Metropolitan cook book

soaked overnight 1 red pepper, cut in strips 1 tablespoon vinegar 2 cups beef, chopped § onion, sliced Tomatoes to cover 1 teaspoon salt Arrange ingredients in layers in a bean pot. Cover with water and bake slowly 3 or 4 hours. RED BEANS Red beans may be cooked as lima beans. They may be served in white sauce, tomato or meat-stock sauce. RED BEANS, SPANISH STYLE 4 cup cooked red beans 2 tablespoons suet or oil 1 teaspoon salt i cup cooked carrot 1 sliced onion Few grains pepper 1 cup cooked beef, cubed ^ tablespoon sugar 2 cups boiling water 1 chili, finely chopped Brown the onion and meat in the suet or oil; add all the ingredients, and cook slowly until water is nearly evaporated. Serve with boiled rice or boiled chestnuts. STEWED RED BEANS WITH BACON "Wash and soak red beans in cold water from 12 to 48 hours. To I cup of beans use J pound of bacon. Put bacon into a saucepan — add 1 carrot and 1 onion cubed and the soaked beans; cover with cold water, bring to boiling point and simmer one hour, or until beans are tender (^ teaspoon soda may be added just as they are put over the fire). Drain and remove skin from beans. Taste and season. Serve hot. BAKED BEANS 1 quart beans I teaspoon mustard I teaspoon salt I pound salt fat pork or vegetable oil f cup molasses Pick over and wash beans; cover with cold water and soak overnight. In the morning, drain, cover with fresh water and cook slowly below boiling point until soft, then drain. Put j-inch slices of salt pork fat in the bottom of an earthern bean pot or covered crock. Put beans in pot and bury the remaining pork (which should be gashed in several places) in the beans. Mix the salt, mustard and molasses in a cup; fill the cup with boiling water and pour the mixture over the beans. Add enough more boiling water to cover beans. Cover bean pot, put in oven, and bake in a moderate oven 8 hours. If baked a long time, they become dark and have a rich flavor. One cup oil may be used instead of the pork. VEGETABLES 43 VEGETABLES Vegetables should be used generously in our daily meals. They are chiefly valuable for the pure water and mineral matter they contain, which act as a tonic in our bodies. They contain cellulose or wood fiber, which stimulates the digestive organs to carry on their work. The cellulose stimulates the intestines so that their contents are kept constantly moving. Some vegetables contain starch, sugar and other substances. Peas, beans and lentils will take the place of meat. Spinach is rich in iron, etc. It is well to eat many different kinds of vegetables in order to supply the body with the different kinds of mineral matter and acids they contain. ^ BUYING VEGETABLES In buying vegetables, choose those that are in season and plentiful. Potatoes. — Never buy sprouted potatoes. To test potatoes, cut one in halves, and if they are juicy enough to stick together the potato is good. Cabbage. — Select those that are hard and heavy, with crisp, white leaves. Winter Squash. — Select those that are medium-sized with no soft spots. Summer Squash.^ — Select those that are light yellow in color, with the shell so tender that it can be broken with the finger nail. Summer Carrots. — See that the leaves are green and fresh.