Blanch almonds by pouring boiling water over them.  Allow them to stand a short time, when the brown skin may be easily removed.  Dry thoroughly by standing in a rather cool oven, then put in glass jars and they are ready to use.  Almonds are used particularly by the Germans in various ways.  One hausfrau adds chopped almonds to cooked oatmeal for her children’s breakfast and they are frequently used as an ingredient; also to decorate the tops of raised cakes.  When dried currants and raisins are bought by the frugal housewife they are quickly washed in cold water, carefully picked over, then turned on to a sieve to drain.  Raisins are seeded, then spread over pans, placed in a warm oven about 15 minutes, then spread on a plate and allowed to stand in a dry place for several days.  When thoroughly dried place in glass jars and stand aside until required.  Currants or raisins should always be well floured before adding to cake or pudding.  The “German hausfrau” usually serves stewed prunes or raisins with a dish of noodles or macaroni.

RICE PUDDING

One of the simplest and cheapest of desserts depends partly on the quality of the ingredients used, but chiefly on the manner of making for its excellence.  If prepared according to directions, you will have a pudding both rich and creamy.  Use 1 quart of good sweet milk (do not use either skimmed milk or water), 3 tablespoonfuls of whole uncoated rice (no more), 2-1/2 tablespoonfuls of sugar, pinch of salt, vanilla or almond flavoring.

Wash the rice well, mix all together in a pudding dish, bake from 2-1/2 to 3 hours in an oven with a slow, even heat.  When a skin forms on the top of the pudding, carefully stir through the rice.  Do this frequently.  This gives the pudding a rich, creamy consistency.  When grains of rice are tender allow pudding to brown over top and serve either hot or cold.  Raisins may be added, if liked, or raisins may be stewed separately and served with the rice, which many think a great improvement to the pudding.  Many think rice pudding should always be flavored with grated nutmeg.  Aunt Sarah, while using nutmeg flavoring in various other dishes, never used it for her rice pudding.

When mixing a boiled pudding Aunt Sarah frequently substituted a large tablespoon of fine dried bread crumbs instead of the same amount of flour.  She said, “’Twas a small economy,” and, she thought, “the pudding’s improved” by the use of bread crumbs.

FRAU SCHMIDT’S APPLE DUMPLINGS

Prepare a syrup of 1 cup sugar, 2 cups of hot water and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Pour all into an agate pudding dish.  Add to this syrup 2 heaping cups of pared, sliced sour apples.

Let all come to a boil.  For the dumplings, sift together one cup of flour and two even teaspoons of baking powder.  Add a pinch of salt.  Mix into a soft dough or batter with about 3/4 cup of sweet milk or cream.  Drop six or eight spoonfuls of this batter into the boiling syrup on top of apples.  Cover closely and cook on top of range twenty minutes without uncovering.  Serve hot.  These dumplings should be light as puff balls.  Peaches may be substituted for apples and are delicious.