Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 5 October 1916, Page 57

Domestic

Banana and Nut Salad. This is an excellent substitute for meat in warm weather. Remove skin from banana, cut lengthwise in two and cover generously with finely ground nuts, then cover with mayonnaise or boiled salad dressing. Chocolate Whipped Cream. Melt a half square of chocolate over boiling water, then add about an eighth of a cup of boiling water and three tablespoonfuls sugar. Cook until smooth and add a half teaspoonful of vanilla. Whip a half cup of heavy cream, and when partly thickened gradually whip in the chocolate mixture and continue whipping until stiff. To Wash Sheepskin Rugs. Sheepskin rugs may be washed at home with comparative ease, when one knows how. The skin or pelt side should not be wet at all, and to prevent this the rug is tacked around a stout barrel. Choose a sunny day, and with a clean scrubbing brush and plenty of hot suds in which a good washing powder has been dissolved, scrub the rug thoroughly. Afterward sprays well' with clear water, using a hose with shower nozzle for this, if possible, in order to have a strong penetrating stream. Leave the rug on the barrel to dry in the sun, combing it out now and again with a clean currycomb, to prevent matting of the wool. The rug should come out after this treatment beautifully white and fluffy. How to Dye Lace. To make a dye for laces, put the tube paint into gasoline and stir until the former is dissolved, then test the shade by dipping in a scrap of the sample. If too dark, add more gasoline, but if the shade is too light put in more paint. Dip the lace up and clown in the bath with a pair of bonbon tongs until the desired

tint is obtained, then shake the lace out and let it dry. Then press on the wrong side with a warm flatiron. Pull the lace very gently to give the new effect. Ribbons may be dyed in the same way, but should not be washed before dyeing with the oil paint. If they are creased, press by passing a damp new wet sponge over until smooth, then dye. Feathers, such as quills and wings, may be dyed in the same way. Ostrich feathers, too, will respond to the same treatment, while for faded artificial flowers the method is admirable. The gasoline and oil paint solution may be described as a dry dyeing, in the same way as cleaning with gasoline is spoken of as dry cleansing. The goods not touching water are almost like new again, hence its value over the water cleansing. Every one knows that a cream tint may be given to lace by dipping in weak tea, but every one does not know that Ceylon tea will give a prettier, clearer tint than any other brand. A cube of sugar dissolved in the tea will give the required stiffening. Potato Hash. Ingredients : Half a pound of cold minced beef or mutton, one pound of cooked potatoes, two tablespoonfuls of milk, one ounce of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, one dessertspoonful of flour, half a pint of water, a little tomato sauce for flavoring (if liked), a dessertspoonful of chopped parsley, thyme, and marjoram, or, if preferred, one dessertspoonful of very finely chopped shallots. Mince the meat finely, mix with it the flour, pepper, and salt, chopped herbs, tomato sauce. Put all into a saucepan, add the water, stir it over the fire till it comes to the boil, then cook gently for five minutes. \Vhile cooking heat and mash the potatoes ; mix with them the butter and milk. Have ready a greased pie-dish, line with mashed potatoes, pour in the meat mixture, cover over the top with more potato, glaze with the yolk of egg, score with a knife. Bake in a moderate oven 25 to 30 minutes.