Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-06
SOME ATTRACTIVE RECIPES
FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON
Light Salads and Light Desserts May Be So Made to
Give Christmas Dinner New Distinction.

Salads that may form a course in a
heavy meal. such as the Christmas din
ner, are the ones that we are consider
ing at the present time. Christmas COL
ors can easily be used in the salads to
add to the general festive appearance
of the dinner table. Cranberries, grapes
and candied cherries will supply the
necessary red, while oranges, pineapple.
grapefruit, apricots and bananas and
pears will supply the gold color, and
green grapes the green. Among the
vegetables to supply color there are
green in lettuce, watercress and other
greens and green peppers will supply
that color, and the gold in carrots will
be found very useful for the purpose.
Although the supply of fresh fruits
and vegetables Is more or less limited
at this season, there are always the de-
perdable canned goods. A mixture of
too many different materials should be
avoided and the ones that are used
should be mixed lightly, never pressed
down or stirred. A salad containing
fruit or fresh vegetables should not be
mixed until just before 1t is to be served.
Value Of Gelatin.
Gelatin varies considerably in strength,
be sure to read the directions carefully
in order to ascertain the quantity re-
quired for the amount of liquid to be
used. Powdered gelatin is good to use,
as 1t disSolves as soon as put into liquid.
Usually three-fourthS of an ounce of
powdered gelatin will thicken as much
as an ounce of the leaf variety. Gel
attn is very susceptible to temperature.
In cold weather 1t Is wise to add just
q little less gelatin than the recipe calls
for and in warm weather just a little
more.
Gelatin fruit powders will produce a
much richer and more delicious dessert
If made wholly or in part with fruit
juice. If the fruit to be used has not
enough juice, other juices may be add
ed. Boil the juice and follow the d.
rections otherwise given for the use
Of water. Another great Improvement
may be made by using an egg beaten.
When the gelatin is beginning to set
well and before the fruit is put into
it. whip 1t to a Stiff fun. add the fruit,
then set away for the final hardening.
The result will be q dessert unlike the
ordinary gelatin pudding. II whipped
cream Is not at hand for serving with
this, or any other similar pudding. a
well made meringue will be q good sub
stitute. II gelatin Is to contain portions
of fruit or other solids, the gelatin
should always be made Just a little
sitter than it would otherwise be made.
II this Is not done, the weight of the
fruit or other solid used may break the
Jelly.
Light Desserts.
Gelatin IS very useful in making light
desserts for Christmas, using the red,
green and gold color combination. The
nutrtt1ve value OF gelatin Is not high,
so it makes an excellent dessert follow
ing heavy meal like the Christmas
dinner. While gelatin desserts are easily
and quickly prepared. SUFFICIENT time
must be allowed for them to set. If
put in the refrigerator, it will take sew
eral hours, and IL ice is not used, the
time required win be much longer. Sur
rounding the mold with ice and salt
will stifTen the gelatin much more rap
idly.
Fresh or cooked fruits or ice cream.
ices or sherbets are also suitable for
the Christmas dinner. Some fruits may
be served with cream, but never with
milk. An attractive way to serve canned
peaches Is with spoonful Of whipped
cream. Sweet fruits are best served
cold. Sour or acid fruits should be cool,
but not cold. Desserts should not only
be suitable and worthy Of the Christmas
feast, but should also help to decorate
the table.
Light Vegetable Salads.
Rich red tomatoes may be arranged
on bed Of bright green watercress,
and celery, green onions and red
radishes make colorful salad. Choose
young celery, so that you win not need
70 trim on the leaves and do not clip
on all the green from the onions.
Cold boiled spinach may be served
with yolks of eggs and asparagus tips,
topped with dressing colored with
papriks.
Put some raw carrots through q fine
grinder. add some chopped walnuts and
green and red peppers and some French
dressing.
Select some medium-sized beets, boil
until tender, then remove the skins, or
use canned beets. Cut a slice from the
top Of each beet and remove the in
sides. Add an equal quantity Of green
peas 70 the beetS and marinate the
me beets with this. Serve on lettuce.
Tomato Aspic.-Cook together slowly
one can Of tomatoes, one small chopped
onion, few whole cloves and q little
salt and pepper and three tablespoon
tt1ls Of sugar. Soften three tablespoon
cold water. Add the boiling tomato
Juice and heat until the gelatin Is dis
solved. Pour into individual molds
which have been wet with cold water.
Chill. When Arm, serve on lettuce
with mayonnaiSe.
Green Pepper and Pineapple Salad
This Is an ornamental salad as well as
O delicious one. To make, select three
f1rm green peppers, remove the seeds
and stuff with the following mixture:
Mix two packages of Philadelphia cream
cheese with half a cupful of crushed
pineapple drained from its juice, one
pimento cut very fine and two table
spoonfuls Of pecan nut meats chopped
fine. Soak one teaSpoonful Of gelatin
IN two teaspoonfulS of the pineapple
Juice and dissolve over hot water. Add
this TO the pineapple mixture. Fill the
pepper shells and set on ice to harden
With very sharp knife cut the peppers
crosswise into thin slices and serve or
lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing
Light Fruit Salads.
When making fruit salads use lemon
Juice or a combination Of lemon ant
orange or grapefruit juice In place o
vinegar. Add enough paprika to colo
the dressing and supply the Christina
touch.
Fruit and cream cheese is a goo
combination to serve. The best dress
ing for such a salad Is mayonnais
mixed with whipped cream or Frenc
dressing made with lemon juice i
place of vinegar.
Mint-fiavored pineapple salad Is
FarticIIIarly attractive and refreShin