THANKSGIVING MENU
In the first place, talk over with her and decide about the number to be entertained, and then settle on the menu. Get her to express her opinions, and if they are good let her see that you approve them by following her suggestions. If they are not good point out wherein they are at fault, and after deciding what dishes are to be served, show her how to write out the bill of fare in proper form. This should then be hung up in the kitchen for reference, as otherwise it would be an easy matter to overlook something or make a mistake. If, for instance, a simple dinner of the usual good things is desired, it should be written out in this way--and the child herself can do the writing:
DINNER
_Consomme_
_Roast Turkey, with Dressing_
_Cranberry Sauce_ _Pickles_ _Celery_
_Mashed Potatoes_ _Creamed Onions_
_Mince Pie_ _Cream Cheese_
_Coffee_ _Nuts_ _Raisins_
MARKETING
The day before let the child help in the marketing. As she has already been shown how to make consomme, she can now be allowed to do it by herself, and set it away to be heated up when needed. When you go to buy the turkey, vegetables and fruits, show her the right kind to select.
Explain that the celery should be crisp and white, not wilted and discolored; the cranberries hard and red, not soft and brown in spots; the oranges solid and heavy, not pithy and light.
Have her consult the list made before starting out, to be sure she gets everything needed before beginning her cooking.
[Ill.u.s.tration: A DINNER TABLE, WITH FRUIT CENTERPIECE, AND NUTS IN INDIVIDUAL BASKETS]
DRESSING THE TURKEY
Returning home, as soon as the turkey is delivered show her how to dress it. This is always an interesting process, and while few mothers like to see their girls really do this work, they ought to explain it fully.
After taking out the pinfeathers and singeing, the skin should be carefully washed with warm water, soap and a small clean cloth, for so much dust adheres to the flesh of poultry that in no other way can it be removed. As fowls are usually drawn at the market, now take out the giblets, tear away the lights, rinse thoroughly the inside and then sprinkle with salt.
MOIST STUFFING
The little cook herself can be allowed to make the stuffing. To each loaf of stale bread, broken in small pieces, add salt and pepper to taste, two tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter, half-teaspoonful of ground sage and boiling water enough to slightly moisten.
DRY STUFFING
For dry dressing, crumble the bread, omit the water, but use four tablespoonfuls of melted b.u.t.ter. Pack in the turkey very loosely. Some people like this seasoned with thyme, while others prefer onion.
OYSTER STUFFING
Or if oyster dressing is preferred, omit sage and add instead one pint of oysters, using the liquor to dampen the bread. Pack lightly in the turkey, sew up the opening with white thread and set away in a cool place.
CRANBERRY SAUCE
Taking the cranberries next, the child can sort them over, wash and put in a granite kettle, allowing half a cupful of water and two cupfuls of sugar to each quart of berries. Place over a slow fire, and after boiling fifteen or twenty minutes, stirring only enough to keep from burning, remove and set away until cool enough to pour in a gla.s.s dish.
Berries cooked this way will keep their shape, be transparent and a bright, pretty red.
MINCE MEAT
The mince-meat takes some time to prepare, and is much better if made a week or two beforehand and allowed to stand in a tightly covered jar.
Our small cook can help get ready the raisins, currants, citron, orange peel, and apples while the beef is boiling, and then will be delighted to do the chopping. To half a pound of lean beef, cooked until well done and chopped fine, add half a pound of chopped suet and one pound of chopped tart apples, prepared separately. To this put half a pound of currants, cleaned and dried, half a pound of seeded raisins, half a pound of citron, cut in small pieces, two cupfuls of light-brown sugar, an even teaspoonful salt, half a teaspoonful each of ground cloves and allspice, one teaspoonful cinnamon, one-fourth teaspoonful grated nutmeg, one tablespoonful of finely broken dried orange peel, juice of one lemon, one pint of boiled cider. Boil slowly for an hour, add, if desired, one-half cupful of brandy, and then pack away in a crock in a cool place. This recipe, with full directions for mixing, should then be written out in the small cook-book, for although it may not be needed again for a long time, it will be ready for reference at any moment, ready for use without any doubt or trouble--and "the kind that mother used to make." Mince-meat is so fascinating, too, on account of all the good things that go into it, that scarcely anyone that ever made it right once can fail thereafter.
Every girl should know how to make good pie crust, and as it is princ.i.p.ally a matter of having the ingredients chilled from the ice-box, almost anyone can be successful by taking a little care.
[Ill.u.s.tration: MAKING PIES]
PLAIN PASTRY
Sift one and one-half cupfuls of flour with one-half teaspoonful salt.
Chop through this until like meal a half-cupful of chilled lard. Add just enough ice-water to make a stiff dough, and turn out with as little handling as possible on a floured bread-board. Sprinkle on flour enough to keep from sticking to rolling-pin, and dividing into sections, roll to fit the size of the pie-pan. (Perforated tins are preferable.) Add filling, put on thinly-rolled top crust, with a few openings in center to emit steam, and bake about half an hour, after pressing the edges thoroughly together to keep in all juice. If desired shorter, three-quarters of a cupful of lard can be used, but the dough must be kept thoroughly chilled, and it is best made in a cold room.
SETTING THE TABLE
Then, on Thursday morning begin the dinner in plenty of time, so there will be no hurry or confusion at the last moment. The table can be set early, the little maid being shown the silver required. At the right of each plate put the knife, soup spoon and necessary teaspoons; at the left the forks, three if a salad is served. The gla.s.s for water is placed to the right of the center, in line with the knife, and the napkin either directly in the center on the service-plate or to the left of the forks. If no flowers are available for table decorations, pile the fruit up attractively for a centerpiece, using the small dishes of nuts and raisins at each end to balance.
The vegetables next should be prepared. Trim off the long green ends of the celery and the discolored outside stalks, (which will make a nice cream of celery soup next day), and then instead of separating the remaining stalks, cut through the whole bunches into quarter sections or smaller. In this way each person gets part of the inside tender heart, and the celery is more attractive.
When dinner is all ready, if there is no maid to help, the easiest way is to have the soup served and placed on the table just before calling out the guests. Then, when ready for the next course, our little cook can remove the soup plates, taking from the right side of each person, and bring on the dinner. When that is over, she must remove all the dishes before each one, clear the table of everything but the water gla.s.ses and the decorations, brush the cloth with a folded napkin and a plate to catch the crumbs, and lastly bring in the dessert. Every family has its own way as regards details, but a mother can very quickly get a child into the habit of being neat, careful and quiet about handling dishes. And she must always remember to proffer food on a tray, at the left.
CHAPTER XIII
The Christmas Dinner Party
Our little cook, after her experience at Thanksgiving, will probably be most eager to take part in the preparations for the Christmas dinner.
Consult her now, as before; tell her all your ideas, get her suggestions, and then make all plans at least a week beforehand.
Holidays should be holidays for the hostess as well as the guest, and can be made so by the choice of a dinner that is good and at the same time easily prepared. The suggested menu following will be found attractive enough for any party, and at the same time it is neither expensive nor very difficult to get ready.
Let the little girl again make out the bill of fare and hang up in the kitchen for reference, make out her list for market and grocery, and help in the selection of the goose, the vegetables and the fruits. Thus she will learn the best kinds to buy and what they cost, and incidentally mother and daughter can have a regular little lark out of the expedition and become better chums than in almost any other way.
CHRISTMAS MENU
MENU FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER