Show A SIMP SIMPLE DINNER MENU BY CORNELIA C BEDFORD A letter received from a personal friend has furnished me with a text for our weekly article and as as it is in inline line dine with the experience of many i wom women women om omen en I J do feel that I cannot do better I than to io quote a few lines It is hard to tell what is the best method to adopt when entertaining a number of at a meal as I kee keep no maid Very ery few of oC the ladies here do as it is almost impossible to get one those who nho are here ask an exorbitant wage ate are poor cooks and have no idea how to serve a meal mool How can I best ac accomplish accomplish the simple entertaining of friends Zit There are few of us who have not at some Fome time or o other her been called to go through with this experience and so for or the sake of the younger housewives who ho are struggling with the problem let Jet me give a few hints from the pages of experience When guests are arc neighbors and so fellow sufferers because of the lack and inefficiency of or domestic servants tl they ey will understand and make due allowance al allowance lowance for certain shortcomings which are inevitable Plan the meal beforehand with direct reference to making a minimum of or cooking and serving at the last moment First se select select lect such dishes as can be bc prepared wholly or in part some time tir before beCore the th meal neal Set the table ready for the first course and if it is warm rm weather the windows open and a strong stron breeze with much dust throw over all an a cover coyer made of several breadths of cheese cheesecloth cheesecloth cheesecloth cloth Select the china glass and sil sU silver sUYet silver ver Yet for Cor the various courses and arrange arran e eon on the sideboard for an extra side table putting the set for each ach course by bv itself In the kitchen put a table as near n ar to the communicating door as possible pc sible keep half of it clear to re receive receIve receive the soiled dishes On the other end place the platters etc on which to dish up the hot food When the meal mealtime mealtime time arrives put the first course on the table before asking your our guests into the dining room when it is finished they will presumably be deep in con conversation v while you are employed In changing the dishes Having Havin every everything ever everything thing In readiness this will take but hut a afew afew afew few moments and you can resume your our seat When there is no host to do dothe dothe dothe the honors it will wili relieve you if you are arc areat areat at liberty Hbert to ask one or more of the guests to serve certain dishes di hes Take for instance the th following I dirner dinner menu nunu which may be served 1 n ni I i four or six courses as you may elect Bouillon BOll illon Braised Beef Brown Gravy Deviled Salmon Cucumber Sauce Mashed Potatoes Green Peas Tomato Mayonnaise Cheese Wafers Fruit Jelly Cake Coffee The bouillon mayonnaise jelly and cake may be made the previous d dry Y YEarly Early in the morning prepare the fish dish using canned salmon scald and peel the tomatoes prepare the cheese I wafers or they can be bought In car cartons cartons cartons tons grate the cucumber peel the po potatoes potatoes shell the peas prepare the meat and put it in the oven Then arrange the table The vegetables selected will cook ccok in about the same time and while they the are cooking put the salad together er the fish in the oven cut the cake make the coffee drip put the bread butter and other cold eatables on the theta table ta bl and the soup on to heat Finish the cucumber sauce sa mash the pota potatoes potatoes potatoes toes make the beef gravy and set the finished coffee in a pan Dan of hot water that it may keep at the right tempera temperature ture ye f not boil toil All AU this will wUl take about of an hour less if it you can have the assistance of some other member of the household In serving remove the soup plates take lake the fish from the oven and bring I it in with the plates which have been I standing st on the warming shelf For Forthe Forthe Forthe the next course bring In the meat and vegetables if you wish you may also place the salad and wafers on the table or make it as a separate course When the salad is finished clear the table and set on the dessert The cof coffee coffee coffee fee may come on a moment later or you may wait until the dessert Is fin nn finished finished When guests are In the house hous for but one meal It Is no slur upon your our housekeeping if you ou close the tho th thedoor door of the dining room when the meal is over and forget that there Is such a thing as dish washing until after they have gone Deviled Salmon Open a can of salmon and turn it out removing all bonos bonds and skin Put one tablespoonful of butter and one heaping tablespoonful of salt In a saucepan over the fire when mixed add of a teaspoonful of salt a adash dash of cayenne a grating of nutmeg and one cupful of cream Stir until and thick add the yolks of three hard boiled eggs ggs E mashed fine take from the fire and add one tea spoonful of chopped parsley and the fish broken into small flakes Taste and add more seasoning if necessary it needs to be highly seasoned turn into a greased dish or individual shells sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs and bake in a quiet oven until brown Cucumber Sauce Pare one cucumber cut into quarters quarters quarters lengthwise and scrape out the seeds see s Grate and squeeze in a piece of cheese cloth to extract as much of the juice as possible then mix the pulp with one cupful of very rich mayon mayonnaise mayonnaise mayonnaise naise The mixing must not be done until just before it Itis is served or it will thin the mayonnaise too much Pass Passin in a small boat with the fish Braised Beef Trim and wipe the beef which may maybe maybe maybe be cut from the rump press rib or top sirloin and which should be in such shape as to be as thick as possible In Inthe Inthe Inthe the bottom of the braising pan put a quarter of a pound of fat salt pork cut cutin cutin cutin in thin slices over this spread equal quantities of thinly sliced or chopped onion turnip corrot and arid celery about a scant pint altogether when celery is out of season substitute a spoonful of celery seed Heat a frying pan until it smokes lay in the meat and sear It rapidly on all aU sides until covered with a thin brown crust Transfer it to the braising pan any deep pan with a tight cover will do laying it directly upon the vegetables Dredge with salt and pepper Pour a pint of stock or hot water in the pan cover closely and place in a moderate oven Allow thirty minutes to tEe pound When done thicken the gravy with browned flour and strain it into a boat |