Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1916 — THAT SPECIAL MENU [ARTICLE]

THAT SPECIAL MENU

PREPARATIONS FOR THE UNEXPECTED GUEBTB. Always an Easy Matter for ths Competent Housewife to Bet a Satisfactory Meal Before Her Casual Visitors. Now, regarding unexpected guests. Could you not plan to have sufficient food so that yonr guests could have the same as the family If any dropped in at mealtime? Then it Would not make so much extra work. I imagine it is because you are a good cook that people drop in, but if they really come to see you, they will not want you to make any extra trouble for them, and if they come Just for the good food you serve I should not encourage the habit. I have very few unexpected guests, but when they come they must take “pot luck.” It is well to have canned goods in the house for such emergencies, such as salmon, shrimp, tuna fish, fish flakes, meats, chicken, vegetables and relishes and preserves. Cake or cookies and canned peaches or pears are an easy dessert, and if you have sponge or any light cake, lay the peaches on a slice in the serving dishes and cover all with whipped cream. Salmon In butter gravy, canned peas, hashed potato with red pepper and apple pie pudding is an easy dinner, or creamed fish flakes, mashed potato, canned beets, steamed cup cakes with hot lemon or brandy sauce.

Another is delicate ham, canned string beans, baked potato, German tapioca pudding, or ham and eggs, mashed potato, canned corn, hot chocolate, cornstarch pudding with cream. As you live In the country, perhaps It is not always convenient to have fresh meat on hand, but you could buy half a ham and hang it in a cool place, and slice as needed, then boil the piece left when the best is sliced off. For suppers, have escalloped tuna fish, shrimp wiggle, creamed chipped beef or cheese cream on toast, egg cream toast, goldenrod toast, cheese and potato puff. Any of these with bread or hot biscuit, canned sauce, cake, cookies and tea would be good suppers. Bake your one-egg cake In cupcake tins, one tablespoonful to a tin, and keep on hand for desserts. Place them In covered tin In the oven, Just long enough to warm through, and serve with egg or liquid sauce. About breakfasts I do not think I have any new ideas, as I am obliged to have breakfast early every day, Sunday included, so get something easy. I always have cereal* usually rolled oats, then eggs, boiled, scrambled, fried with bacon, poached, scrambled with chopped ham, minced beef or lamb on toast, hash, fish, warmedover soup, and with dry toast or warmed-over muffins or brown bread and doughnuts or cookies or dropcakes and coffee, we are satisfied. Once a week I have griddle cakes with sirup, but it takes longer to cook them than anything else I serve. — Boston Globe.