WINTER SQUASH.

Cut in two, and take out the seeds and fiber.  Half will probably be enough to cook at once.  Cut this in pieces; pare off the rind, and lay each piece in a steamer.  Never boil in water if it can be avoided, as it must be as dry as possible.  Steam for two hours.  Mash fine, or run through a vegetable sifter, and, for a quart or so of squash, allow a piece of butter the size of an egg, a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper.  Serve very hot.

SUMMER SQUASH, OR CIMLINS.

Steam as directed above, taking out the seeds, but not peeling them.  Mash through a colander; season, and serve hot.  If very young, the seeds are often cooked in them.  Half an hour will be sufficient.

PEASE.

Shell, and put over in boiling, salted water, to which a teaspoonful of sugar has been added.  Boil till tender, half an hour or a little more.  Drain off the water; add a piece of butter the size of an egg, and a saltspoonful of salt.  If the pease are old, put a bit of soda the size of a pea in the water.

FIELD PEASE.

These are generally used after drying.  Soak over-night, and boil two hours, or till tender, with or without a small piece of bacon.  If without, butter as for green pease.  Or they can be mashed fine, rubbed through a sieve, and then seasoned, adding a pinch of cayenne pepper.

In Virginia they are often boiled, mashed a little, and fried in a large cake.

SUCCOTASH.

Boil green corn and beans separately.  Cut the corn from the cob, and season both as in either alone.  A nicer way, however, is to score the rows in half a dozen ears of corn; scrape off the corn; add a pint of lima or any nice green bean, and boil one hour in a quart of boiling water, with one teaspoonful each of salt and sugar, and a saltspoonful of pepper.  Let the water boil away to about a cupful; add a spoonful of butter, and serve in a hot dish.  Many, instead of butter, use with it a small piece of pork,—­about quarter of a pound; but it is better without.  A spoonful of cream may be added.  Canned corn and beans may be used; and even dried beans and coarse hominy—­the former well soaked, and both boiled together three hours—­are very good.

STRING BEANS.

String, cut in bits, and boil an hour if very young.  If old, an hour and an half, or even two, may be needed.  Drain off the water, and season like green pease.

SHELLED BEANS.

Any green bean may be used in this way, lima and butter beans being the nicest.  Put on in boiling, salted water, and boil not less than one hour.  Season like string beans.