Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-01-28
A Family Dinner.


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A Family Dinner.
AND WHAT TO DO WITH THE SCRAPS.
There IS a vast difference between
the poetry and prose of housekeeping,
as our correspondent Of last week is
finding out, and she is not the only one.
There are hosts of young housekeepers,
for whom inxpsrience turns the kitchen
into valley ofhumiliation. Who shall
count the difficulties and dilemmas, the
disappointments and discouragements
that Turk in refractory stoves, that lie
hidden in the four-barrel, that meet at
every step and turn; only they who
have encountered them. have walk
ed that valley myself, down 10 its low
est level and l know, that by.and-by
the rough places will grow smooth, and
life will not be simply series Of catas-
trophies. Then the difficulties Of roast
and boiled Will have been surmounted,
the bread will rise to ones expectations
and the occasion, and the scars of VIC
tory in the shape ofburnt fingers will
not be daily renewed; but even then,
there will be problems and perplexi-
ties.
Poverty must pinch and scrimp, and
irugality have an eye 10 the cheesepar-
ings and candle.ends, even Mrs. Mill
ionaire cannot conscientiOusly shut her
eyes 10 extravaganza and mismanage-
ment.
How TO utilize yesterdays fragments
in constructing to-day's dinner, is a
problem that puzzles many besides
Young housekeepers, especially when
dainty appetites are to be pleased. BE
ones purse deep Or shallow, and the
family tastes never so capricious, pieces
of cold meat, scraps Of bread and the
ike, are stubborn and uncompromising
facts, with which thrift and economy
must struggle, but fortunately, hash and
stew are not the alterations. The toll
lowing bill of fare aud some suggestions
concerning the odds and ends are gwen
in compliance with the request made
last week. Others will be published as
often as convenient.
Onion Soup J
Boiled ler Of mutton; caper sauce;
Mashed potatoes baked tomatoes
Celery
Apple dumphngs; hard sauce,
ONION SOUP.
. Peel'four medium sized onions and
but them to cook in cold water; let par
boil for ten minutes the drain the wo-
ter of and when cool, slice and put
them into two quarts of cold water.
Cook until the onions are soft enough
to rub through the colander, when there
should be about three puts OF soup.
Return this 10 the fire IN a clean sauce
pan and add four boiled potatoes
rubbed through the colander and mixed
with a pint OF rich milk and large ia
blespooniul of butter. Season to taste
with salt and white pepper and put in a
tablespoonful Of chopped parsley five
minutes before serving, Fry some tiny
diamonds of stale read, drain them and
have ready in the tureen, then pour the
soup over them and serve, always re-
membering that soSp cannot be comfort
ably eaten when boiling hot. Use less
water and more milk If you choose, and
have the soup when done about like
thick cream.
BOILED LEG OF MUTTON.
For boiling, 1t is best 10 have mutton
that has not been long killed. Tie it in
apiece Of thin muslin or tarletan. 1t
will keep it in good shape and free from
scum. Place it in the empty kettle and
pour boiling water from the teaskettle
directly over the meat. Be sure to have
plenty so that the meat will be well
covered, When it bolls skim thorough
ly and repeat the skiruming until the
water is clear: Keep the kettle close
" covered and the water boiling stead
Ty but not turiously. When half done
add little salt, not enough to spoil
broth, A medium sized log Of mutton
will REQUIRE three hours moderate cook
ing, If young and tender fifteen to the
pound Will be sufficient. When done,
remove the cloth, sprinkle the meat
with a little salt and rub the surface
with butter, then set in the open oven
for only minute before serving.
CAPER SAUCE.
Put cup Of the liquor in which the
meat was boiled, with cup Of sweet
milk in the double. boiler. Rub a table
spoonful Of butter with an equal guam
tity of Peerless eorn-starch. and stir it
into the hot broth and milk. Continue
stirring until the mixture thichens, af-
ter which put in another tablespoonful
of butter cut into bits. Add salt and
n tablespoonful Of capers, let just come
to boil and serve in sauce boat.Nas-
turIium seed answer very well instead
Of capers, andlf neither are at hand
slice couple of hard boiled eggs into
the sauce.
MASHED POTATOES.
Peel and take out the eyes carefully.
Put the potatoes into boiling water, well
sailed, and cooked until just done, then
turn off the water and set them on the
back Of the stove 10 dry out. Have
some sweet milk and a generous lump
Of butter heating in tin cup while you
mash the potatoes 10 bright tin-pan