Twenty-Five Cent Dinners for Families of Six Part 3

=Bean Soup.=--For this, use the receipt for pea soup, using beans instead of peas; the cost will be about the same.

=Lentil Soup.=--For two quarts of soup half a pint of yellow lentils, (cost five cents,) washed, and put to boil in three pints of cold water, with one cents' worth of soup greens, and boiled gently until the lentils are soft enough to break between the fingers; every half hour a gill of cold water should be added, and the lentils again raised to a boiling point, until they are done; they should then be pa.s.sed through a sieve with a wooden spoon, using enough of the liquor to make them pa.s.s easy, and mixed with the rest of the soup; it should be seasoned with salt and pepper, and is then ready to simmer for half an hour, and serve hot, with dice of fried bread half an inch square, like those used for pea soup, or with bits of stale bread. A plentiful dinner of lentil soup and bread costs only about ten cents.

=Onion Soup.=--Chop half a quart of onions, (cost three cents,) fry them brown, in a large saucepan, with two ounces of drippings, stirring until they are well browned, but not burned; then stir in half a pound, or a little less, of oatmeal, (cost three cents,) add three quarts of water, and season to taste with pepper and salt; (the drippings and seasoning cost one cent;) while the soup is boiling, which must be for about twenty minutes, with occasional stirring, toast a third of a six cent loaf of bread, cut it in half inch bits, lay it in the soup tureen; and, when the soup is ready pour it on the toast. The soup will cost about ten cents, and is extremely nourishing.

=Spinach Soup.=--Put one quart of spinach, (cost five cents,) to boil in a large pot, full of boiling water, well salted with two tablespoonfuls of salt; cover until it boils up once; then remove the cover, and with a wooden spoon press the spinach under water as fast as it rises to the surface; boil it steadily only until it is tender; then drain it; run plenty of cold water from the faucet over it, while it is still in the colander; drain it again, chop it fine, and pa.s.s it through a kitchen sieve with the aid of a wooden spoon; boil one quart of milk, (cost eight cents,) and one quart of water; add the spinach to it, thicken it by stirring in two tablespoonfuls of corn starch dissolved in cold milk; season it with one teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper, and the same of nutmeg; (cost of seasoning one cent,) and serve it as soon as it boils up. It costs only fifteen cents, and is delicious.

Soup can be made from any green vegetable or herb in the same way.

=Vegetable Soup.=--The following is the receipt given by the celebrated FRANCATELLI for a cheap vegetable soup: Put six quarts of water to boil in a large pot with quarter of a pound of suet, or two ounces of drippings, (cost about two cents,) season it with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a few sprigs of parsley and dried herbs, (cost of seasoning one cent;) while it is boiling prepare about ten cents' worth of cabbage, turnips, beans, or any cheap vegetables in season; throw them into the boiling soup, and when they have boiled up thoroughly, set the pot at the side of the fire, where it will simmer, for about two hours. Then take up some of the vegetables without breaking, and use them with any gravy you may have on hand, or with quarter of a pound of bacon, (cost four cents,) sliced and fried, for the bulk of the meal; the soup after being seasoned to taste can be eaten with bread, at the beginning of the meal, the whole of which can be provided for about twenty cents.

=Vegetable Porridge.=--Pare and slice thin ten cents' worth of carrots, turnips, onions, and parsnips, and put them into three quarts of water, with a few sprigs of parsley and dried herbs; season them with half a tablespoonful of salt, and quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and let them boil till very soft, two hours or more; then rub them all through a colander, return the porridge to the pot, and set it over the fire to heat, stirring it to prevent burning. Use it with bread; it will cost about fifteen cents for enough for a hearty meal.

=Rice Milk.=--Put half a pound of well-washed rice into two quarts of boiling water, with two ounces of sweet drippings, a teaspoonful of salt, and a bit of cinnamon, or lemon peel, and let all boil gently about an hour; then add one quart of milk, and stir the rice for about ten minutes. A little sugar or mola.s.ses may be added if you want it sweet. It makes an excellent breakfast or supper dish, and costs about fifteen cents.

=Fish Soup.=--Make this soup from any rich, glutinous fish, such as cod's head, halibut neck, flounders, skate, or any cheap fish which is in season, and which you can buy for five or six cents a pound. Chop one or two onions, fry them in a pot with two ounces of drippings, till light brown; season with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a teaspoonful of sweet herbs of any kind, then add two quarts of hot water, and let all boil for ten minutes; meantime mix quarter of a pound of oatmeal with one pint of cold water, and wash and cut in two-inch pieces about two pounds of fish; when the soup has boiled ten minutes, put the fish into it, and carefully stir in the oatmeal; let it boil twenty minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning; it will then be ready to use. The seasoning, drippings, and oatmeal, will cost about five cents, and the fish ten more; with the addition of bread and potatoes, say five cents' worth of either, it makes an excellent meal, costing about twenty cents.

=Fish Chowder.=--Fry together in the bottom of a saucepan four ounces of salt pork and two onions sliced; when brown season with a teaspoonful of sweet herbs, and a very little salt and pepper; meantime peel and slice half a dozen medium-sized potatoes, and lay them in cold water; and cut in small slices two pounds of any fish which costs about five cents per pound; when the onions and pork are brown, put the potatoes and fish upon them in layers, seasoning with a level tablespoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of pepper; pour over all cold water enough to cover the ingredients, and let them cook twenty minutes after they begin to boil; soak half a pound of sea-biscuit in cold water, and when the chowder is nearly done lay them on it, and pour over them half a pint of milk; in five minutes the chowder will be ready to use. The onions, pork, and seasoning will cost five cents; the potatoes, crackers and milk five more; and the fish ten cents; total for two quarts of good chowder twenty cents.

=Mutton Broth.=--Put two pounds of a jointed neck of mutton, (cost twelve cents,) in two and a half quarts of cold water, and let it boil slowly; skim it carefully, season it with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and the same of sweet herbs; then add one quart of yellow turnips, peeled and quartered, (cost three cents,) and four ounces of well washed pearl barley, (cost two cents,) and boil about an hour longer, or until the turnips and barley are tender. Take up the meat on a platter, lay the turnips around it, and pour the broth and barley into a soup tureen. The broth, meat and vegetables will cost seventeen cents, and will make a good dinner with the addition of bread; or you can use the mutton and turnips for one meal, and keep the broth and barley for another.

=Veal Broth.=--Make this as you would the mutton broth, using a knuckle of veal, (which costs ten cents,) instead of the neck of mutton, and a quarter of a pound of rice, (which costs two or three cents,) instead of barley; omit the turnips. You will have a good, nutritious, broth for about thirteen cents.

=White Broth.=--Cut two pounds of the neck of veal, (cost twelve cents,) in cutlets, and put it in a sauce pan with two ounces of salt pork, (cost two cents,) a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one onion chopped, six whole cloves, and half a pint of water; (the seasoning will cost about one cent;) boil these ingredients for ten minutes, stirring often enough to prevent burning, then add two and a half quarts of hot water, and skim the broth thoroughly as soon as it boils up; let it simmer for half an hour, when take up the meat, reserving it for stew, strain the broth, let it boil up again, and then put into it a quarter of a pound of macaroni, (cost four cents,) and boil it for half an hour longer. While it is boiling put the meat with half a quart of peeled and quartered potatoes, (cost two cents,) a teaspoonful of salt, and a pint of boiling water into a sauce pan and let them cook as long as the macaroni. Serve the stew by itself, and the broth and macaroni in a soup tureen. With bread these two dishes make a good dinner, at a cost of about twenty-five cents. You can sometimes use rice or dumplings instead of macaroni.

=Cream Soup.=--Proceed as for white broth, using the meat for a stew, skimming all the fat off the broth, and then adding to it two tablespoonfuls of flour mixed smooth with half a pint of milk; when the milk and flour are mixed smooth pour into them a gill of the boiling broth, and then add them to the soup; see if the seasoning is right, and boil it ten minutes, stirring it to prevent burning; during this time toast a few slices of stale bread, cut them in dice, and put them in the soup tureen; when the soup is ready pour it over the toast, take up the stew on another dish, and serve both together. They make a good dinner for about twenty-five cents.

=Beef Broth.=--Put two pounds of lean beef from the neck, (cost twelve cents,) in two and a half quarts of cold water to boil; skim as soon as it boils, and add a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, quarter of a nutmeg grated, a few sweet herbs, and half a dozen cloves; (cost of seasoning two cents;) boil gently for one hour. At the end of quarter of an hour make as follows some

=Norfolk Dumplings.=--Mix by sifting together one pound of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, and two of baking-powder, (cost three cents;) make into a soft dough with one egg, half a pint of milk and a very little water, (cost four cents,) and drop them by the tablespoonful in the soup; be careful that the pot does not stop boiling, or the dumplings will be heavy.

At the end of three quarters of an hour stir together over the fire in a large sauce-pan one ounce each of b.u.t.ter and flour, (cost two cents,) and when they are nicely browned, gradually add, and mix with an egg-whip or large fork, a pint of the boiling soup. Take up the meat and dumplings on the same dish, strain the soup into the sauce you have just made, and mix it thoroughly; put a little of it over the meat and dumplings, and serve the rest in the soup tureen; it is very nice with small dice of toast in it.

Both dishes make an excellent dinner, at a cost of about twenty-five cents, including bread.

=Meat Brewis.=--This palatable dish is made by putting the thick upper or under crust of a stale loaf of bread into the pot when any meat or soup is boiling, and letting it remain about five minutes to thoroughly absorb the broth; it should then be taken out as whole as possible, and eaten at once. It is satisfactory, nutritious and economical; enough for a hearty meal costing not more than five cents.

CHAPTER VI.

PEAS, BEANS, LENTILS, AND MAIZE.

Before giving you receipts for cooking peas, beans, and lentils, I want to show you how important they are as foods. I have already spoken of the heat and flesh forming properties of food as the test of its usefulness; try to understand that a laboring man needs twelve ounces and a half of heat food, and half an ounce of flesh-food every day to keep him healthy. One pound, or one and a quarter pints of dried peas, beans, or lentils, contains nearly six ounces of heat food, and half an ounce of flesh food; that is, nearly as much heat-food, and more than twice as much flesh food as wheat. A little fat, salt meat, or suet, cooked with them, to bring up their amount of heat-food to the right point, makes either of them the best and most strengthening food a workingman can have. The only objection to their frequent use is the fact that their skins are sometimes hard to digest; but if you make them into soup, or pudding, rubbing them through a sieve after they are partly cooked, you will be safe from any danger.

=Oatmeal and Peas.=--Cut quarter of a pound of fat pork or bacon, (cost four cents,) into pieces half an inch square; put it in the bottom of a pot with two sliced onions, (cost one cent,) and fry ten minutes without burning; season with two teaspoonfuls of salt, one of sugar, and one saltspoonful of pepper; (cost of seasoning one cent;) then add three quarts of cold water, and one pint of peas, (cost five cents,) and boil the whole gently until the peas become quite soft; then stir in enough oatmeal to thicken, about a quarter of a pound, (cost two cents or less;) simmer for twenty minutes, and then eat hot. It is the healthiest kind of a meal, and costs thirteen cents, or less.

=Peas-Pudding.=--Soak one pint of dried peas, (cost five cents,) in cold water over night; tie them loosely in a clean cloth, and boil them about two hours in pot-liquor or water, putting them into it cold and bringing them gradually to a boil; drain them, pa.s.s them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, season them with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, one ounce of b.u.t.ter, and one egg, (all of which will cost five cents,) mix, tie in a clean cloth, and boil half an hour longer; then turn it from the cloth on a dish, and serve hot. This receipt makes a good large pudding for ten cents; or you can leave out the egg and it will cost less.

=Peas and Bacon.=--Put one pound of bacon, (cost twelve cents,) to boil in two and a half quarts of cold water, with one pint of dried peas, (cost five cents;) when the peas are soft, drain them, press them through a sieve, lay them neatly on a flat dish, place the bacon on them, and set them in the oven to brown. Meantime strain any water which may remain after boiling them, and thicken it over the fire with Indian meal, in the proportion of four or five tablespoonfuls to each pint, so as to make it thick enough to cut and fry when cold; boil it about one hour, and then cool it.

As soon as the peas and bacon are brown, serve them with boiled potatoes or bread, (about five cents' worth of either;) they make a good dinner, and with the hasty pudding, cost only about twenty-five cents.

=Baked Peas.=--Proceed as directed for peas-pudding, only instead of putting the peas again in the cloth put them in a pudding-dish, and brown them in the oven. A large dish costs only ten cents.

=Peas and Onions.=--Proceed as directed for peas pudding, omitting the egg, and subst.i.tuting for it an onion chopped and fried in an ounce of drippings; bake as in the previous receipt. The cost will be about ten cents, and the dish is exceedingly nutritious.

=Baked Beans.=--Put one pint of dried beans, (cost six cents,) and quarter of a pound of salt pork, (cost four cents,) into two quarts of cold water; bring them to a boil, and boil them slowly for about twenty minutes; then put the beans, with about a teacupful of the water they were boiled in, into an open jar, season them with salt and pepper to taste, and one tablespoonful of mola.s.ses, (cost of seasoning one cent,) lay the pork on the top, and bake two hours, or longer. The dish will cost about ten cents, and is palatable and nutritious. The liquor in which the beans were boiled should be saved, and used the next morning as broth, with seasoning and a little fried or toasted bread in it.

=Stewed Beans.=--Soak a pint of dried beans, (cost six cents,) over night in cold water; put them to boil in a quart of cold water with one ounce of drippings, a level tablespoonful of salt, and quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and boil them gently for two hours. Then drain them, put them into a sauce pan with one ounce of b.u.t.ter and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and after heating them through, serve them at once. The drippings, b.u.t.ter, and seasoning, will not cost more than four cents, and the whole dish can be made for ten.

=Fried Beans.=--Proceed as above, omitting the parsley, and letting the b.u.t.ter get hot in a frying pan, before putting the beans in; fry them a little, stirring them so that they will brown equally, and then serve them. The dish will cost ten cents.

=Beans and Bacon.=--Soak a pint of dried beans, (cost six cents,) over night in cold water; put them over the fire in one quart of cold water, with quarter of a pound of bacon, (cost three cents,) and boil them gently for about two hours; then stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour mixed smooth with a little cold water, season to taste with pepper, salt, and if you like it a little chopped onion, and let them stew gently for about ten minutes; they will then be ready to serve. The dish will cost ten cents.

=Lentils.=--Lentils have been used for food in older countries for a long time, and it is quite necessary that we should become acquainted with their merits if we want to save; I give a lentil soup, and some excellent directions for cooking this invaluable food. One quart of lentils when cooked will make four pounds of hearty food. There are two varieties in market; the small flat brown seed, called lentils _a la reine_; and a larger kind, about the size of peas, and of a greenish color; both sorts are equally well flavored and nutritious; they cost ten cents a pound, and can be bought at general groceries. The seed of the lentil tare, commonly cultivated in France and Germany as an article of food, ranks nearly as high as meat as a valuable food, being capable of sustaining life and vigor for a long time; this vegetable is gradually becoming known in this country, from the use of it by our French and German citizens; and from its nutritive value it deserves to rank as high as our favorite New England Beans.

=Lentils boiled plain.=--Wash one pound, or one full pint of lentils, (cost ten cents,) well in cold water, put them over the fire, in three quarts of cold water with one ounce of drippings, one tablespoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper, (cost about one cent,) and boil slowly until tender, that is about three hours; drain off the little water which remains, add to the lentils one ounce of b.u.t.ter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of sugar, and a little more salt and pepper if required, (cost about three cents,) and serve them hot. Always save the water in which they are boiled; with the addition of a little thickening and seasoning, it makes a very nourishing soup.

=Stewed Lentils.=--Put a pint of plain boiled lentils into a sauce pan, cover them with any kind of pot-liquor, add one ounce of chopped onion, two ounces of drippings, quarter of an ounce of chopped parsley, and stew gently for twenty minutes; serve hot. This dish costs about ten cents.

=Fried Lentils.=--Fry one ounce of chopped onion brown in two ounces of drippings, add one pint of plain boiled lentils, see if they are properly seasoned, and brown them well; serve hot. This dish costs about ten cents, and is very good, and as nutritious as meat.

=Maize, or Indian Corn Meal.=--This native product is a strong and nutritious food, and very economical; in addition to the ordinary hasty-pudding, or mush, it can be cooked with a little pot-liquor, meat, or cheese, so as to be both good and wholesome. Below are some excellent receipts for cooking it.

=Polenta.=--Boil one pound of yellow Indian meal, (cost four cents,) for half an hour, in two quarts of pot-liquor or boiling water, salted to taste, with one ounce of fat, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; then bake it for half an hour in a greased baking dish, and serve it either hot, or, when cold, slice it and fry it in smoking hot fat. This favorite Italian dish is closely allied to the hasty-pudding of New England, and the mush of the South. It costs five cents.

=Cheese Pudding.=--Into two quarts of boiling water, containing two tablespoonfuls of salt, stir one pound of yellow Indian meal, (cost four cents,) and a quarter of a pound of grated cheese, (cost four cents;) boil it for twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; then put it in a greased baking pan, sprinkle over the top quarter of a pound of grated cheese, (cost four cents,) and brown in a quick oven. Serve hot. If any remains, slice it cold and fry it brown.

It costs twelve cents.

=Hasty-Pudding.=--Have boiling upon the fire two quarts of water with a level tablespoonful of salt; sprinkle in gradually one pound of Indian meal, (cost four cents,) stirring constantly to prevent lumps; and boil steadily for one hour, stirring occasionally. The secret of making good hasty-pudding is to boil it long enough to thoroughly cook it. Some persons first mix the meal with cold water until it forms a thick batter, and then stir this into the boiling water. The pudding can be eaten with a little milk, b.u.t.ter, or mola.s.ses, if they are desirable additions; or with some meat gravy, or melted and seasoned suet. When cold it is good sliced and fried.

=Johnny Cake.=--Mix one pound of Indian meal, (cost four cents,) one ounce of lard, (cost one cent,) and one teaspoonful of salt, with sufficient boiling water to make a stiff batter; put it by the tablespoonful into a greased baking pan, and bake it thoroughly. Five cents' worth makes a hearty meal, with a little b.u.t.ter or mola.s.ses.

=Indian Cakes.=--These are prepared in the same way as Johnny Cake, except that the batter is made about as thin as buckwheat cakes, and baked upon a greased griddle over the fire instead of in the oven. The most economical way of greasing the griddle is to put a small piece of fat salt pork upon a fork and rub it over the surface of the griddle after it is well heated.

=Indian Bread.=--Mix into one quart of boiling water enough Indian meal to make a thin batter, about a quarter of a pound, (cost one cent;) when it has cooled, stir into it one pound of wheat flour, (cost four cents,) a level tablespoonful of salt, and one gill of yeast; let it rise overnight, and then bake it in loaves.

=Boiled Indian Pudding.=--Dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in one pint of sour milk, add to it one pint of mola.s.ses, (cost five cents,) quarter of a pound of chopped suet, (cost two cents,) half a pound of Indian meal, (cost two cents,) and a level teaspoonful of salt; if you have no milk use boiling water instead of it; put the pudding into a scalded pudding bag, or a pudding kettle, and this into a pot of boiling water; boil steadily for four hours, adding boiling water as the quant.i.ty decreases. The pudding when cooked may be eaten with sauce or mola.s.ses, if desired; it will cost about ten cents.

=Baked Indian Pudding.=--Stir into a quart of boiling milk, (cost eight cents,) quarter of a pound of Indian meal, (cost one cent,) one level teaspoonful of salt, the same of spice, and one ounce of b.u.t.ter, (cost two cents;) last of all add one pint of cold milk, (cost four cents,) or milk and water. Pour the pudding into an earthen dish, and bake slowly for three hours. It will cost about fifteen cents, and be very nice.

There is as much difference in the quality of Indian meal as there is in its preparation; Southern meal is undoubtedly finer than Northern, and Southern cooks are proverbial for their skill in using it. I am indebted for some of the preceding receipts to a friend in Maryland, and I advise my readers to buy Southern meal, if they can get it, and test them thoroughly. Meal that is ground by hand or water power is superior to that ground by steam, because it is less heated in the process.

Indian corn is an excellent food in temperate and warm climates; and from its abundant yield, and easy cultivation, it is one of the cheapest of cereals. It contains the nitrates, or flesh-forming properties, in an excessive degree. It is a palatable and nutritious diet whether eaten green, parched, or ground into meal.