Armour's Monthly Cook Book, Volume 2, No. 12, October 1913

Use only the best fat for frying – an absolutely pure leaf lard which contains neither water nor salt and have your kettle two thirds full, that is, deep enough to quite cover the article to be fried. Once started, this quantity must be kept up, as it reduces slightly with each frying, but the same fat may be used again and again if care be taken to keep it clean and of a good color. After each frying let the fat cool a little and strain to remove crumbs, etc., which would otherwise burn and spoil the fat. If strained when very hot it is apt to unsolder the strainer. Wipe the kettle clean, return the strained lard and set aside until wanted again.

French Fried Potatoes are sliced thin or cut lengthwise in strips laid in ice water for half an hour; then dried thoroughly between two towels and plunged into boiling deep fat. As soon as they are delicately browned they are fished out with a split spoon and laid in a hot colander to drain off every drop of fat. Serve at once.

German Fried Potatoes are as a rule cooked and cold before they are sautéed. Some prefer them to the French. To many minds they never get quite rid of the stale taste that clings to the cold potato. The same may be said of stewed cold, cooked potatoes. The least objectionable way of serving them as left-overs is to sauté them.

"To have bread excite thankfulness, and a drink of water send the heart to God, is better than sighs for the unattainable. To plough a straight furrow on Monday, or dust a room well on Tuesday, or kiss a bumped forehead on Wednesday, is worth more than the most ecstatic thrill under Sunday eloquence. Spirituality is seeing God in common things and showing God in common tasks." – MALTBIE D. BACOCK.

The School Child's Sleep

The mother who has a child at school may not be able to help him with his lessons, but there is one thing she can do for him which will benefit him even more, and that is to see that he gets enough sleep.

Insufficient sleep affects the nerves, the temper, the digestion, the mental quickness, and even the morals of children. The child who gets enough sleep is the one who is bright and quick mentally, who grows normally and well, who eats properly and who is not peevish and irritable.

An early supper and an early bedtime are the things for the school child. Then put him in a well-ventilated bedroom and let him have ten or eleven full hours of slumber and he'll wake up bright and healthy and good, too.

Many of the little whining nervous children we see are simply suffering from lack of sleep. Many small naughtinesses simply come from tired nerves and weariness of mind and body. So many mothers notice such a difference in the behavior of children once they have started to school and are at a loss to understand the reason. It is because the daily nap which the child took before he went to school has been given up, but the bedtime hour has not been changed. Consequently the nerves of the child suffer.

Try giving the school child supper at half past five, a nourishing and easily digested supper, too. Then at eight, promptly pack him off to bed. If he doesn't sleep let him sip a cup of hot milk, and sit beside him until he drowses off. Sleep is largely a habit and will be easily acquired in a few evenings. And oh, the difference it will make to the child in every way. — Exchange.

Hints on Picture Hanging

Hang the pictures from the ceiling or picture rail by means of a thin cord as nearly as possible the color of the walls. When this is done you may, if you like, fill up the spaces left above the smaller pictures by placing therein a miniature, or an old blue plate, or a little plaster relief. This arrangement gives all the space, above or below, upon which to rest your eyes, and is infinitely preferable to the usual way of hanging pictures one over the other or all up and down the walls. Fishing line makes an excellent substitute for picture wire and is much less conspicuous.

From the Pantry Shelf

Keeping the pantry shelf supplied with foods that are easily prepared and served is one of the things which mark the careful housewife. The Veribest list of prepared foods embraces soups, meats, baked beans and many varieties of potted ham, veal, chicken, etc., all of which are perfect. Their use means a saving of time, fuel and energy – with satisfaction for the whole family.

CHICKEN MOUSSÉ

One cup of chicken stock (made from Armour's Chicken Bouillon Cubes), one half teaspoon of salt, a pinch of celery salt, one cup of Armour's Veribest Boned Chicken, two teaspoons of granulated gelatine, two tablespoons of cold water, one cup of beaten cream, one tablespoon of chopped olives, and whites of two eggs. Heat the stock, seasoning and gelatine which has been soaked in cold water. When dissolved, add the chicken finely minced with fork, and the cream. Beat well and fold in the well-beaten whites of eggs. Pour into buttered molds and chill for two or three hours. Serve as salad with mayonnaise. – MRS. A. E. RICHESON, 83 °Canal St., Mt. Vernon, Ind.

CHICKEN AND MACARONI

Put one half package of macaroni in boiling salted water and boil until tender. Drain off all but a very little water and add grated cheese. Stir well, cover and keep hot until the cheese is melted. Have ready a cream sauce made from milk, flour and butter, and when hot add one can of Armour's Veribest Boned Chicken. Mix the macaroni and creamed chicken lightly, and serve on buttered hot toast. – MRS. H. B. HILL, Sarver, Pa.

CASSEROLE OF RICE AND BEEF

One can of Armour's Veribest Roast Beef, one half teaspoon of salt, one fourth teaspoon of pepper, one egg, one tablespoon of chopped parsley, one fourth cup of fine bread crumbs and three cups of cooked rice. Season the meat and mix with crumbs and egg. Add just enough stock to bind. Make stock of one fourth teaspoon of Armour's Extract of Beef and one half cup of hot water. Line a mold with half the rice. Fill with the seasoned meat and cover with the remainder of the rice. Cover tightly and steam thirty minutes. Serve with tomato sauce. – MRS. FRANK GROUNDWATER, Elma, Wash.

JELLIED VEAL

Make a rich gravy by browning one tablespoon of flour in one tablespoon of Armour's Simon Pure Leaf Lard, and add one large onion cut fine, one fresh tomato or tomato pulp, and one teaspoon of Armour's Extract of Beef. Season with salt and pepper and let the gravy simmer until it thickens, then add one can of Veribest Veal Loaf, and mix it thoroughly in the gravy. Dissolve a package of gelatine in boiling water and mix it thoroughly with the veal and gravy. Put aside to cool and then set it in refrigerator for a few hours. Slice and garnish with parsley and a few slices of lemon. – MRS. VIOLA MICHEL BODE, 2865 Fortin Street, New Orleans, La.

MACARONI MILANAISE

Cook one half package of macaroni in three quarts of salted water (boiling) until tender. Drain well and cover with cold water for ten minutes or more. Cook one can of tomatoes for fifteen minutes with a bay leaf, a bit of mace, onion, cloves, parsley, salt and pepper. Strain and thicken with one fourth cup each of butter and flour blended together. Drain macaroni again and mix with the sauce. Add one cup of chopped green peppers parboiled, and one can of Veribest Tongue chopped, and put in baking dish. Sprinkle top with grated cheese or buttered cracker crumbs and bake one half hour. – MRS. C. F. FRANKLIN, 214 North Union Avenue, Shawnee, Okla.

CREAMED CHIPPED BEEF ON TOAST

One half can of Armour's Veribest Chipped Beef, two tablespoons of cornstarch, a little paprika, one and one half cups of milk, and three fourths cup of tomato catsup. Heat the milk and add the cornstarch which has previously been moistened with cold water, add the paprika, and stir until thickened. Then add catsup, stir in the beef and let it become thoroughly heated. Serve on hot buttered toast. – EDITH EVELYN RUNGE, 15th Ave. and Ray St., Spokane, Wash.

ITALIAN TONGUE

Slice one Veribest Canned Tongue and pour over it the following sauce: Put one half cup of olive oil in a sauce pan and when hot add one pint of tomatoes, a teaspoon of salt, twelve olives pitted and cut in two, one bayleaf, two cloves, one fourth cup of chopped raisins. Let boil, then simmer forty-five minutes. Pour over the tongue and serve. – MRS. L. R. FINK, New Ulm, Texas.

SCALLOPED TONGUE

One cup of brown sauce, made with Armour's Extract of Beef, one can of Veribest Ox Tongue, split, one half cup of buttered crumbs, one tablespoon of catsup, one teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce. Sprinkle baking dish with crumbs, and arrange the split tongues in dish. Pour over them the sauce to which catsup and Worcestershire Sauce have been added. Cover with the remainder of the crumbs and bake in hot oven until the crumbs are brown. – MRS. C. B. COLPITTS, Kansas City, Mo.

LUNCHEON DISH

Split and broil Veribest Vienna Style Sausage and place between hot buttered toast. Add a crisp, dry lettuce leaf and a thin spread of mayonnaise. Serve in folded napkin with olives and sweet pickles. – MRS. R. F. THURSTON, 2717 26th Avenue, Fruitvale, Cal.

BEEF BALLS

Two cans of Armour's Veribest Potted Meat, one onion minced very fine, three cups of mashed potato, salt and pepper to season, and one egg. Beat well and form into balls. Roll them in flour and fry in deep hot Simon Pure Leaf Lard. Garnish with parsley or lettuce leaves and serve hot. – MRS. M. E. BESSEY, 133 Main St., Biloxi, Miss.

HASH WITH SPANISH SAUCE

With one can of Armour's Veribest Corn Beef Hash mix one cup of boiled potatoes chopped fine. Season to taste and sauté in hot Simon Pure Lard until brown, and pour over the following sauce: Boil together for ten minutes one can of Armour's Veribest Tomato Soup, one half can of shredded pimentoes, one half can of button mushrooms; season with salt, paprika, butter and a small amount of onion juice. – MRS. J. M. AINGELL, 2704 Nueces, Austin, Texas.

CALGARIAN SALAD

Chop one tin of Armour's Veribest Boned Chicken. To this add one cucumber pared and cubed, one cup of chopped walnuts, one half cup of French peas, one cup of celery washed, scraped and cut into small pieces. Moisten with mayonnaise, mold in bowl, mask with dressing. Garnish with strips of canned red peppers and celery tips. – MRS. G. B. CONTTS, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

"Kissing don't last; Cookery do." – GEORGE MEREDITH

Saving Steps in the Kitchen

The kitchen should be characterized by cleanliness, system and order. Two maxims that will help save steps are: "A place for everything, and everything in its place;" and "Plan your work, then work your plan."

1. Arrange kitchen as conveniently and systematically as possible. Walls and floors should be easily cleaned. No superfluous furnishings or worn-out utensils should be tolerated. Arrange stove, sink, shelves, table or kitchen cabinet near together and in logical order, so that in preparing a dish one can move from raw material at table or cabinet around to the washed dish at sink. Have shelves and hooks within easy reach. Have drain-board and shelves for dishes convenient to sink. Keep stove lifters and cloths for managing hot dishes upon hooks near stove. Arrange those utensils and raw materials in constant use close at hand, placing utensils used in same kind of work together. In storeroom and pantry arrange shelves in certain order, with things seldom used on highest shelves and those used oftener on lower shelves. Place together ingredients used for salad-making, as vinegar, mustard, etc.; things used in laundry together, etc. Other groups will suggest themselves. Keep all groceries possible in air-tight labelled cans or glass jars.

2. Stock your kitchen with as many labor-saving devices as you can afford, making sure they are suited to your needs. Keep all utensils and tools in good repair. Glass oven-doors, small tables upon rollers which can be wheeled into dining room, indexed cook books and clipping-files are step-savers.

3. Plan each day's work ahead and have materials and utensils for that day's work handy.

4. Do all kitchen work in a certain order, using that routine which experience has proved best.

5. Think before you step. When in storeroom or pantry bring as many needed articles as possible at one time. Baskets and waiters are great helps here. In preparing a certain dish first gather together all necessary ingredients and utensils. Do not begin work until everything is ready. When possible prepare several things for the stove at once.

6. Clean and straighten as you go, replacing disarranged utensils, etc. Have plenty of hot water handy, placing in soak those articles which cannot be washed immediately. While preparing one meal do as much as possible toward getting the next ready. If meals are planned ahead, many things for supper can be cooked with the noon-day meal, also the breakfast cereal. After each meal leave everything ship-shape for the next.

Mrs. L. H. McRaven, Meridian, Miss

"Nobody knows the work it takes
To keep the home together;
Nobody knows the steps it takes,