A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband With Bettina's Best Recipes (15 page)

"D
OESN'T it bore you to think of cooking when you've been out all afternoon?" asked Mrs. Dixon, wearily. "And today the refreshments were so elaborate and everything was so stiff and tiresome!"

"I usually anticipate feeling this way," said Bettina, "and plan to have something at home that is already prepared, and that I can get together without much trouble. Then I put on a house dress as quickly as I can, for I can't bear to cook in party clothes. But I'm sure I don't know what I am going to have for dinner tonight. Bob and I had planned to go downtown to dinner with some friends, but just before I went out this afternoon he phoned that the invitation had been withdrawn because of somebody's illness."

"Goodness!" cried Mrs. Dixon, "what will you do? Go downtown yourselves?"

"No; Bob doesn't enjoy that, and neither do I. I can manage somehow, for of course there are always things in the house to get. I'll tell you. I'll phone Bob to bring Mr. Dixon here, and you can see what an emergency supper is like."

"Oh, I couldn't think of it! You're tired, and it's nearly six now!"

"Well, what of that? You can help. And I know you're dreading to get dinner at home. We'll just combine forces."

Bettina went to the telephone and called Bob. "Hello, dear! Please bring Mr. Dixon home to dinner with you; Charlotte is going to stay. And if you come in his car, will you stop on
the way and get a watermelon that has been on ice? Be sure it's cold!"

"And now," she said to Mrs. Dixon, "let me get into a house-dress, and then for a sight of the refrigerator."

"Oh, what beautiful glazed apples!" exclaimed Mrs. Dixon ten minutes later.

"They were to have been for breakfast, but I'll have them for dinner instead. Then there are enough cold boiled potatoes for creamed potatoes; and, besides that, we'll have an omelet. And then I'll stir up some emergency biscuit——"

"And you can explain everything that you do!"

"Well, for the omelet—we'll take four good-sized eggs—one for each of us——"

"What else goes in? Milk?"

"No, I think that hot water makes a more tender omelet. Then I'll use a few grains of baking powder to assist in holding it up, though that isn't necessary. We'll beat the yolks and whites separately till they're very light. Goodness! There come the men!"

"Here's your watermelon, Bettina!" called Bob. "A big fellow! Don't forget to save the rind for pickles, will you? Why, hello, Mrs. Dixon! Frank's here!"

The menu that night consisted of:

Omelet Creamed Potatoes
Glazed Apples
Emergency Biscuit Butter
Watermelon

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Omelet
(Four portions)

4 eggs
4 T-hot water
½ t-salt
¹
/
₈
t-pepper
1 T-butter
a little parsley

Beat the yolks until thick and lemon colored. Add hot water (one tablespoonful to an egg), salt and pepper. Beat the whites till stiff and dry. Cut and fold into the first mixture. Heat the omelet pan, add the butter, turn the pan so that the
melted butter covers the sides and bottom of the pan. Turn in the mixture, spread evenly, turn down the fire and allow the omelet to cook slowly. Turn the pan so that the omelet will brown evenly. When well puffed and delicately browned underneath, place the pan on the center shelf in a moderate oven to finish cooking the top of the omelet. Crease across center with knife and fold over very carefully. Allow to remain a moment in pan. Turn gently with a spatula onto a hot platter. Garnish with parsley. An omelet is sufficiently cooked when it is firm to the touch when pressed by the finger.

Creamed Potatoes
(Four portions)

2 C-cold diced potatoes
1 T-chopped parsley
1 T-chopped pimento
½ t-salt
¹
/
₈
t-paprika
1 C-vegetable white sauce

Add the potatoes, sprinkled with salt and pepper, to vegetable white sauce. Add pimento and parsley. Cook three minutes, stirring constantly.

Emergency Biscuit

2 C-flour
4 t-baking powder
½ t-salt
3 T-fat (lard and butter)
⁷
/
₈
C-milk

Mix the dry ingredients and cut in the fat. Add the milk, mixing with a knife. Drop by spoonfuls on a buttered pan, placing one inch apart. Bake twelve minutes in a hot oven.

Glazed Apples
(Six portions)

6 apples
1½ C-"C" sugar
1½ C-water
1 t-butter

Boil the sugar and water six minutes in a deep saucepan. Do not stir. Pare and core the apples. Place them in the syrup as soon as pared, to prevent them from discoloring. Cook until apples are tender. Remove the apples from the syrup and boil the sugar and water longer if it is not thick enough. Add the butter to the syrup and pour in and around the apples. Serve hot or cold. Granulated sugar may be used, but "C" sugar gives a better flavor.

B
ETTINA had risen early that beautiful July morning, for she had much to do. Bob had insisted upon helping her, and at eight, Ruth was coming.

"Such a simple breakfast after all, Bob! Do you think she'll like it?"

"Sure she will! If she doesn't I'll disown her! Say, Bettina, I haven't had my breakfast yet, and ten o'clock sounds far away. May I have just one doughnut with my coffee?"

"Why, Bobby, Bobby! Did I forget you? Your Aunt Elizabeth and the whole suffrage cause is on my mind this morning, but I didn't think even that could make me forget you. Help yourself to anything you see that looks good!"

The Aunt Elizabeth on Bettina's mind was an aunt of Bob's who was to be in town between nine and twelve, in conference with some of the leading suffragists of the city. She wished to see the bungalow, and at ten o'clock Bettina was giving a breakfast for her and the women with whom she was to confer. It was with fear and trepidation that Bettina had invited them, although she declared to herself that she was sure, sure, sure, of every dish on the menu!

As she arranged the great graceful yellow poppies in the center of the porch table, set for six, she was feeling somewhat nervous.

"Bob, you must go now, or you'll be too late for the train. Take a taxi home, not a street car."

"Taxi! You don't know my Aunt Elizabeth. She'd say, 'Say, young man, if you aren't saving your money any better
than this, you ought to be.' And we'd probably end by walking."

"Hurry, dear."

The train proved to be late, and Ruth and Bettina were ready to the last detail. While beautiful, distinguished-looking Aunt Elizabeth was dressing, Bettina was meeting guests at the door. Before she realized it, she had introduced everybody to the guest of honor, and was ushering them out to her charming porch table.

"Oh, Ruth," she said in the kitchen, "isn't my Aunt Elizabeth lovely? I'll say 'mine' now, not Bob's. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to be frightened."

The breakfast consisted of:

Moulded Cereal on Bananas Whipped Cream
Codfish Balls Egg Soufflé
Green Peas
Twin Mountain Muffins Jelly
Doughnuts Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Codfish Balls
(Four portions)

1 C-raw salt fish
2 C-raw potatoes
1 t-butter
½ C-cracker crumbs
1 egg, well-beaten
¼ t-pepper
more salt if needed
1 T-water

Shred the fish. Pare and quarter potatoes. Place the fish and potatoes in a stewpan and cover with boiling water. Boil twenty-five minutes or till the potatoes are soft. Do not boil too long or they will become soggy. Drain well, mash and beat until light. Add butter, seasoning and egg. Shape, roll in crumbs, egg mixed with water, more crumbs, and fry in deep fat. These may be shaped into flat cakes, rolled in flour and sautéd in hot fat. Garnish with parsley.

Egg Soufflé
(Four portions)

2 T-butter
2 T-flour
2 C-milk
4 eggs
1 t-salt
a pinch of cayenne or ¼ t-paprika
1 C-white sauce
²
/
₃
C-cooked peas

Melt the butter, add the flour and gradually add the milk. Cook three minutes, add seasoning and the well-beaten yolks. Fold in the beaten whites and turn into buttered moulds. Set in a pan of hot water and bake in a slow oven until firm (about twenty-five minutes). Serve with a white sauce, highly seasoned, to which has been added one cup of cooked peas. Pour the sauce around the soufflé.

Potato Doughnuts
(Three dozen doughnuts)

1 C-mashed potatoes, hot
1½ C-sugar
2 T-melted butter
3 t-baking powder
½ t-salt
½ C-sweet milk
2 eggs
3 C-flour
¹
/
₈
t-grated nutmeg
½ t-powdered cinnamon

Beat the eggs, add the sugar. Mash the potatoes and add the butter and the milk. Add this mixture to the eggs and sugar. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon sifted together. Roll one-fourth of an inch thick, cut with a doughnut cutter, and fry in hot deep fat.

A
S Bettina was putting the finishing touches on her porch table, set for dinner, and humming a little song as she tried the effect of some ragged robins in a mist of candy-tuft, all in a brass bowl, she heard a murmur of voices at her front door.

"I'll tell just Betty; no one else must know—yet. But what if I haven't the courage to tell even her?"

"Perhaps she'll suspect anyhow!"

"Goodness, Harry! You make me afraid to go in! Is my expression different?"

The answer was not audible to Bettina, though she was sure that she heard whispers and a little suppressed laughter. Certainly it had sounded like Alice's voice! What? Could Mr. Harrison be with her? For a moment Bettina stood stock still, feeling like an eavesdropper. Then she let out a gasp of amazement. "Well!" was all she said, and sat down to think. When the doorbell rang, she could not at first gain the composure necessary to answer it.

"Why, how are you, Alice? I haven't seen you for ages! And Mr. Harrison! Do come in; you must stay to dinner, for you're just in time. Bob will be home any minute."

"Oh, we couldn't stay!" answered Alice. "Har—Mr. Harrison and I were walking home from town, and when we came to this house, we couldn't help stopping to say 'hello.'"

Bettina was conscious of a strained feeling in the air, which made her want to giggle—or shake Alice. After all, she couldn't help overhearing! And yet she might be mistaken!
She found herself saying—she scarcely knew what—to keep up the conversation.

"Do stay! We have a funny little dinner tonight, but I believe you'll like it. Bob had been rather overworked at the office lately—and I tried today to think of some of his favorite dishes for dinner. I wanted to have a jolly little meal to take his mind off his worries. And it would help a lot if he could see you two people. Do stay! Do you care for blueberry tarts, Mr. Harrison? Well, that's to be our dessert!"

"My, that sounds fine!" said Mr. Harrison. "Couldn't we stay, after all?" he asked, turning to Alice.

"Well, if you really, truly want us," said Alice to Bettina.

"Why, of course I do! I'm delighted to see you! I think we're fortunate. Mr. Harrison, you are usually so busy that we scarcely dare invite you!"

"I suppose I ought to be at work today, but I'm taking a little holiday. I couldn't put my mind on business."

He was actually blushing, Bettina thought. Suddenly she found Alice's arms around her and Alice's laughing face hidden on her shoulder. "Don't, Harry! Let me be the one to tell her!"

And so Bob found them, all laughing and talking at once.

"Hurrah!" said he when he heard the news. "The best possible idea! Is dinner ready, Bettina? Get out some grape juice and we'll drink to the health and future happiness of Alice and Harry! I'm the man that made this match!"

Dinner that night consisted of:

Fish a la Bettina Rice Cakes
Stuffed Tomato Salad
Rolls Butter
Iced Grape Juice Blueberry Tarts

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Fish a la Bettina
(Four portions)

1 C-medium white sauce
1
¹
/
₃
C-cooked fish
2 T-chopped pimento
2 T-chopped sweet pickle
½ t-paprika

Mix ingredients in order given, heat and serve on wafers.

Rice Cakes
(Four portions)

1½ C-boiled rice
½ t-salt
1 egg yolk
6 T-crumbs
4 T-fat (lard and butter mixed)

Mix the rice and salt with the egg. Shape into flat cakes, two and a half inches in diameter and one-half an inch thick. Roll in bread crumbs and sauté in hot fat until brown on both sides. (About eight minutes.) If the egg does not sufficiently moisten the rice, add one tablespoon of milk.