The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-02-19
WHAT Snail the Children Eat.

IrOVldlng JnaJ many cnlluren canuoo
and will not eat oatmeal, Graham and
rice, except at rare intervals, it becomes
a study what to substitute that may fur
nish material for the growth of their
unresting little bodies and brains. Too
often the noon lunch is made of rem
nants of cake, sauce and pie, instead OF
one or two nourishing dishes in which
a child's preferences should be INDUCED
as far as may be heaithful. In one home
this is made the children's special need,
lust as the later dinner is planned to
subserve in particular the greeds and
tastes of the head of the house. Moth
ing has been of greater service to us
than the often misunderstood and mu-
tilated bean. Cooked in simple way,
not borrowed from cook-books, it has
contributed largely to the growth OF
young forms that have both strength
and endurance, and minds that are
quick, alert and take "learning" almost
like inspiration. Before breakfast wash
a quart of the best white beans; put
them over the fire in tin pan with
plenty of boiling water and lump OF
soda. Let them just come to a good
boil, then drain off this water and add
fresh boiling water to cover them about
an inch deep or more, and tablespoon
of salt. Cover them and move them back
on the range to where they will only just
simmer, adding water if needed. Two
hours before noon add a large tablespoon
of sugar, saltspoon of pepper and
piece of butter twice as large as an egg,
or an equal amount of good beef gravy.
Caa1- elD INV hA,,r, 1OY
and let them be full of juiciness or gravy
when taken up-never cooked down
dry and mealy. Let us here remark
that older ones in the family prefer
beans prepared thus to any Bos-
ton baked beans or bean porridge
known to the descendants of Mother
Goose. The hostess or landlady who
would hesitate TO present at her table a
dish of plebeian white beans, will find
that the more assuming dark-hued kid
ney bean is delicious cooked in the
same way. In the race of beans "color"
is passport where their paier brethren
must stand aloof. The black beans,
however, are apt to be too rich for
children, which brings us back to our
subject. Highly seasoned or variously
favored soups do not find favor with
them like clear strained stock made
from soup-bone simmered four or five
hours, and seasoned only with salt and
mere suggestion of pepper and onion.
Give them small crackers to float i'll it.
One little boy furnishes Imagination for
the feast, and "plays" that his dish of
soup is the ocean. his crackers islands
or sail boats and his spoon big ship
searching for Robinson Crusoe. Or his
saucer of oatmeal is snow-covered
mountain, with rivulets of milk down
its sides for snow-slides and glaciers, or
streams of berry juice for molten lava,
etc. Fancies like these have almost as
much power TO give a charmed relish
to food as the carefully cooked viands
themselves. If bread is little stale
make Queens toast of it. Cut it into
half slices, not very thin, and dip into
two eggs beaten up with q large cup OF
milk and half teaspoonful of salt.
Lay it on a hot buttered griddle and
brown it nicely on both sides. If any
addition is desired, little sugar or
canned fruit spread over it will answer
nicely. French toast may be made by
spreading the slices of hot dry toast
with beef or chicken gravy; pile them
up and set in the oven till the gravy is
absorbed. Milk toast slightly thick
ened and sailed is another much relished
lunch. Little corn-meal or Graham
gems are fancied for their cunning
shape when the large brown loaf might
not be ttractive.-M To, IN Christian
Union.