Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-12-06
SIMPLE CHRISTMAS
GIFTS PLEASE MOST
BY NELLIE MAXWELL,
Department of Farmers Institutes of
the University of Wisconsin.

Department of Farmers Institutes OF
the University of Wisconsin.
The commonplace things to the peO-
pie of small towns and country dwell
ers may be luxuries to those who live
in cities. City stores seem to hold
endless resources for Christmas shop
| ping if one might buy all that was de-
sired, yet look about at your very
doors you will find gifts which will
please and delight the friends who live
in cities.
| One of the pleasing gifts which
many might enjoy and cannot obtain
are fine Christmas trees for the table
centerpiece. These, where the woods
are full of them, can be dug and
wrapped and sent to friends for few
cents postage. A basket of vegetables,
few apples and nuts from the farm
will never fail to delight the recipient.
A head of caulifl0wer, a bunch of cell
cry, a few well-washed turnips and
row of brussels sprouts around the
edge and the chinks filled in with cram
berries is a Christmas basket which is
surely festive enough to suit the most
! fastidious.
| Some home sausage, q few cards of
honey, a roll of real dairy butter with
/ a bottle of country team, would be so
| gladly welcomed in homes that are
filled with Christmas gifts that they
cannot use. A basket OF apples, "a
sack Of nuts. a goose all dressed for
the table, could one ask for more de-
| lightful presents? carton or two of
fresh eggs, some cottage cheese, a pair
of squads, or a duck or a chicken, all
stuffed for the oven, a sucking pig
with vegetables to serve with it, water
creSs, and any number of good honey
things will present themselves to the
mind that is working on this problem.
If you are food specialist or good
candy maker your gifts are all ready
at hand A box of homemade candy,
a dozen or two of doughnuts made
with sour cream as the farm mother
knows so well how to make, or dough-
nuts made with honey instead of SUI
gar, which keeps so well.
Fruit cakes, plus buildings packed
in moist, brown sugar will keep for
| WtekS anu may uc uiduC iOhS bCAOAC
the time for sending them.
Honey Douehnuts.-Take two eggs,
| beat well, add one and half, cupfuls
of strained honey, two tablespoOnfulS
of butter, one cupful of sour milk, a
teaspoonful of soda, three cupfuls of
flour sifted with two teaspoonfuls of
cream of tartar Roll and cut as soft
as possible and fry in deep fat. Roll
| in powdered sugar by putting a table
spoonful in a paper bag and dropping
| in a dOughnut at time and shaking
well. Sugar them just before using.a
Velvet Molasses Candy.-Put a cup
! full of molasses, three cupfuls of SUI
| gar, cupful of boiling water and
three tablespoonfuls of vinegar in a
| saucepan over the heat, as soon as the
! boiling point is 1eached, add half tea
spoonful of cream of tartar. Boil I'M
til when tried in water the mixture is
brittle. Stir constantly during the last
part of the cooking. When nearly
| done stir in a half cupful of melted
| butter, fourth o. a teaspoonful of
soda. Pour inte,a buttered pan, and
when cool pull. While pulling, flavor
with mixture of vanilla and lemon
extract, or little peppermint or win
| tergreen.
| St. James Puddings.-.MlX together
three tablespoonfuls of butter, half
cI.pful of molasses and milk, one and
two-thirds cupfuls of flour. a half tea
J spoonful of soda, fourth of tea
/ spoonful each of salt. cloves, allspice,
nutmeg, and half-pound of finely-cut
dates. Steam in one pound baking
powder cans two and one-half hours.
Serve with any desired sauce.