a quarter of a spoonful, divide the half crosswise. For an eighth of a spoonful, divide the quarter diagonally. Less than one-eighth of a teaspoonf ul is considered a f ewgrains. A cupful of liquid is all the cup will hold. A teaspoonful or tablespoonful is all the spoon will hold. Note. — It will be found that a heaping teaspoonful of dry material, such as baldt _ powder, is the same as 4 or 5 level teaspoonfuls. Housewives who are not in the habit of usingJ level measurements are apt to think that recipes caUing for level measurements require more| material than those liiat they have been using. EQUIVALENTS 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon 2f cups powdered sugar equal 1 lb. 4 tablespoons equal I cup 3 2 cups confectioners' sugar equal 1 lb.] 2 cups equal 1 pint 2 cups milk equal 1 pound 2 pints equal 1 quart 2 cups butter equal 1 pound 4 quarts equal 1 gallon 2 cups finely chopped suet equal 1 lb. 4 cups of flour equal 1 pound 2 cups chopped meat equal 1 pounc' 4 cups entire wheat flour equal 1 lb. 3 cups raisins equal 1 pound 3 cups (scant) cornmeal equal 1 lb. 4i cups of coffee equal 1 pound 2| cups oatmeal equal 1 pound 2 1-7 cups pearl tapioca equal 1 lb. 6 cups rolled oats equal 1 pound H cups instant tapioca equal 10 oz. 4| cups rye meal equal 1 pound 1| cups minute tapioca equal 10 oz. 2 cups rice equal 1 pound 40 small prunes equal 1 pound 2 cups granulated sugar equal 1 28 large prunes equal 1 pound pound 75 apricot pieces equal 1 pound 2 1 cups brown sugar equal 1 pound 3 large bananas equal 1 pound BREAKFAST DISHES BREAKFAST DISHES FRUIT CEREAL MIXTURES MILK Europeans are in the habit of serving much simpler breakfasts than Americans. The breakfast should be filling and satisfying to start the day well. A few well-cooked dishes served at one time always make a more wholesome meal than when a great variety is served. It is a good plan to serve some kind of fruit for breakfast. This may be fresh fruit, when it is in season and plentiful and not too expensive, or it may be dried fruit, which has been stewed.