HOME MAHERS’ CORNER

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 7, 1 August 1948, Page 8

HOME MAHERS’ CORNER

BY LYNETTE

LEFT-OVER BREAD

Shopping tor our New Zealand weekend involves quite a little planning, and rather than be caught short by unexpected \ isitors, many housewives buy more than they really need. \\ ith most foods this does not matter, but too much of Friday’s bread on a Monday is often quite a problem. There are, however, many interesting and delicious ways in which it may be used and every slice saved means something in the economy of the household and also the economy of the nation. If the loaf has an unbroken crust, it can be freshened by two methods. If you like a good hard crust, place the loaf in a moderate oven alongside a dish of water; or if you prefer a softer crust, soak the loaf for a few minutes in either water or milk, wrap it closely in brown paper and allow to dry out in a moderate oven. All the odds and ends of bread can be used for making crumbs in which to roll rissoles, cutlets, etc. How often though, we put the bread into a cooling oven and forget it until we next heat up and then find it black and smoking! If your oven has a warming cupboard, it is a good plan to keep a tin for the left-over bread there, and when crisp, but not necessarily brown, it can be rolled and stored in a jar or tin. When preparing stuffing or puddings in a hurry, these crumbs substitute quite well for fresh bread crumbs. Croutons to give a “crunch” to soup, are also quite easily stored. Slice stale bread i inch thick and cut into cubes. Bake in a slow oven until crisp. Do not add to soup until the very last moment. Party savouries too, can he made from stale bread. Cut the bread into fingers 1 inch thick, dip in melted butter and roll in grated cheese. Bake until crisp. Or slice bread half an inch thick, cut in rounds with a biscuit cutter, and cut the centres out of half the rounds with a smaller cutter. Dip in melted butter or beaten egg and put two together to form a patty case and bake. These may bt stored, and filled with any savoury mixture when required. Cinnamon Sticks are 1 inch bread fingers dipped in sweetened condensed milk which has been diluted with halt as much water. Fry in clean dripping

and when golden brown, roll in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. HerV arc a few other bread-crumb recipes Bread Omelette: i cup crumbs, 1 tablespoon butter, 3 eggs (separated), i teaspoon salt, i cup milk. Add milk to crumbs and let stand 5 minutes. Beat yolks with a fork and beat the whites and salt stiffly. Drain excess milk from crumbs and beat crumbs and yolks together. Fold in whites. Melt butter in a pan and add mixture. Cook at high heat 1 minute and then reduce heat. Cover and cook slowly 20 minutes. Serves four. Spiced Bread Pudding. (This uses dried breadcrumbs and also sour milk.) I cup crumbs, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon soda, 1 cup raisins, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup sour milk, i teaspoon ground cloves, f teaspoon nutmeg. Mix all ingredients together and bake in greased pudding dish 1 hour in moderate oven (325 deg. F.). Serves 4 to 6. Breadcrumb Cake: 3 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cold water, 3 cup chopped nuts, 1 cup soft breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 tablespoon melted shortening, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 egg whites. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon coloured. Add sugar and water and beat well. Add the nuts, crumbs, baking powder and shortening. Mix well. Add vanilla and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in two greased layer pans in a hot oven (400 deg. F.) for 20 minute*. When cool the layers may be put together without a filling, as the base is slightly moist, but a filling may be added if preferred.