Bettina Icing

1 egg-white 1 T-cream 1 t-vanilla 1/2 t-lemon extract 2 C-powdered sugar

Beat the egg-white add part of the sugar. Add the cream, vanilla and lemon extracts. Keep beating. Add the rest of the sugar gradually. (A little more sugar may be needed.) Beat the icing till very fluffy and until it will spread without running off the cake. Spread each layer.

CHAPTER CXXVII

A SHAMROCK LUNCHEON

BETTINA was entertaining "the crowd" at a shamrock luncheon, and each guest, to show her enthusiasm for the charms of "ould Ireland," was wearing somewhere upon her gown, a bit of green.

A green basket filled with white carnations and green foliage stood in the center of the table. White glass candlesticks with green shades also carried out the color scheme, while white crocheted favor baskets, filled with dainty green candies, were at each plate. The table was set for six.

The name cards were white shamrocks outlined with green ink and edged with gilt, and the name on each was written in green.

Bettina used green ferns for decoration in every possible place where they might add to the attractiveness of the table, under the glass dishes and around the baskets containing rolls, cakes and croutons.

"You might be Irish yourself, Bettina," said Mary, "you have such a feeling for green! And isn't the table lovely, girls!"

For luncheon Bettina served:

Grapefruit Cocktail Cream of Celery Soup Shamrock Croutons Bettina Meat Timbales Brown Sauce Asparagus on Toast Mashed Sweet Potato Croquettes Shamrock Rolls Mint Jelly Pepper Salad Sandwiches Bombe Glace Shamrock Cakes Coffee Shamrock Candies

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Grapefruit Cocktail= (Six portions)

2 grapefruit 1/3 C-sugar 6 green cherries Smilax or fern leaves

Peel the grapefruit, remove the white part and the tough membrane, leaving the fruit. Cut with the scissors into one-inch cubes. Place in a bowl, add the sugar and allow to stand in a cold place for one hour. Arrange the servings in six sherbet glasses. Place one green cherry on the top of each and garnish the plate with smilax or a fern leaf. Stand the sherbet glasses on a paper doily on a small serving plate. Arrange a bit of the green leaf under the sherbet glass (on top of the doily) so that the green color will be visible through the glass.

Cream of Celery Soup= (Six portions)

2/3 C-celery, cut fine 1-1/2 C-water 4 T-butter 6 T-flour 2-1/2 C-milk 2 t-salt 1/4 t-paprika 1 t-chopped parsley 2 T-whipped cream

Wash the celery thoroughly, and cut into small pieces. Add the small leaves and the water. Simmer for thirty-five minutes. Strain through a coarse strainer, rubbing all of the pulp through. Melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. Add the milk and cook two minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Add the celery stock and the pulp. Cook one minute. Fill bouillon cups three-fourths full, add two pinches of parsley and one teaspoon of cream to each serving.

Shamrock Croutons= (Six portions)

6 slices bread 2 T-butter 1/4 t-salt

Cut the slices of bread half an inch thick and cut pieces out of each with a shamrock cooky cutter. Toast on each side until a delicate brown. Butter and sprinkle with salt, serve warm with soup.

CHAPTER CXXVIII

"MARY gave a waffle party today," announced Bettina at the dinner table.

"A waffle party in the afternoon?" said Bob. "That was queer! Usually at afternoon parties you women serve tiny little cups of tea and dainty olive sandwiches, almost too small to be visible; don't you? Waffles are more sensible, I think, but it seems a shame that we men had to miss such a party."

"Well, I'm afraid I'll have to acknowledge that we had a very good time without you," laughed Bettina, wickedly. "It has been cold today, you know, and Mary's kitchen was so warm and bright and cozy! We all went out there and took turns baking the waffles. We consumed a large number of them, and had a very jolly informal kind of time. We housekeepers compared notes and gave each other advice and really learned a great many things."

"Such as----"

"Well, Alice tells me that when she makes a devil's food cake she removes all of the melted chocolate from the pan by adding a little flour which mixes in thoroughly and saves any waste of chocolate. Surely that is worth knowing."

"It certainly is, though I'll admit that I don't quite understand your language."

"Well, cheer up, Bob! There are times when I confess that I don't quite understand the automobile explanations you so often give me of late!"

Their dinner that evening consisted of:

Pork Chops Mashed Potatoes Creamed Carrots Bettina Salad Orange Dessert Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Pork Chops= (Two portions)

2 pork chops 1/2 C-cracker crumbs 1 T-egg 1 T-water 1 T-bacon fat

Wipe the chops with a damp cloth. Mix the crumbs and the salt. Beat the egg and the water together. Dip the chops in the crumbs, then in the egg mixture and then in the crumbs. Place the bacon fat in the frying-pan and when hot add the chops. Brown thoroughly on both sides, add half a cup of water, and cook over a moderate fire until tender. (About thirty minutes.) Cover with a lid while cooking. More water may be needed to prevent burning.

Bettina Salad= (Two portions)

1 tomato 1 green pepper 2 T-pimento cut in small pieces 2 T-grated cheese 1 t-salt 1/4 t-onion salt 1/4 t-celery salt 1/8 t-paprika 1/2 C-salad dressing 2 pieces of lettuce

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a plate. Place a slice of tomato, two slices of green pepper, one tablespoon of pimento and one tablespoon of cheese on each serving. Mix the salad dressing with salt, paprika, celery and onion salts. Pour half of the mixture over a portion of the salad.

Orange Dessert= (Two portions)

2 slices of sponge cake 1 orange 2 T-sugar 2 T-nut meats, cut fine 2/3 C-whipped cream 1 t-vanilla

Add the vanilla and the sugar to the whipped cream. Arrange the slices of cake on the plates. Place one-fourth of the orange, divided into sections and sprinkled with sugar, on each slice. Pile the whipped cream on the orange. Place one tablespoon of nut meats and the remaining fourth of the orange (cut small) on each portion. Do not arrange this dessert until just ready to serve.

CHAPTER CXXIX

AN ANNIVERSARY DINNER

"THIS is some dinner, Bettina!" said Bob, over his dessert. "It's like a celebration, somehow, with the pink candles on the table, and the flowers, and the company menu. Why, Bettina, I do believe it is an anniversary! Isn't it? Let me see! The second anniversary of our engagement!"

"I've been waiting to see if you would remember that, Bob, and I must say that I'm a little ashamed of you! After all, it took the pink candles and the company dinner to make you think of it! Well, I suppose men are all alike!" And she sighed the sigh of deep disillusionment.

Bob waited for a moment to see the dimple reappear in her cheek, and the twinkle in her eyes, and then he, too, sighed--a sigh of relief.

"Bless your heart, Bettina, don't you sigh like that again! You almost had me thinking that you were in earnest. Now you took the very nicest way to remind me of that anniversary. Instead of feeling neglected like some women----"

"What do you know about 'some women,' Bob?"

"Only what I've read in books----"

"Well, the books don't know. But I give you fair warning, Bob, that on the next anniversary you fail to remember, I'll feed you bread and milk, and not chicken."

"This is a fine dessert," said Bob meekly and tactfully.

"Do you like it? I enjoy making it, it looks so light and fluffy. I pile it very lightly into the glass dish to make it that way. I prefer gelatin in glass dishes, don't you, Bob?"

"You bet I do! Everything about this anniversary dinner is fine except for my own stupidity!"

That night Bettina served:

Bettina's Chicken En Casserole Whole Wheat Bread Butter Cranberry Jelly Head Lettuce with Salad Dressing Bettina's Sponge Coffee

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Bettina's Chicken En Casserole= (Two portions)

4 pieces of chicken 2 T-flour 1 T-lard 1 C-boiling water 1 t-salt 2 T-butter 1/2 C-cooked potatoes, cut in cubes 1/2 C-cooked carrots 1/4 C-cooked celery 1 T-raw onion 1 t-salt

Roll the chicken in the flour. Place the lard in the frying-pan, and when very hot, add the chicken, browning thoroughly on all sides. Season with the salt. Place in the casserole and add the boiling water. Cover, and place in a moderate oven for one hour. Melt the butter, and when hot, add the potatoes, carrots, onion, celery and salt. Stir constantly, and when well-browned, add to the chicken mixture. Allow to cook for half an hour. More water may be needed. Serve in the casserole.

Bettina's Sponge= (Three portions)

2 t-granulated gelatin 1 T-cold water 4 T-sugar 1 T-lemon juice 1 C-boiling water 1/2 C-whipped cream 6 cocoanut macaroons, crushed 8 candied cherries, cut fine 2 T-nut meats, cut fine

Add the cold water to the gelatin and allow it to stand five minutes. Add the sugar and the lemon juice. Mix well, and add boiling water. When thoroughly dissolved, allow to cool. When the mixture begins to congeal, or thicken, add the whipped cream, crushed macaroons, cherries and nut meats. Beat until the mixture begins to thicken. Pile lightly into a glass dish and set away to harden for one hour.

CHAPTER CXXX

RUTH COMES TO DINNER

"HOW do you like this kind of meat, Ruth?" asked Bob. "It is a little invention of Bettina's own. I call it a symphony and no 'mis-steak.'"

"It is an economy, not a symphony," said Bettina, "but if it leads you to make such dreadful puns as that, I'll wish I had fed you something else for dinner."

"To me," said Ruth, "this dish is a delicacy and a despair. How can you think of things like this? I know I never could do it in the wide world!"

"I can't compose symphonies or poems," said Bettina, "so I express myself in this way. And most of my music is played in a simple key. It is difficult to think of a variety of inexpensive meat dishes, and sometimes I have to invent them in order to keep within my allowance, and still vary my menus. Creamed onions are economical and healthful, too, so you see that my whole dinner is inexpensive."

"And also delicious," said Ruth. "I don't see how you manage to keep cooked onions from having a strong smell, and to keep the house so free from the odor."

"O that someone would patent That someone would patent and sell An onion with an onion taste And with a violet smell,"

quoted Bob.

"Well," said Bettina, "I'm afraid that a house in which onions have recently been cooking, can't be entirely free from the odor, but I largely overcome the difficulty by peeling them under cold water, and then cooking them in an uncovered vessel. Then, too, I wonder if you know that boiling them for five minutes and then draining them and covering them with boiling water again--even draining them twice and finishing the cooking in fresh boiling water--is a splendid thing for taking away the strong taste."

"No, I didn't know that. Bettina, dear, your kind of apple sauce is as fine a dessert as I ever ate."

"You're good to say so, Ruth. I was afraid when I urged you to stay tonight that you might think this meal very plain and simple for a guest, but I know it is healthful and economical and Bob seems to thrive, so I'll not be remorseful."

"Just let me ask you what gives this apple sauce such a delicate flavor. It isn't a bit like common, ordinary apple sauce."

"I don't know; maybe it's the butter. I always put that in, and a few grains of salt. This has also a thin slice of lemon cooked in it--rind and all--and of course there is a little cinnamon, though some people prefer nutmeg. Then I try to be careful in putting in the sugar, for I know that some apples require more than others. These were tart apples; I like them better for apple sauce."

"The reason why I'm never cross Is 'cause I'm fed on apple sauce,"

remarked Bob complacently.

"But I am sure you'd fret and cry If fed instead on apple pie,"

added Ruth.

"Not Bettina's apple pie!" said Bob decidedly. "You may just be sure that it would improve any disposition!"

Dinner that night consisted of:

Bettina Steak New Potatoes with Maitre d'Hotel Sauce Creamed Onions Apple Sauce Bread Butter

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Bettina Steak= (Four portions)

1 lb. ground beef from the round 1/4 C-bread crumbs 1/4 C-milk 1 egg, well beaten 1/8 t-grated nutmeg 1/2 t-onion juice or onion salt 1/2 t-chopped green pepper 1 t-salt 1/4 t-paprika 1/2 t-chopped parsley

Soak the crumbs in milk for three minutes, add the meat, egg, nutmeg, onion juice, parsley, salt, green pepper and paprika. Mix well. Pat into shape one and one-half inches thick in a well buttered tin pan. Cook five minutes under a very hot broiler. Turn down the heat a little and cook ten minutes more. Turn the steak into another buttered pan the same size and cook that side ten minutes. Pie tins may be used to cook the meat in.

Creamed Onions= (Four portions)

6 onions 1-1/2 C-vegetable white sauce

Peel six medium sized onions under cold water. Place in a stew-pan and cover with boiling water. Boil five minutes, drain, cover again with boiling water and cook ten minutes. Drain, recover with boiling water and cook ten minutes longer or until tender. Serve with hot white sauce.