Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-30

| lINTS

year.
For the house mother, who Is at heart
conscientious, faithful and true as steel in
all big things. there are no great statutory
faults TO be confessed and uprooted. but Oh!
what an infnitude of the little foxes that
spoil the symmetry of the pleasant house
hold vines! Impatience. nagginess. nerves
and worry false pride, extravaganza, dis
order, dnatoriness. white lies and predi-
lection for Idle gossip that puts one in the
same boat with the Navajo woman whose
name is a reproach to her "Esthana Chuth-
~" 1.-The woman who talks too much. For
funately no one of us has all these Iaults
of a "patty pam order to combat, else we
might give UP in despair. AS II is, let US
each look our own special failing square IN
the eye, determined that the New Y ear shaii
find US striving after better things. so
let us grasp with energy the homely, ev-
ery-day, practical possibilities within our
power, and count that we have done no
small thing toward the general good When
in a cleanly, honest home, living WITHIN
our incomes, are bringing up our chill
dren In love and wholesome simplicity Let
us make our small neighborhood bright with
cheerful energy, and II the world moves on
ward. let rejoice that our shoulder is
pressed against the wheel OF Its progress
with lffe-giving force. Not woman OF
us all but has her work to do. Let US do
Il with a will
While New Years festivities have changed
very much in fashion during the last quar-
ter of a century, the old, old custom OF
watch night or reveillon. is now, as ever.
almost universally observed. New Years
eve falling on Sunday this year the usual
gayetles will have TO go over until Mon
day, but that will afford all the better
chance for attending the beautiful church
services, which usher in the New Year.
Even in the gay whirl of Partisan life, all
classes and grades of people make point
of attending the impressive midnight serv-
Ices, stopping ali gayeties to worship and
40 in unison.
For the New Year Dinner.-On New Year
day the menu for the family dinner is apt
to have a less conventional makeup than
either the Thanksgiving or Christmas din
ner. Descendants of the Old Dutch fam
flies like to recall the past by serving GER
tain old kniCkerbocker dishes on this day,
but to others of different nationalities, al
most any good dinner will he appropriate
With all the wealth of a continent to draw
from in fish flesh fruit and fowl. to say
nothing of importations from the utter
most ends of the earth, the only difficulty
is the bewldering variety from which to
choose.
Wassail Eow1.-The old custom of wassail
bowl. originating in ancient Saxon times
when the skull of an enemy served as tank
ard, is perpetuated here in the punch bowl.
This fine old custom of pledging one an
other in cup is a pleasant one to keep
alive. If one has conscientious scruples
against the use of liquor there are a num-
Der of delicious temperance drinks that can
be offered to any caller, young or old, with
Inpunlty, sure OF no aftermath of head
aches or regrets.
Fruit Punch.-Make a syrup by boiling
a pound of sugar with cup of water for
ten minutes. Have ready in the punch
noWl the juice Of five oranges and four
lemons, one orange sliced thin, q can of
shredded pineapple, cupful of freshly
oreWed tea Infusion Pour the syrup over
thls mixture and let it stand until cool:
7hen add cup Maraschino cherries two
sliced bananas, cup of California grapes,
cut in halves and seeded. a quart of mineral
"dteI ana cold water enough to make six
quarts OF liquid In all. Serve with ice in
punch bow. wreathed with holly
Lemon Ginger Punch-This is usually
served as a refreshing summer drink at
afternoon teas, but may be utilized at this
season II little fresh mint can be pro-
cured. Make a strong lemonade, allowing
hVe lemons and cupful of sugar to each
quart of water Roll the lemons and slice
ana let the sugar stand on them an hour
before adding the water Put into the
punch bowl, together with ginger ale. al
lowing quart for quart. Have ready some
stems or fresh mint, and bruise the leaves
ana stems between the fingers so as to
brlng out the bouquet Add these tn the
punch twenty minutes before serving
Els Schokolade decd ChocoIate). Make
the chocolate in the usual way allowing a
heaplng teaspoonful to each cup boiling
milk. Stir the chocolate with little boil
Ing water until smooth and shiny before
adding the full amount. Cook five minutes
sweetening a little sweeter than usual
ID VI Will Vanilla extract ana q lit
Tie cinnamon, then cool. When as cold as
ice water, pour into the punch bowl cover
with whipped cream, sweetened and flavor
ed, whip with Dover egg beater until
light and foamy, and serve in glasses or
chocolate cups.
Tea Punch.-Make a strong infusion OF
English breakfast tea. allowing a teaspoon
ful TO each cup Of boiling water. For
quart of tea, mix one-half cup of sugar
with little water and cook in a small
saucepan until II spins a thread. Remove
from the fire and add to the strained tea
and the juice of lemon. When chilled
add Cupful of claret and a tablespoonful
of curacao, or, preferably instead of the
wine, the same amount of fruit juices
orange, lemon and pineapple. This should
be added while the sirup is hot Some OF
the sliced fruit may also be left in.
Chocolate Chips-These are delightful TO
serve at afternoon teas. Beat one-half cup
ful OF butter to a cream, adding gradually
one Cupful graduated sugar beating all the
time. Beat two eggs light without separat-
ing. add TO the butter and sugar then stir
in four tablespoonfuls melted cocoa, one
teaspoonful of vanilla and about a cupful
of flour, enough to make soft batter
Have ready some narrow creased pans and
pour IN thin layers of the batter. Bake
quickly. As soon as removed from the
oven. brush over with beaten egg and cut
in narrow strips.
Chocolate Chips Quick Process) This Is
a rule given by Miss Helen Louise Johnson
before the domestic science department or
the brooklyn institute. Melt four IL BILE
spoonfuls of cocoa, sweeten to taste add
as much corn starch as Will cover the tip
of teaspoon, spread the mixture on sal
tines and bake a few minutes in the oven.
Mashed Potatoes.-That there are mashed
potatoes and mashed potatoes. all the world
knows. To prepare them just as they
should be, allow to each pint of hot boiled
potatoes, one tablespoonful of butter, hair
a teaspoonfu OF salt, q quarter of Il tea
spoonful OF pepper. and hot milk or cream
to moisten Mash in the kettle in which
they were boiled then beat with fork
until light and creamy. If not quite ready
10 serve, set the kettle in a larger pan or
hot water on the back of the range until
time 10 serve. Turn out lightly on hot
dish but never smooth them over as did
our grandmothers, as that makes the po-
tato heavy and compact.
Frozen Plum Pudding-Cook together one
cup each sugar and water until the strip
begins to thread. Scald and chill or whip
one pint cream. Soak level tablespoonful
OF gelatine in two tablespoonfuls milk and
water. Beat the yolks of four eggs until
lemon colored and thick. then stir into the
cooked sirup returning TO the fire to cook
until thick. Beat until cool, add the gela-
tine and beat again until thick. Fold the
cream in, add one-half cup seeded raisins
and one cup ground or chopped almonds,
TO-