The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-12-07
YOUR CHRISTMAS DINNER.
Hints for Its Selection and How to Cook

OYSTER SoUP.-Put into stewpan the
bot put in the oysters to scald but not
boil strain the liquor add three pints
of water, and simmer for half an hour.
In the meanwhile dissolve half an ounce
of gellatine in three pints of boiling
water after again straining the oyster
liquor, add the melted gellatine, with
salt, cayenne and mace, to taste ; bring
it to boil and add three tablespoonfuls
of butter rubbed in with one and one half
tablespoonfuls of -four, simmer for five
minutes, then stir in rapidly one pint
and half of boiling cream (sweet) or
good, new milk; pour the whole over
the oysters in the tureen and serve.
ROAST TURKEY.-Afterp plucking, singe.
ing, etc., cut off the neck close to the
back, but leave enough of the crop skin
to turn over; break the leg bone close
below the knee, draw out the strings
from the thighs, and Ifatten the breast
bone to make it look plump. Have
ready a stufing, and having filed the
breast and inside with this, draw the
skin together with trusting needle,
sewing the skin of the neck over upon
the back. (These threads should be
carefully removed before bringing the
bird to the table.) Lay the points of
the wings under the back, and fasten in
that position with skewer run through
both wings. Press the legs as closely
toward the breast and side bones as pos
sible and fasten with skewer run
through the body and both thighs. Bake
in steadily hot but not burning oven.
From two and one half to three hours
will be required for a large turkey.
Baste from time to time with butter.
Boil until very tender the gizzard,
heart, liver and neck of the turkey in
water enough to cover them. When
done save the liver for the gravy, and
mince finely the soft parts of the giz-
zard, etc., with quart of dried bread
crumbs, and add the water in which the
giblet3 were boiled; season with salt,
pepper, thyme, sweet majoriam, and q
little grated celery root. Mix thorough
ly, and bind the whole together with
three well beaten eggs.
GRAVY FOR THE TURKEY one
pint of brown soup stock, or the juice
from the dish in which the turkey was
baked, one small onion, half teaspoon
full of salt and little pepper, and SIM
mer gently until the onion is done /;
then add the liver either minced very
finely or rubbed to paste, and having
mixed teaspoonful of arrow root with
little cold water, pour it into the
gravy, which keep stirring. Then add
little Worcestershire sauce, let it boil
once and pour it into tho gravy tureen.
CHICKEN PIE.-Take from four to six
young chickens, according to the size Of
the baking dish to be filled, cut them
mp into joints ard put in stewpan
with hot water enough to cover them,
all onion, if liked, bunch of savory
herbs, end blade Of mace. Line
the sides OF deep earthen baking dish
with rich paste rolled quite thick.
When the chickens are about half done
take them from the stewpan, and lay in
the baking dish with few slices of
very nice pork, six or eight hard boiled
eggs, cut in rings, and little of the
water in which the chickens were cooked.
When the dish is full cover with rich
aud light puff paste rolled thick A hole
should be left in the center of the top,
which can be covered with an ornament
of paste. Bake from one to one and q
half hours. When about half done lay
a paper over the top to keep from burn
ing. For the gravy rub one tablespoon
full of flour with two ditto of butter !;
when smooth put in saucepan and pour
on the rest of the water in which the
chickens were cooked, stir one way over
the fire till smooth. When the pie is
done, remove the ornament from the
center, pour in the gravy and replace.
PASTRY SANDwIoHEs.-Good whole
some ones are thus prepared: Roll good
paste quite thin, and lay on baking
sheet or tin; spread on the paste apricot,
greengage, Or any preserve preferred;
lay over this another thin paste, press
together at the edges and mark the
paste in diagonal lines with knife, to
show where to cut it when baked
short time before it is done remove from
the oven, brush over with the white of
an egg, into which sift sugar, and put
back into the oven to color; when cold
cut into diamonds, pile pyramidically,
and serve hot or cold.
CRANBERRIEs should be put on the
fire with water enough to cover them,
with a pound of sugar to one of fruit |;
simmer slowly until the whole is re-
duced to ielly-like mass press into
molds which have been dipped in water.
When cold turn out on fiat plates OF
jelly stands.
APPLE CUsTARD TARTs.-Peel, core
and stem Spitzenburg or Greening apples
till they can be passed through sieve:
to one pound sifted apple add quarter
pound of butter rubbed with one pound
of powdered sugar, the grated rind of
lemon, and one grated nutmeg; beat Sc
parately the yolks and whites of eggs;
stir in with sugar, ETC., one quart of
sweet cream. and add to the whole the
beaten eggs beat well together and
pour into pie plates bordered or lined
with puff paste; bake in a moderate oven
until the custard has "set."
PUMPKIN PIEs.-Stew good sweet
pumpkin in water enough to keep from
burning until it can be passed through
a sieve add three pints of sweet cream
and nine beaten eggs, with sugar, mace,
nutmeg; and ginger. or grated lemon
rind enough to taste; border or line pie
plates with a nice paste and I'LL with the
mixture; bake in moderate oven for
of an hour.
CONNECTICUT INDIAN PUDDIKG.-Scald
three pints of new milk, and while hot
stir in seven tablespoonfuls of fine In
dian meal; let it stand till cool, and then
add half pound of stoned raisins, four
ounces of butter, spice and sugar to
taste, and seven well beaten eggs (; beat
all together, pour in deep baking dish,