Household Hints.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 155, 13 May 1909, Page 3

Household Hints.

Useful Weights and Measures.

2 Cups lard equals lib 2 Cups butter equals lib. 4 Cups white flour equals lib. 32 Cups whole wheat floor equals 1 lb. 4§ Cups graham flour equals lib. 2 Cups corn or oatmeal equals lib. 4 Cups coffee equals lib. 2 Cups granulated sugar equals lib. 2i Cups powdered sugar equal? lib. 3| Cups cot fectioner's sugar equals lib. 2 2-3 Cups brown sugar equals lib. 2 Cups chopped meat equals lib. 2 Cups rice equals lib. 2 Cups raisins equals lib. 2 2-3 Cups currants equals lib. 2 Cups stale breadcrumbs equals lib. 9 Large eggs equal lib. 2 Tablespoonsful butter equals loz. 4 Tablespoonsful flour equals loz. 6 Tablespoons baking power equals ioz. 3 Teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon. 16 Tablespoons equal 1 cup. 4 Teaspoons equal 1 tablespoons. 2 Wineglasses equal 1 gill or half a cup. 2 Coffee cups equals 1 pint. 2 Tablespoons equals 1 oz. 1 Tablespoonful salt equals loz. 16oz. equals lib. or 1 pint. 1 Quart unsifted flour equals lib. An ordinary tumbler equals a coffee cup or $ pint. About 26 drops of any thin liquid will fill an ordinary teaspoonfu).

How to Boil Rice.-- Wash the rice and put it into a saucepan half full of cold water, stir occasionally to prevent it sticking to the pan, and as soon as the water ha* boiled up,pour it off and put on the same quantity of cold water as before. When this has boiled pour off again.and for the third an last time fill up with cold water. after watching it until it boii.-, rapidly t r, ur the rice in to a warm. colander to drain; place a plate und-r th< ••oSar.'it r and another over the rice, ami !<-t it Stand either in the over, wi.wh should not be too hot, with th« d< o;.r r., or near the fire, uj.ti: all the w;-.i«-r has drained off the rice wh< :. .-very era in Will be found .separate. It is r.eccessary to let the '.vnter L-.:l every time otherWise it mifr'nt be four.d that the rice was not quite cooked enough when the process ia finished.

A Simple Strainer. — In order to j strain jellies so as to ensure their be- : ing perfectly clear, muslin strainers j are much handier, and more effective ! than the ordinary flannel bag. They arc cleaner, ar/i from their perfect ( nicety, wi> n jt'-j er'.y kept, tbf-y cannot impair the 'ielicate flavour. They should be larg' . as it often necessary to fold then", to a <:uartcr of their original size, to rnak-- then-; sui«> ciently thick to clear juices or jellies. Before using a muslin strainer, layit in hot water, and afterwards in cold water. This should be changed ' once or twice if, when wrung from it the muslin is not absolutely transparent. Delicious Scones. —Take four teacupsful of flour, three quarters of a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of baking soda, and half a teaspoonful of salt. Mix all well together, then add as much sour milk as will make a dough; knead into a round and put on a baking shelf. Brush over the top with eggs or milk, and bake in a moderate oven till ready. If liked, currants or sultanas can be added to the dough. This scone will rise just like bread. j

Salad Dressing ten a level dessertspoonful of cornflour in a little cold milk, add half a cupful of hot milk, and cook until smooth and thick. Then add the yolks of two eggs, a level teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and a tablespoonful of butter. When cool add two tablespoonsful of vinegar. This sauce is liked immensely, either as salad dressing or for a mayonnaise.

Oatmeal for the Skin. —Make small bags of some thin material and tie securely. When about to wash place onebag at the bottom of the hand basin and pour hot water over it. A bag can also be used in a similar way to a sponge. When ready for a bath place several bags at the bottom of bath, not too close together, and turn hot water tap on.

To Clean A Cream Serge Dress. — Spread a sheet on a wide tabl,?, put the dress on top, get a basin with flour and a piece of clean dry flannel, rub the flour into the dress, then shake and rub again with flour and thoroughly shake off. Get a couple of ounces of magnesia and rub it well into the serge with a clean piece of flannel until the dress looks quite clean, then, of course, shake it well. This makes the serge look equal to new.

Beef Cutlets.- -After grinding the meat season highly with salt and pepper, moisten with cream sufficiently to mould into cutlets. Broil cutlets over a bed of glowing coals as you would the steak, and serve with brown mushroom sauce.

Beef Croquettes.—One and threefourths cups of cold cooked beef, chopped fine - Three-fourths teaspoon salt. One-fourth teaspoon pepper. One teaspoon parsley finely chopped. One tablesponful Worcestershire sauce.

One cup thick white sauce. Onion juice to taste. Remove all fat and gristle from meat and chop it fine in a choppnig bowl, add ingredients in the order given. Shape croquettes in cones, roll in crumbs, egg and crumbs, and fry in deep hot fat. Drain on brown paper and serve surrounded with creole sauce.

Beefsteak Pie. —Cut left over cold boiled steak in one inch pieces. Cover with stock made from beef extract, using one half teaspoonful of the latter to each cup of boiling water. Add one small onion, sliced and cook slowly until beef is tender. Remove onion and make a sauce of the strained liquid, season with salt and pepper. Add one tablespoonful of Worcestershire sauce. Add two cups potatoes cut in half inch cubes, previously parboiled five minutes in boiling salted water. Turn this mixture into a deep earthen pudding dish and cover with a delicate biscuit dough or force highly seasoned mashed potatoes through a pastry bag and star tube, cover the entire top of pic; brush lightly with beaten egg. If covered with biscuit dough bake twenty minutes in hot oven. If covered with potato bake until heated through and potiato is delicately brown.

Spiced Meat.—First mix dry two and one-half pounds salt, one-half pound black pepper, one-half ounce mace, one-half ounce cayenne pepper, one and one-half ounces nutmeg. Then prepare your meat for roasting in the usual way, omitting topper and salt. Sprinkle plentifully v.ith the mixture, and put in even !•» rcast. Ihis is delicious. Put the rt'ir.air.C'.-r of the mixture in a jar '•over tp:i;tw and keep for Sut i Pui:'ii:.tr. cup suet, chop* -\y< c' r:.::k. quarter cup each of and T.utir.eg each, two cups Hour; steam two hour.-. If r.ot wanted so rich, (fruit entirely or use one cup raisins. Serve with any good sauce either hard or liquid.