The Housekeeper.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 57, 4 September 1909, Page 11

The Housekeeper.

HOME HINTS. The Bread-pan.-^Scald out the breadpan .occasionally, to keep mould away. Soft Sugar. — Do not use granulated sugar for cakes, as it is apt to prevent the cake from rising. In Baking Potatoes. — When baking potatoes in their skins, cut a small piece off 'one end, to allow the steam to escape. In Boiling Cabbage. — In boiling cabbage or onions, put a good pinch of red pepper into the water. This will prevent the disagreeable smell. To Preserve Meat. — Fresh meat that is beginning to turn sour may be sweetened by rinsing in a weak solution of permanganate of potash, or vinegar and water. A Cake Hint. — When making cakes, puddings, etc., remember that they will be likely to turn out more successful if you heat the currants, sugar, and flour before using. A Beefsteak. — When serving up a beefsteak don't dab bits of butter over it, but beat the butter to a cream, with a tablespoonful of vinegar or lemon-juice, salt and pepper, and a little parsley, and pour this over the steak. Care of Frying-pan. — Do not wash your frying-pan. Place it over the fire to melt the fat that has remained in it, and rub well with soft paper until it is perfectly clean. You will find that this treatment prevents the frying-pan from burning its contents. To Clean Knives. — The German fashion of cleaning knives is simpler than ours and saves much manual labour. Take a stout wine-cork and dip it into the knife powder, which must be previously moistened. Place the knife flat and rub it with the cork. In a few seconds the knife will be quite clean and polished, and only require wiping with a duster. (DAINTY .RECIPES. Prune Cream. — One pound of prunes, one pint of milk, half-a pint of cream, sugar, and flavouring, three-quarter of an ounce ' of gelatine. Pour boiling water over the prunes, and let them remain in it for a minute or two, when the stones will easily slip out. Steam them gently in a little syrup (about half a cup of water and two table spoonfuls of sugar). 'Line a basin carefully with j them. Dissolve the gelatine- in the j milk, sweeten to taste, and when -nearly cold, but not stiff, add the whipped, cream. Pour carefully into the lined mould, and leave till set. Orange Sponge. — Grate the peel of three oranges, and squeeze the juice of sufficient oranges to filJ a pint measure. 'Put into a saucepan with the grated peel and a quarter of a pound of sugaT. 'Boil for a few minutes. Add threequarters of an ounce of gelatine, which must be soaked in half-a-pint of water. "Beat the yolks of three eggs, and pour the liquor gently on to them. Return to the saucepan, and let it just thicken, but be sure it does not boil. Pour into a basin, and when beginning to set add the stiffly-beaten whites of tho eggs. Pour into a mould which has been dipped in cold water, and turn out when set. Beef Olives. — One pound of good steak, one ounce of suet, two ounces of bread crumbs, half teaspoonful of salt, quarter teaspoonful of pepper, one egg, one tea-spoonful of chopped parsley, a very' little grated lemon-peel, a grate of nutmeg, as much ppwdered thyme ar. will stand on Qi& blade of a knife. Cut the steak into six pieces, beat each piece with a rolling-pin. Chop some rashers of bacon or ham very fine, and add to the bread , crumbs and other ingredients. Make into a forcemeat with the egg. Divide into six portions, place each on a piece of steak, form into a neat- roll. Tie up each with cotton. Put a little dripping or butter into a pan. When very hot, fry the olives quickly till slightly brown. Put into a stewpan, pour enough stook in \o barely 'cover the olives. Simmer gently for one hour and a-half. A few minced olives or a little <pickled walnut is an improvement to the forcemeat. Rice Fritters. — One cup of boiled, rice, one cup of milk, two eggs, two table spoonfuls of flour, a pinch of salt, flavouring, and currants. Beat the eggs, and mix in with a little of the milk, and stir till smooth. Add the rest of the milk, rice, and currants. Put about an ounce and a-half of butter into a fryingpan, make it slightly brown. Drop in a tablespoonful of the batter, and fry till a nice golden brown on the under side, then turn and cook the other side. Drain on kitchen paper, and serve with ■cut lemon and sugar.