HINTS AND RECIPES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 3

HINTS AND RECIPES

SOMETHING TO INTEREST THE HOUSEWIFE Ebony will be kept beautifully polished if a rag dipped in olive oil is used. If a joint of meat that is underdone has to be recooked, hold it under the cold tap and let the water run on it for a minute or so. Then put it in the oven just long enough to let it get thoroughly hot through and it will taste like freshly roasted meat. To clean leather furniture, sponge it with a cloth dipped in a mixture of one teaspoonful of ammonia, four teaspoonsful of vinegar, and one quart of cold water. Allow to dry, then rub in a little castor oil; polish with a soft rag.

Plain flour can be made into a kind of self-raising flour by adding to it 2oz. cream of tartar and loz. cicarbenate of soda, thoroughly mixing and passing the whole through a sieve. A cracked egg will boil without. losing any of the inside if you add to the water a teaspoonful of vinegar. When ironing articles which have been dried too quickly soak a sponge in clean water, squeeze it out and lightly glide it on ahead of the iron. By this simple method any article can be laundered perfectly. It you're feeling tired and want a bath that will soo.the, refresh and invigorate you, slice three lemons, soak them in a basin of water for thirty minutes, then strain lemon-water into a hot bath.

When pressing the various parts of a knitted garment, before sewing up together, it is usually difficult to hold the curled edges down whilst pressing them under a damp cloth. The job can be made very much easier by pinning the edges of the knitting firmly every few inches to the ironing cloth. To Cut New Bread.—The difficulty of cutting new bread into thin slices can be overcome by having a jug of boiling water on the table and standing the blade of the knife in it before cutting each slice. Making Buttons Firm.—When sewing on buttons, make a finishing off stitch every now and again. The button will then remain firm even if several threads wear through.

When Making Scones.—Scones are nicest and lightest when made with sour milk, but this is rather difficult to get. It can be turned sour, however, in a minute by adding a few drops of vinegar to it. Bowls of Bulbs. —Bowls of bulbs for the house can be identified very simply if a small gummed label is' stuck on the underside of the base. This should bear not only the name of the bulbs but also the date of planting and the place from which they were obtained. In this way the progress of different plantings can be compared. Rubber Hot-water Bottles.—When using a brightly-coloured rubber bottle, see that it is perfectly dry outside after filling. These colours are not always fast when new, and may leave stains on the sheets if not dry. Rubber bottles that have been stored in summer should be soaked in warm water for about half-an-hour before use in order to soften the rubber and minimise the risks of cracks. Washing Glassware. —Never wash valuable glassware in a sink or without first placing at the bottom a soft, thick towel. The secret of making glass shine brilliantly is to keep it perfectly clean. Wash it in warm soapy water, using a tiny brush for the crevices. In the rinsing water add a little blue, as this will improve the sparkle. When drained, polish with a dry cloth, but avoid material that is fluffy. If you want your glass to look crystal clear, wash it in water in which tea-leaves have been boiled and it will look beautiful.

Cleaning Skin Rugs.—lnto a cup of boiling water put one tablespoonful of good soap flakes, and stir until dissolved. Allow to cool, then add two cupsful of methylated spirits. Apply with a soft brush, working one wayonly, but keep the rug as dry as possible, to avoid shrinking. Hang outside in a good draught to dry.

Hot Soup Will Warm You Up On Cold Nights Pea or Haricot Soup.—lngredients A pint of dried peas, two quarts o. water, a carrot, two onions, a turnip an ounce of dripping, an ounce o flour. Allow the peas to soak over night in cold water. Put on to cook with fresh water, with the othei vegetables, simmer gently for aboul three hours. When the vegetables are quite soft, pass them through a wire sieve. Now put on dripping in pan and when quite melted, add flour and soup pulp, gradually stirring all the time. If the soup is too thick, some milk may be added. Some dry chopped mint may be added to the soup just I before serving. Scotch Broth.—Four pounds middle neck mutton, three onions, six. leeks, six carrots, six turnips, a few sticks of celery, tablespoonful of parsley, small packet of peas which have been soaked first in the usual way, salt and pepper. Trim the meat and put it in a saucepan with all the vegetables, which should be washed and sliced. Cover with four quarts of water (or more if liked), bring to the boil and skim. Then leave the soup to simmer gently for three hours until all the vegetables are absolutely soft and tender. Pour the soup and vegetables into bowls. The meat may be served cold. Tomato Soup.—Required: 21b tomatoes, one onion, half a carrot, half a turnip, one of celery, a bunch of herbs, loz. butter, 2oz. lean ham or a small ham bone, a small blade of mace, one lump of sugar, loz. crushed tapioca, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt to taste, two or three pints of stock. Melt the butter in a saucepan, put in carrot, turnip, onion and celery cut into small pieces, the herbs and ham, turn them in butter for a few minutes. Wipe tomatoes and cut into slices, add to other ingredients with three pints of stock. Add seasonings and let soup simmer slowly about two hours or until vegetables are soft, then remove herbs and rub soun

through a sieve. Return it to a clean saucepan and bring to the boil. Sprinkle in tapioca and cook till transparent.

Onion Soup.—Cut up four Spanish onions, two sticks of celery, three potatoes and fry them in lioz. butter for five minutes. Add three pints of boiling stock, boil gently until tender, then rub through a sieve. Mix loz. fine oatmeal with cold water and add. Boil gently for 20 minutes, then add three-quarters of a pint of milk and seasoning.