RAISIN STUFFING

Take three cups of stale bread crumbs; add one-half a cup of melted chicken fat, one cup of seeded raisins cut in small pieces, one teaspoon of salt and one-fourth teaspoon of white pepper.  Mix thoroughly.

VEGETABLES

All vegetables should be thoroughly cleansed just before being put on to cook.

Green vegetables; such as cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, should be soaked heads down in salted cold water, to which a few spoons of vinegar may be added.

To secure the best results all vegetables except beans, that is the dried beans, should be put in boiling water and the water must be made to boil again as soon as possible after the vegetables have been added and must be kept boiling until the cooking is finished.

In cooking vegetables, conserve their juices.

The average housewife pours down the sink drainpipe the juices from all the vegetables which she cooks; she little realizes that she thus drains away the health of her family.  Cook vegetables with just sufficient water to prevent them from burning, and serve their juices with them; else save the vegetable “waters” and, by the addition of milk and butter convert them into soups for the family use.  Such soups, derived from one or several vegetables, alone or mixed together, make palatable and healthful additions to the family bill-of-fare.

ASPARAGUS

Cut off the woody part, scrape the lower part of the stalks.  Wash well and tie in bunches.  Put into a deep stew-pan, with the cut end resting on the bottom of the stew-pan.  Pour in boiling water to come up to the tender heads, but not to cover them.  Add one teaspoon of salt for each quart of water.  Place where the water will boil.  Cook until tender, having the cover partially off the stew-pan.  This will be from fifteen to thirty minutes, depending upon the freshness and tenderness of the vegetable.  Have some slices of well-toasted bread on a platter.  Butter them slightly.  Arrange the cooked asparagus on the toast, season with butter and a little salt and serve at once.  Save the water in which the asparagus was boiled to use in making vegetable soup.

CANNED ASPARAGUS

Open one end of the can, as indicated on wrapper, so tips will be at opening.  Pour off the liquid and allow cold water to run over gently and to rinse.  Drain and pour boiling water over them in the can and set in a hot oven to heat thoroughly.  When ready to serve, drain and arrange carefully on hot platter and serve same as fresh asparagus, hot on toast or cold with salad dressing, or with “Sauce Hollandaise”, poured over.

ARTICHOKES (FRENCH OR GLOBE)

French artichokes have a large scaly head, like the cone of a pine tree.  The flower buds are used before they open.