Grain's, Coarsely Groukd, or Grits

These are better adapted to simple cookery than are fine flours, since to make them eatable it is only necessary to cook them soft in water.

The grains used in this way among us are cracked wheat, farina or wheat grits, oatmeal, hominy and corn meal, and they are all cooked in nearly the same way.

Wheat, oat and corn mushes take 2-3 hours; this time may be shortened by soaking the grits some hours in water.

Oatmeal and corn cannot be overcooked.

Amount of water: all except corn absorb three to four times their bulk of water; corn absorbs a little over twice.

Salt: one teaspoonful to one cupful of grits.

Steaming is best, as there is then no danger of burning or of making the mush pasty by stirring.

Put the grits and four times their bulk of water into a double boiler, or into a dish set in a steamer, or use a tin pail with tight cover set in a kettle of water; any way to keep it at boiling heat without burning.

Uses for cold porridge: stir any cold cooked mush smooth with half water and half milk to the consistency of porridge.

Add a little salt and boil up.

Sugar and cinnamon or nutmeg may be added as flavor.

Porridges can also be made of the uncooked grits; they are simply very thin mushes.

Pancakes: use 1 cup of cold oatmeal, hominy or corn mush, 2 cups flour, 1 pint of milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 egg, with 2 teaspoons baking powder, or 1 teaspoon soda and 2 of cream of tartar.

For pancakes with sour milk, use 1 teaspoon soda and omit the cream of tartar.

These mushes will differ a little in thickness, so more or less flour may be needed.

Bake on griddle.

Muffins: use the same mixture as above, with a little more flour added.

Bake in muffin rings.

To fry: when cooking, add a handful of wheat flour to the mush to make it stiffer.

Pack while warm into a square mould, and when cold cut in slices.

Fry slowly to a nice brown on a griddle with a little fat.

Or dip the slices into beaten egg, then into bread crumbs, and fry in boiling fat.