Hard Sauce

1/3 C-butter 2 T-hot water 3/4 C-brown sugar 1/2 t-vanilla 1/2 t-lemon extract

Cream the butter, add water and gradually add the sugar. Continue mixing until very creamy. Add the vanilla and lemon extract. Chill and serve over the hot pudding.

CHAPTER XCII

PLANNING THE CHRISTMAS CARDS

"AND what is in this dish, Bettina?" asked Bob, as he lifted the hot cover.

"Candied sweet potatoes, dear, and I'm almost sure that you'll like them. I made them in the fireless cooker, and they're really more candy than potatoes."

"They'll suit me, then," said Bob. "The sweeter the better! My mother used to cook up candied sweet potatoes with a lot of brown sugar syrup--say, but they tasted good about this time of year when I would come in from skating! Well, I believe these are exactly like hers!"

"Only hers weren't made in a fireless cooker," said Bettina. "Now, Bob, as soon as you have allayed your hunger a little we must put our heads together long enough to get an idea for Christmas cards. If we have something made, it may take several weeks, and you know it is no small task to address several hundred of them. As soon as we have ordered them, we'd better make out our Christmas list. But first, what shall the cards be? Think, Bob!"

"Goodness gracious sakes alive, but thinking is hot work! Well, how's this? Suppose we don't have cards engraved--they're expensive, and besides, 'twould take too long! We'll find some plain white correspondence cards--or perhaps white cards with a red edge--and envelopes to go with them, and in the corner of the card we'll stick a tiny round snapshot of the house. Then we'll write this verse very neatly and sign it 'Bettina and Bob.' Perhaps you can improve on this, however:

"We enclose our Christmas greetings And the hope that we may know Many happy future meetings In this little bungalow!"

"Bob, that's the very thing!" cried Bettina.

For dinner that night they had:

Beefsteak Fireless Sweet Potatoes Creamed Carrots Pineapple Charlotte Custard Sauce

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Fireless Sweet Potatoes (Candied)= (Six Portions)

6 large sweet potatoes 1 C-brown sugar 1/4 C-water 1 t-salt 1/4 t-pepper 1 T-butter

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Slice them lengthwise in one-half inch slices. Make a syrup by boiling for five minutes the brown sugar and water. Add the butter. Arrange the potatoes in a fireless cooker utensil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pour the syrup over them. Place the heated disks under and over the pan of potatoes, and cook in the fireless an hour and a half.

Pineapple Charlotte= (Four portions)

2 T-corn starch 4 T-cold water 1/4 t-salt 1/4 C-sugar 1 C-boiling water 2 egg-whites 1 t-vanilla 1/2 t-lemon extract 2 slices of pineapple cut in slices lengthwise

Mix the corn starch, salt and sugar; gradually add the cold water, stirring well, and then add the hot water. Cook about five minutes, stirring constantly. Then add the vanilla, and the egg-whites stiffly beaten. Pour into a moistened mould in which the slices of pineapple have been arranged. Set in a cool place for two hours. Serve with custard sauce.

Custard Sauce= (Four portions)

1-1/2 C-milk 2 egg-yolks 1/4 C-sugar 1/2 t-vanilla 1/8 t-salt 1 T-flour 1/4 t-lemon extract

Mix well the sugar, salt and flour, gradually add the beaten egg-yolks, and the milk. Cook in a double boiler until the mixture coats a silver spoon yellow. Add the vanilla and lemon extract. Beat one minute. Serve very cold.

_DECEMBER._

_Roasting turkeys! Rich mince pies! Cakes of every shape and size! Santa, though they're fond of you, Christmas needs us housewives, too!_

CHAPTER XCIII

HARRY AND ALICE RETURN

"WHO can that be?" said Bettina, laying down her napkin. "Someone is at the door, Bob, I think. I wonder why he doesn't ring?"

"Hello!" said Bob, throwing open the door. "Why, Bettina! It's Alice and Harry! When did you get home?"

"We're on our way home now," said Harry, as he set down the suitcases he was holding. "Say, these are heavy! We thought we'd stop in for a minute to rest."

"Welcome home!" said Bettina. "Just think, we don't even know yet where you went for your wedding trip, though we suspected California."

"California it was," said Alice, "along with all the other recent brides and grooms. We escaped any particular notice; there were so many of us. It was rather a relief, though."

"Have you had your dinner?" asked Bettina, a little embarrassed at the thought of the "dinner for two" that she and Bob were just finishing. There was certainly not enough left for another person, not to suggest two. But then, of course there was her ample emergency shelf.

"We had our dinner on the diner," said Harry, "or we shouldn't have dared to stop at this hour."

"Do come on out to the kitchen," said Bettina. "Bob is about to make some delicious sour cream candy, aren't you, Bob? Surely that is a splendid way to entertain a newly returned bride and groom."

"Fine!" said Harry, "though we can't stay long. We must hie to our own apartment and get rid of the dust of travel. We're looking forward to the time when we can return some of your hospitality. I shall learn to make even better candy than Bob's!"

For dinner that night Bettina had:

Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes Apple Sauce Bread Butter Perfection Salad Salad Dressing

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes= (Two portions)

2 sweet potatoes 1 t-salt 1/4 t-paprika 2 chops 1/3 C-boiling water

Pare sweet potatoes, add salt and place in the bottom of a small roasting pan. Wipe pork chops and place on top of the potatoes. Place the pan, uncovered, on the top shelf of a hot oven in order to brown the chops. Brown on one side and then turn gently and brown on the other. Sprinkle with a little salt and paprika, and add one-third of a cup of boiling water. Cover, and bake one hour, or until the potatoes are done. Baste frequently.

Perfection Salad= (Three portions)

1 T-granulated gelatin 4 T-cold water 4 T-vinegar 1 T-lemon juice 1 C-boiling water 4 T-sugar 1/2 t-salt 2/3 C-diced celery 1/2 C-shredded cabbage 1 green pepper, chopped 2 T-pimento, cut fine

Add the cold water to the gelatin, and let it stand for five minutes. Add the boiling water. When thoroughly dissolved add the vinegar, salt, lemon juice and sugar. Mix well. Add the celery, cabbage, green pepper and pimento when the jelly begins to set. Pour into a mould which has been dipped in cold water. Allow to set in a very cold place for one hour. Serve with salad dressing.

Sour Cream Candy= (Six portions)

2 C-brown sugar 1 t-vanilla 1/2 C-sour cream or 1/2 C-sour milk plus 1 T-butter 1/4 t-cream of tartar

Mix the sugar, cream of tartar and the sour cream or milk. Cook until a soft ball is formed when dropped in cold water. Remove from the fire and allow to cool. Beat until creamy and place in a well-buttered pan.

CHAPTER XCIV

THE FIRELIGHT SOCIAL

"AND what have you been doing all day?" asked Bob after he had related his own experiences at the office. "Just my usual work this morning, and this afternoon I went to a meeting of the social committee of our Young People's League; you know I've promised to help this winter. They plan a social to be given in about two weeks to raise money for the orphanage fund, and I do think their idea is a clever one. You see, it's a 'firelight social'; admission ten cents. Mrs. Lewis has offered her house for it. Invitations are to be sent to all members of the church, Sunday school and league, inviting people to 'come and read pictures in the fire.' The cards are to be decorated with little pen and ink sketches of hearthstones with burning logs on them. Of course there will be a huge log in her big fireplace. Then as soon as the guests are gathered around, someone is to read aloud that passage from 'Our Mutual Friend,' where Lizzie Hexam reads the pictures in the firelight for her brother. Then pencils and paper will be passed among the guests and each one writes a short description of the pictures he sees in the fire. In ten minutes these are collected and read aloud, with a prize for the best one. Then corn will be popped and marshmallows toasted, and weird ghost stories told. (Of course certain clever people have been asked beforehand to be prepared.) Then supper will be served by candlelight; it will consist of things like sandwiches, cider, coffee, nuts and cookies. Don't you think a firelight social will be fun?"

"Sure it will! But I'm glad to-night we can be alone by our own firelight, Bettina!"

That evening for dinner Bettina served:

Fried Oysters Baked Potatoes Bettina's Relish Asparagus on Toast Apple Tapioca Cream Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Fried Oysters= (Two portions)

12 oysters 1/2 C-cracker crumbs 1 T-egg 1 T-water 1/4 t-salt 1/8 t-paprika 2 T-fat

Look over the selected large oysters to remove the shells. Mix the egg, water, salt and paprika. Dip the oyster in the egg mixture and in the crumbs. Place the fat in the frying-pan, and when hot add the oysters. Brown nicely on each side, three minutes. Serve very hot on a hot platter. Garnish with parsley.

Bettina's Fried-Oyster Relish= (Two portions)

1 C-cabbage, cut fine 1 green pepper, cut fine 1 pimento, cut fine 1/4 t-celery salt 1/8 t-mustard 1/4 t-salt 1 T-"C" sugar 2 T-vinegar

Mix the celery salt, mustard, salt and sugar, add the vinegar. Pour over the pimento, green pepper and cabbage. Serve as a relish with oysters and meats. This relish should be served within one-half hour after it is made.

Asparagus on Toast= (Two portions)

1/2 can asparagus tips 1 C-vegetable white sauce 1/4 t-salt 1/8 t-pepper 2 slices of toast

Heat the asparagus tips in the liquid in the can. When hot, remove from can upon slices of toast, sprinkle salt and pepper over each portion. Pour one serving of white sauce over each portion.

Apple Tapioca= (Two portions)

4 T-pearl tapioca 3 T-cold water 1 C-boiling water 1/8 t-salt 4 T-sugar 1/4 t-vanilla 2 sour apples

Soak the tapioca in the cold water for ten minutes in the upper part of the double boiler. Add the boiling water and salt. Cook until transparent. (About twenty minutes.) Cut the apples fine, mix thoroughly with the sugar, place in the bottom of a small baking dish, pour the tapioca mixture on them, and bake in a moderate oven until the apples are soft. (About twenty-five minutes. The time depends upon the variety of apple.)

CHAPTER XCV

ALICE'S TROUBLES

"WHY, Alice, come in! Are you going out to dinner, or just on your way home from some afternoon party?"

"I'm going down town to dinner with Harry; I'll meet him there. And afterward we are going to the theatre."

"What fun!"

"Yes, fun for me," said Alice slowly. "I persuaded him to go. Just think, Bettina, we haven't been to the theatre one single time since we've been married!"

"And that is--let's see--about six weeks?" said Bettina, laughing. "Come into the kitchen, Alice. I'm making a cranberry pie for dinner."

"A cranberry pie? One of those darling criss-crossy ones?" said Alice joyfully, throwing off her evening cloak. "Do let me help. I used to make little cranberry pies in a saucer when I was little! I had forgotten that they existed! Harry shall have one to-morrow!" And she rolled out the crust with deft fingers.

"How easily and quickly you do everything, Alice."

"Yes, too easily. Getting breakfast is fun, and getting dinner is fun, but it's over too soon. What do you do in the evening, Bettina?"

"Oh, stay at home and read and mend mostly. What do you do?"

"That's the trouble. Don't you get dreadfully bored just sitting around? Harry likes it--but I don't see how he can."

"But aren't you tired in the evening? I suppose he is."

"Tired? Mercy no! Not with the care of that little apartment! I like fun and excitement and something to do in the evening! I've been studying household economy, as you suggested, and I've learned a lot, but I can't be doing that all the time! Well, I must run on, Bettina! Let me know how the pie turns out!"

That night Bettina served:

Bettina's Pork Chops and Dressing Baked Potatoes Apple Sauce Bread Butter Cranberry Pie Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Pork Chops Bettina= (Two portions)

2 pork chops 1/2 t-chopped onion 1 T-chopped green pepper 1-1/2 C-fresh bread crumbs 1/4 t-chopped parsley 1/2 t-salt 1 T-melted butter 1 egg-yolk 1/4 t-celery salt 1 T-water

Add the onion, green peppers, parsley, salt and celery salt to the crumbs. Add the egg-yolk, butter and water, and mix thoroughly. Wipe the chops, and place one in a small pan (to serve as a roasting pan), place the dressing on top. Place the other chop on top of the dressing. Press together and bake in a moderate oven one hour. Turn the chops so that the under one will brown. Baste occasionally with one-fourth of a cup of hot water to which has been added one teaspoon of butter. Put a lid on the pan so that the steam will cause the chops to cook. Place one tablespoon of water in the pan to prevent burning or drying out. Replenish when necessary.

Apple Sauce= (Two portions)

6 Jonathan apples 1/2 C-sugar 1/8 t-cinnamon Enough water to cover

Wash, pare, core and quarter the apples. Cover with water and cook until tender when pierced with a knitting needle. Add the sugar and cook five minutes more. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top when serving.

Cranberry Pie= (Four portions)

2 C-cranberries 1 C-boiling water 1-1/2 C-sugar 1 egg-yolk 1 T-water 1 T-flour 1/2 t-butter 1/2 t-almond extract

Cook the cranberries and water until the cranberries are soft. Add the sugar and cook five minutes.

Mix flour and water, add the egg-yolk, butter and extract. Mix thoroughly. Add to the cranberry mixture. Pour into the uncooked pie-crust. Place pastry bars lattice fashion across the top, and bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven.

Pie Crust= (Four portions)

1 C-flour 5 T-lard 1/4 t-salt 3 T-water

Mix the flour and salt. Cut in the lard with a knife, and add the water very carefully, to form a stiff dough. Roll into shape, and reserve a small part of the dough for the bars. Fit the crust carefully into a deep tin pie-pan. Fill the crust with the cranberry filling, being careful not to let any juice run out. Cut the bars two-thirds of an inch wide. Moisten the ends, and arrange in criss-cross fashion across the pie.

CHAPTER XCVI

SOME OF BETTINA'S CHRISTMAS PLANS

"TO-NIGHT," said Bettina at the dinner table, "I expect to finish three Christmas gifts--one for Alice, one for Mary and one for Eleanor. Now aren't you curious to know what I've been making?"

"Curiosity is no name for it," said Bob, "but I'm even more curious to know what particular thing it is that makes this ham so tender. Is it baked? Anyhow, it's the best I have ever eaten."

"Thank you," said Bettina, "but you always say that about sliced ham, no matter how it is cooked. But this is a little different. It is baked in milk."

"Great, anyhow," said Bob. "Now tell me about your conspiracy with Santa Claus."

"Well, I am making for Alice an indexed set of recipes--a card index. All the recipes are just for two, and they are all tried and true."

"Just for two, Tried and true-- Sent, with Betty's love, to you."

echoed Bob. "You can write that on the card that goes with it."

"I shall have you think what to say on all the gifts, Bob. I must show you the box of cards. It is only a correspondence-card box, with the white cards to fit, but I'm sure that Alice will like her new cook book. Then for Mary and Eleanor I have made card-table covers. Mary's is of white Indian head--just a square of it, bound with white tape and with white tape at the corners for tying it to the table. It is to have a white monogram. Eleanor's is linen-colored and is bound in green with a green monogram. Hers is finished and I shall finish Mary's this evening--that is, if you will read to me while I work!"

"Hurray!" said Bob. "What shall I read? Mark Twain?"

For dinner that night they had:

Baked Ham Baked Potatoes Corn Bread Butter Cranberry Sauce

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Baked Ham= (Three portions)

2/3 lb. slice of ham one inch thick 1 C-milk 1 T-flour 1 T-water

Cover the ham with boiling water and let it stand ten minutes. Remove from the pan, and place the ham in a pan just large enough to hold it. Cover with the milk. Place in a moderate oven and bake thirty minutes. More milk may be added if necessary. When the ham is done, add more liquid (enough to make one-half a cup). Mix flour with water. Add the hot milk to this slowly. Heat and cook one minute. Serve with the ham.

Corn Bread= (Three portions)

1/2 C-corn meal 2/3 C-flour 3 T-sugar 2 t-baking powder 1/2 t-salt 1 egg-yolk 2/3 C-milk 1 T-melted butter

Mix the corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt thoroughly. Add the egg-yolk and milk, and beat two minutes. Add the melted butter. Mix well. Pour into a well buttered square cake pan. Bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes.

Cranberry Sauce= (Four portions)

1 qt. cranberries 2 C-sugar 2 C-water

Look over and wash the cranberries. Cook them in the water until they are soft and the skins are broken. Remove from the fire, add the sugar and stir well. Cook three minutes. Pour into a mould which has been dipped in cold water.

CHAPTER XCVII

MORE OF BETTINA'S CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

"BOB," said Bettina, as she served the plum pudding, "Christmas is in the very air these days!"

"Did the Christmas spirit inspire this plum pudding?" said he. "Blessings on the head of Santa Claus! But why your outburst?"

"Because today I went shopping in earnest! I bought the very things that seem most Christmassy: tissue paper, white and green, gold cord, a ball of red twine, Santa Claus and holly stickers, and the cards to tie to the packages. I love to wrap up Christmas things!"

"And are most of your gifts ready to be wrapped?"

"No, not all, for some of them can't be made till the last minute. For instance, I thought and thought about Uncle Eric's gift! I want so much to please him, but he has everything that money can buy except perhaps a cook that suits him. Finally I decided to send him a box containing a jar of spiced peaches, a jar of Russian dressing, a little round fruit cake, and a box of fudge. The things will all be wrapped with tissue paper, and gold cord and holly----"

"Lucky Uncle Eric!" sighed Bob. "I wish Santa Claus would bring me a Christmas box like that--fruit cake and spiced peaches and Russian dressing----"

"Maybe he will if you're very good!" laughed Bettina. "If you eat everything your cook sets before you."

"Tell me something hard to do!" said Bob, with enthusiasm. For dinner that night they had:

Escalloped Eggs and Cheese Baked Potatoes Currant Jelly Rolls Plum Pudding with Yellow Sauce Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Escalloped Eggs with Cheese= (Three portions)

3 hard-cooked eggs 2 T-butter 2 T-flour 1 C-milk 1 C-soft bread crumbs 2 C-cheese, cut fine 1 t-salt 1 t-parsley

Melt the butter, add the flour and mix well. Gradually add the milk. Cook one minute, add the cheese and the eggs cut in slices. Add the parsley and the salt. Place one-half the crumbs in the bottom of a well-buttered baking dish, add the egg mixture and cover with the remaining crumbs. Dot with butter, and brown in a moderate oven.

Bettina's Plum Pudding= (Four portions)

1 C-fresh bread crumbs 1/4 C-suet, chopped fine 1/2 t-soda 1/8 t-ground cloves 1/2 t-ground cinnamon 1/8 t-salt 1 t-baking powder 1/4 C-molasses 1 egg 1/3 C-milk 4 T-raisins 4 T-nuts

Mix the bread crumbs, suet, soda, cloves, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add the raisins cut fine, and the nuts. Break the egg into the molasses, beat well, and add the milk. Mix with the first ingredients. Stir and mix thoroughly. Fill a well-buttered pudding mould one-half full. Steam one and a half hours, and serve with yellow sauce.

Yellow Sauce= (Four portions)

1 egg 1/4 C-powdered sugar 1 T-milk 1/2 t-vanilla

Beat the egg white until stiff and dry. Add the yolk and beat one minute. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating. Add the milk gradually and the vanilla. Continue beating for one minute. Serve at once over a hot pudding.

CHAPTER XCVIII

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

"SPEAKING of Christmas gifts," said Charlotte, "wouldn't anyone be delighted to receive a little jar of your Russian dressing, Bettina?"

"I'm sure I'd like it!" said Frank Dixon. "Much better than a pink necktie or a white gift book called 'Thoughts at Christmas-Tide!'"

"Mary Owen makes candied orange peel for all of her friends," said Bettina, "and I think that is so nice, for hers is delicious! She saves candy boxes through the year, and all of her close friends receive the same gift with Mary's card. We all know what to expect from her, and we are all delighted, too. And you see she doesn't have to worry over different gifts for each one. I do think Christmas is growing more sensible, don't you?"

"My sister in South Carolina sends out her Christmas gifts a few weeks early," said Frank. "She sends boxes of mistletoe to everyone. They seem to be welcome, too. By the way, Bob, did you and Bettina decide on your Christmas cards?"

"Yes," said Bob, "and they are partly ready. But we are waiting to get a little picture of the bungalow with snow on the roof--a winter picture seems most appropriate--and the snow isn't forthcoming! The weather man seems to be all upset this year."

"Charlotte has been making some small calendars to send out," said Frank. "She has used her kodak pictures, and I'm afraid they're mostly of me! I don't know what some of my friends will say when they see me with an apron around my neck, seeding cherries!"

"They'll be surprised, anyhow," said Charlotte. "I rather like that picture myself!"

For dinner that night Bettina served:

Escalloped Oysters Baked Potatoes Head Lettuce Russian Dressing Baking Powder Biscuits Apple Jelly Prune Whip Cream Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Escalloped Oysters= (Four portions)

2 C-oysters 2 C-cracker crumbs 3 T-melted butter 1 t-salt 1/4 t-pepper 1-1/2 C-milk

Look over the oysters carefully and remove any particles of shell. To the melted butter add salt, pepper and cracker crumbs. Place a layer of crumbs in the bottom of a well buttered baking dish, and add the oysters and more crumbs until the dish is filled. Pour the milk over the oysters and crackers. Bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven.

Russian Dressing= (Four portions)

1 C-salad dressing 1 t-chopped pimento 1 t-chopped green pepper 1 t-vinegar 1/2 t-paprika 1/4 t-salt 1/2 C-olive oil 1/2 C-chili sauce

To the cup of salad dressing, add the oil, chili sauce, seasonings, vinegar and finely chopped vegetables. Beat two minutes. Pour over head lettuce.

Prune Whip= (Four portions)

1/3 lb. prunes 3 egg-whites 1 T-lemon juice 1/2 C-sugar

Look over and wash the prunes. Soak for three hours in cold water. Cook until soft. Rub through a strainer, and add the sugar and lemon juice. Cook this mixture for five minutes. Beat the egg whites until very stiff, and add the prunes when cold. Pile lightly into a buttered baking dish and bake twenty minutes in a slow oven. Serve with cream.

CHAPTER XCIX

A CHRISTMAS SHOWER

"DEAR Bettina," wrote Polly, "somehow I never do like to write letters--certainly not at this busiest time of the year!--but I simply must tell you about a luncheon that Elizabeth Carter and I gave the other day for one of our holiday brides. (Angeline Carey; do you remember her? A dear girl--rather quiet, but with plenty of good common sense.)

"We had a large Christmas table (aren't they simple and effective?), with a Christmas tree in the center, strung with tiny electric lights, and hung with tinsel and ornaments. Strings of red Christmas bells stretched from the chandelier above the table to the four corners. The favors at each place were several kinds,--Santas, little Christmas trees, snow men and sleds, all of them concealing at their bases the boxes holding the salted nuts. The place-cards were simply Christmas cards.

"Before the guest of honor stood a small Santa, larger, however, than any of the other Santas, and in his hands were the ends of twenty or more narrow green ribbons, each leading to a separate shower-package at the base of the tree. These packages (it was a miscellaneous shower) made an interesting-looking heap, but we didn't ask Angeline to open them until we had reached the salad course. Then she drew each one toward her by the end of a ribbon, opened it, and read the verse on the gift. You have no idea how clever some of the gifts and verses were! Margaret McLaughlin--do you remember her?--had dressed a dishmop in two tea towels, making the funniest old woman! This she introduced as Bridget, Angeline's cook-to-be! One of the girls who sketches cleverly had illustrated her card with pictures of Angeline in her kitchen.

"But I am forgetting our table decorations! We had furnished four rooms for Angeline, doll size, and the furniture of each was grouped along the table. Besides the living room, bedroom, dining room and kitchen, we presented Angeline and Dean with an auto (in miniature, of course), a cow, a horse, several ducks and chickens, a ferocious dog and a sleepy cat. Weren't we good to them? And lo and behold! beside the auto stood Dean himself, disguised as a little china kewpie man; while Angeline, always a lady, stood gracefully in the living room and refused to help him with his menial tasks, or to assist Nora, who was hanging out the clothes in the back yard. Angeline was a kewpie, dressed in style.

"We had the greatest fun finding and arranging these decorations! And now I must tell you about the luncheon itself. I'm even enclosing our recipes, for I know you'll be interested. . . ."

"Hello, there, Bettina!" called Bob at this moment, coming in with a rush, "is dinner ready? What do you suppose I've done? I've absolutely forgotten to send a Christmas gift to Aunt Elizabeth, and I know she'll feel hurt. Will you go with me after dinner to get it?"

Polly's luncheon menu was as follows:

A CHRISTMAS SHOWER

Grapefruit with Maraschino Cherries Chicken Croquettes Candied Sweet Potatoes Creamed Peas Light Rolls Butter Cranberry Jelly Vegetable Salad Salad Dressing Santa Claus Sandwiches Chocolate Ice Cream a la Tannenbaum Christmas White Cake Salted Nuts Coffee Candy Canes

"I wish, Bettina," Polly's letter continued, "that you might have seen the cunning sandwiches that we served with the salad. They were cut with a star-shaped cooky cutter, and on each one was perched a tiny Santa Claus. The sandwiches were arranged on a tray decorated with Christmas tree branches.

"And now comes the dessert. The chocolate ice cream was served in small flower pots lined with waxed paper, and in each flower pot grew a miniature Christmas tree. Around the base of the tree, whipped cream was heaped to represent snow. They were really very cunning.

"Served with the ice cream was a large round white cake decorated very elaborately with icing bells and holly. On the top was placed a real candy bell, large and red. This cake was carried in to Angeline to cut. Around the base, inside the cake, were twenty tiny favors wrapped in waxed paper. They were of all sorts: pipes, canoes, flat irons, animals, birds, many things, but all very tiny. Narrow white bows tied on each favor indicated its position in the cake so that the pieces could be cut to give each guest a favor. Angeline cut her piece first and drew her favor by pulling the little white ribbon. It was really great fun drawing and unwrapping the favors, and the girls tried to interpret the meaning of each. Mary Katherine, Angeline's younger sister, drew the ring, and delightedly proclaimed that she would be the next bride. At this the girls looked a little doubtful, for at the table were no less than six engaged girls besides Angeline. Mary Katherine may fool them--who knows?--but I hope not, for she is far too young and silly to 'settle down' for many years.

"With the coffee we served striped candy canes.

"Well, Betty, I believe I've told you everything about our Christmas luncheon. Do write me soon again, for I love to get your letters. Stir Bob up to write occasionally; he has forgotten his sister--now that he has a wife.

"Yours always, "Polly."

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Chicken Croquettes= (Twenty-five croquettes)

A 3-lb. chicken, cooked and cut fine 1 lb. lean veal, cooked and cut fine 4 T-chopped green pepper 1/2 t-paprika 2 t-salt 1 C-chicken fat 1/2 C-flour 1 T-salt 2 C-milk 2 eggs 3 T-water 3 C-cracker crumbs

Melt the chicken fat. Add the flour and salt and mix well. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. When the mixture gets thick and creamy, allow it to cook, with an asbestos mat under the pan, for five minutes. This cooks the flour thoroughly. Beat one minute to make it creamy. Add the chicken, veal, green pepper, paprika and salt. Allow the mixture to cool. Take one tablespoon of the cooled mixture, and dip in the beaten egg to which the water has been added. Dip in the crumbs and shape any desired shape, preferably conical. Allow the croquettes to stand at least one hour before frying. Fry in deep fat and drain on brown paper. Keep hot in the oven until serving.

Vegetable Salad= (Twenty portions)

10 tomatoes 2 t-salt 1 t-paprika 1 C-cottage cheese 1 C-pimentoes, cut in strips 1/2 C-green pepper, cut in strips 20 pieces of lettuce 2 C-salad dressing 1/2 C-oil from the canned pimento 1/2 C-whipped cream

Arrange the lettuce leaves (washed) on salad plates. Place one slice of tomato, two slices of pimento and two slices of green pepper on each. Sprinkle the vegetables with pepper and salt. Add two teaspoons of cottage cheese. Place one teaspoon of salad dressing on each portion.

To prepare the salad dressing, mix boiled dressing and pimento oil together and then add the whipped cream. Mix well, and pile attractively on the salad.

BETTINA GIVES A DINNER

"THE Christmas feeling is everywhere now!" said Bettina, as she arranged a small artificial fir tree in the center of the table. "It may be a little early, but I can't keep from using Christmas decorations to-night. Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, you look wonderfully festive with snow at your foot and your branches strung with tinsel and ornaments! All that you lack is candles, but I shall use my red shaded candles on the table instead. Let me see, everything is ready, even to the biscuits which are in the ice box waiting to be popped in the oven when the guests arrive. The salad is mixed and waiting, and that Washington pie does look delicious! I'm glad I made it, for Bob is so fond of it. Wonder why Bob doesn't come! I want him to see the table and the tree before the others get here! And build up the fire in the fireplace. It's snowing hard outside, and I want it to be warm and cozy inside. There's someone! Well, off goes my apron!"

The "someone" proved to be Bob, who came in, very pink as to his face, and very white as to his snow-covered shoulders.

"It's growing colder every minute!" said Bob. "Well, a Christmas table! I like that! Makes a fellow feel festive!"

"I couldn't resist the spirit of Christmas," said Bettina.

"I couldn't, either," said Bob, taking a half-dozen gorgeous yellow chrysanthemums from their wrappings. "So I bought you an early Christmas gift. Like 'em?"

For dinner, Bettina served:

Pork Tenderloins Candied Sweet Potatoes Creamed Cauliflower Baking Powder Biscuits Butter Currant Jelly Orange and Cherry Salad Wafers Washington Pie Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Orange and Cherry Salad= (Two portions)

2 oranges 1/2 C-white cherries 1/2 C-diced celery 1/8 t-salt 1/2 C-salad dressing

Remove the white membrane from the pulp of two oranges, and cut each section into half, crosswise. Add the seeded cherries, celery and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add the salad dressing, and serve very cold on lettuce leaves.

Washington Pie= (Six portions)

1-1/3 C-sugar 3 eggs 1/2 C-water 1/2 t-lemon extract 2 C-flour 2 t-baking powder

Beat the egg-yolks five minutes, add the sugar and beat three minutes. Add the water, lemon extract, flour and baking powder. Mix thoroughly. Fold in the beaten egg whites very carefully. Bake twenty-five minutes in two round shallow pans in a moderate oven. When cool, put the following filling between the layers. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.