TO PREPARE AND COOK MACARONI.—­Do not wash macaroni.  If dusty, wipe with a clean, dry cloth.  Break into pieces of convenient size.  Always put to cook in boiling liquid, taking care to have plenty of water in the saucepan (as it absorbs a large quantity), and cook until tender.  The length of time required may vary from twenty minutes, if fresh, to one hour if stale.  When tender, turn into a colander and drain, and pour cold water through it to prevent the tubes from sticking together.  The fluid used for cooking may be water, milk, or a mixture of both; also soup stock, tomato juice, or any preferred liquid.

Macaroni serves as an important adjunct to the making of various soups, and also forms the basis of other palatable dishes.

RECIPES.

HOME-MADE MACARONI.—­To four cupfuls of flour, add one egg well beaten, and enough water to make a dough that can be rolled.  Roll thin on a breadboard and cut into strips.  Dry in the sun.  The best arrangement for this purpose is a wooden frame to which a square of cheese-cloth has been tightly tacked, upon which the macaroni may be laid in such a way as not to touch, and afterwards covered with a cheese-cloth to keep off the dust during the drying.

BOILED MACARONI.—­Break sticks of macaroni into pieces about an inch in length, sufficient to fill a large cup; put it into boiling water and cook until tender.  When done, drained thoroughly, then add a pint of milk, part cream if it can be afforded, a little salt and one well-beaten egg; stir over the fire until it thickens, and serve hot.

MACARONI WITH CREAM SAUCE.—­Cook the macaroni as directed in the proceeding, and serve with a cream sauce prepared by heating a scant pint of rich milk to boiling, in a double boiler.  When boiling, add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, rubbed smoothed in a little milk and one fourth teaspoonful of salt.  If desired, the sauce may be flavored by steeping in the milk before thickening for ten or fifteen minutes, a slice of onion or a few bits of celery, and then removing with a fork.

MACARONI WITH TOMATO SAUCE.—­Break a dozen sticks of macaroni into two-inch lengths, and drop into boiling milk and water, equal parts.  Let it boil for an hour, or until perfectly tender.  In the meantime prepare the sauce by rubbing a pint of stewed or canned tomatoes through a colander to remove all seeds and fragments.  Heat to boiling, thicken with a little flour; a tablespoonful to the pint will be about the requisite proportion.  Add salt and if desired, a half cup of very thin sweet cream.  Dish the macaroni into individual dishes, and serve with a small quantity of the sauce poured over each dish.