Miss Parloa's kitchen companion

* Reserve half a cupful of milk from a quart, and put the remainder into a double-boiler on the stove. Mix four large table-spoonfuls of corn-starch and a teaspoonful of salt with the half -cupful of milk ; stir into the boiling milk, and beat well for two minutes. Cover the boiler, and let the pudding cook for twelve minutes ; then pour it into a pudding-dish, and set it in a cool place for half an hour. At serving-time make the sauce in this way : Beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff, dry froth, and beat into this two table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar ; as soon as the sugar is mixed with the whites, add half a large tumbler of currant or any other bright jelly ; or any kind of preserved fruit may be used. Sugar and cream are good and popular accompaniments of corn-starch pudding. * Rice Caramel Pudding. For this pudding use one cupful of rice, one quart and two gills of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, two eggs, one stick of cinnamon, and half a cupful of sugar. Wash the rice in three waters, and soak in cold water for two hours ; then drain off all the water, and put the rice in the double-boiler with the milk and cinnamon. Cook for two hours. Put the sugar into a small frying-pan, and stir until it turns brown and becomes liquid. Instantly pour this liquid into a three-pint mould that has been warmed on the back part of the range. Turn the mould round so as to coat all parts of it with the sugar. The liquid hardens quickly, and the work must be done rapidly, or the sugar will not spread. Now add to the rice the salt and the two eggs, well beaten, and stir well. Pack this mixture in the sugar-lined mould. Cover the mould, and after placing it in a pan of hot water, set it in the oven. Bake for half an hour. On taking the pudding from the oven, let it stand for ten minutes ; then turn out on a flat dish. Serve with a soft custard. The pudding is to be served hot and the sauce cold. Flavor the custard with vanilla. * Plain Rice Pudding. Wash half a cupful of rice in three waters, and soak it in cold water for two hours. Drain off the water, and add a level teaspoonful of salt, a slight grating of nutmeg, two table-spoonfuls of sugar, half a cupful of stoned raisins, and one quart of milk. Cook in a very moderate oven for two hours, stirring twice in the first half-hour. At the end of two hours add half a pint of cold milk ; stir well, and cook for an hour longer. Serve in the dish in which it is cooked. * Boiled Rice Pudding. Wash a cupful of rice in three waters, and, putting it into a double-boiler containing two cupfuls of cold water, cook it for half an hour ; then add a quart of milk and a teaspoonful of salt, and cook for two hours longer. Serve with sugar and cream. When there are children in the family it is a good plan to put a cupful of raisins into the cold water with the rice. The fruit is healthful, and makes the pudding more attractive and toothsome. * Minute Pudding. The materials are : one pint of boiling water, a pint and a half of milk, half a pint of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of salt, and two eggs.