Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1914 — HELPFUL HINTS FOR HOUSEWIVES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HELPFUL HINTS FOR HOUSEWIVES

Spoon Holder Attachment For Cooking Pets.

One of the many minor inventions that are so useful in the kitchen Is the kettle spoon holder designed by a Massachusetts man and shown in the Illustration. It obviates the necessity of having a saucer, plate or cup standing near the cook to hold the stirring spoon when the latter is not in use. The holder is made of aluminium and consists of a saucer shaped piece with perforations and a hook by which it may be hung ov.er the edge of a kettle, the wide portion inside. Then as the spoon is taken from the food It can be laid on the holder, and the drippings drop through the perforations into the con tents of the kettle. Another advantage of the holder is the fact that the spoou Is always at hand when wanted.

Right *Way to Boil Ham. The discussion of, ways to Itoll ham mn y seem to soin eon ti rel ys u peril nous, yet have you never noticed that some hams retain that rich red color and perfect taste, while others have a brownish color and the meat comes apart? This difference lies in the man nor of boiling. V good ham put on In' cold water and cooked slowly, or allowed to stand for awhile without cooking will lose much of its nutrition. The proper way to cook a bam is to put it on hi water that Is already hot. just beginning to simmer. If it can he kept at this temperature, which Is a few degrees below the lioiling point, so much the better. At any rate, it should Hot boil vigorously. For every pound of ham let it boil a quarter of an hour. Thus a sixtiHUi iMiund bam would require four hours to ptvperly cook. When put In hot water the outer layers of meat are cooked at once, thus preventing the escape of juices which will take place in cold water

Cranberry Butter. Two quarts of cranberries washed and put on to cook With water enough to just co\er. When boiling hot put in oue teaspoonful of soda, stir nnd sktin; let cook until tender and the berries all mashed, then run through a wire flour seive or fine colander. At the same time have three quarts of apples cooking. When done run through colander, mix cranlsrrles and apples 1 with two quarts of sugar: put in a flat granite pan, pla'ce In the oven with a uioderat fire: let ebok two and one-half or three hours, according to the heat of the oven; stir every thirty minutes. Kentucky Corn Bread. To one Pintsifted white corn meal add one-half teaspoonful soda, one teaspoonful salt land if liked one or two tablespoon!ills sugar), one tablespoon fill lard, two beaten eggs and enough buttermilk to rnaki* a thin batter. Have a well greased pan heated on top of the stove. |mur tin* butter Into this and bake one-half hour in a quick oven. There must lie plenty of grease in tin* pan and it should lie hot enough so that the batter when if is poured In will crisp around the edges To Restore a Dying Plant. When a plant becomes poo dry it Is difficult to get the water to penetrate the dirt In the pot far enough to reach the roots, and you may pour water on all day and not revive your plant. IJut try placing the plant in a pan of water and let it absorb upward nil the water It needs. When it fias enough the water will bubble and your plant will he benntifut and alive again I '■ .. .• ■; \ Macaroni In Tomato Sauce. 801 l one cupful of macaroni until tender, then drain. Make the sauce,of one cupful of tomato, strained, one tablespoonful of flour and add butter and salt to taste. Alternate a layer of macaroni and sauce in a baking dish until filled. Sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs and hake about t wenty minutes. i Smothered Chicken. Clean and joint a young chicken, season with salt and pepper and roll in flour. Have ready three tahles'poon fills of butter very hot and brown the chicken all oyer quickly. Be careful not to burn it. Cover and place in the oven for one hour. Make a cream gravy after the chicken is taken up. Egg Croquettes. Makers sauce of one tablespoonfut of .flout. one tablespoouful of butter, one-half‘cupful of milk. Ret aside to cool, then add three luird boiled rggs. chopped fine and season with salt and pepper 801 lin egg and then cracker crumbs and fry in hot lard.