1/4 c. butter.

1 c. sugar.

2 eggs. 1/2 c. milk.

See that the fire and oven are right, and have all the ingredients at hand. Line the pans with buttered paper. Mix the baking-powder and spice with the flour. Separate the eggs. Measure the butter, rub it till creamy, add the sugar, and in scraping out the sugar take all the butter that has adhered to the cup. Beat well, add the well-beaten yolks and the flavoring. Rinse out the yolk with the milk, then add milk and flour alternately, and the whites, beaten to a stiff froth, last. Beat well, bake in a shallow pan about 20 m., or until it shrinks from the pan.

Vary the cake by adding 1/2 c. currants, or nuts chopped fine, or by coloring a part with dark spices or chocolate.

Water Sponge Cake.

1 egg. 3 tbsp. cold water.

1/2 c. sugar. 2/3 c. flour.

1/2 tsp. lemon juice. 1 even tsp. baking-powder.

Beat the yolk of the egg, add the sugar and beat again, add the lemon juice and water, then the flour in which the baking-powder has been mixed, and lastly the whites beaten stiff. Bake in a small shallow pan, or in scalloped tins.

Plain Cake.

1 tsp. baking-powder. 11/2 c. flour. 1 ssp. spice, or 1/2 tsp. flavoring.

Frosting.

1 c. powdered sugar. 1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. boiling water. (not extract).

Add a few drops more of boiling water until it is thin enough to settle when you stop stirring.

A little melted chocolate may be used to give variety.

Dropped or Poached Eggs on Toast.

Toast a slice of bread for each egg and trim neatly. Have a clean shallow pan nearly full of salted boiling water. Remove all the scum and let the water simmer. Break each egg carefully into a saucer, and slip it gently into the simmering water. Dip the water over them with a spoon, and when a film has formed over the yolk and the white is firm, take eacli egg up with a skimmer, drain, trim off any rough edges, and place it on the toast. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each egg.

Omelet.

2 eggs. 1 ssp. salt.

2 tbsp. milk. 1 ssp. pepper.

Beat the yolks of the eggs till light-colored and creamy, add the milk, salt, and pepper. Beat the whites till they are stiff and dry. Cut and fold them lightly into the yolks till just covered. Have a clean smooth omelet pan or small spider. When hot, rub it round the edge with 1 tsp. of butter on a broad knife; let the butter run all over the pan, and when bubbling turn in the omelet quickly and spread it evenly on the pan. Lift the pan from the hottest part of the fire and cook carefully, until slightly browned underneath. Put it on the oven grate to dry but not to brown on the top. When dry in the centre run a knife round the edge, then under the half nearest the handle and fold over toward the right. Hold the edge of a hot platter against the lower edge of the pan, and invert the omelet upon the platter.

Egg Vermicelli.

Separate the yolk from the white of hard-boiled eggs. Chop the white fine, and mix it with a little hot milk or thin white sauce. Season with salt and pepper, pour it on toast, and rub the yolk through a strainer over the top.

To Prepare Oysters for Cooking.

Pour 1/2 c. cold water over 1 qt. of oysters ; then with clean hands take out the oysters separately, and remove any bits of shell or sea-weed. Serious accidents have often resulted from the presence of pieces of shell. The oyster liquor is seldom used, as enough comes from the oysters in cooking, but if desired it should be strained before using.

To Parboil Oysters in their Liquor.

Put them in a saucepan without water; stir them, or shake the pan slightly; as soon as heated, sufficient liquor comes from them to keep them from burning. When the edges curl and the oysters look plump instead of flat, they are cooked. It takes but a few minutes, and care must be taken not to over-cook them,