Oatmeal Gruel

For a thin gruel, mix a tablespoonful of oatmeal with three of cold water. Boil in a sauce-pan a pint of water or milk, pour it by degrees to the oatmeal you have mixed, return it to the sauce-pan and boil over the fire for five minutes, stirring all the time; season with a pinch of salt or sweeten to taste. If allowed, you may add a little wine or brandy and grated nutmeg. If you wish a thicker gruel, double the quantity of oatmeal.

Very Fine Oatmeal Gruel

Boil a quart of water, stir in it two or three tablespoonsful of oatmeal, boil it until it thickens, stirring it all the time. When it is thick enough, pour it into a farina-kettle and let it boil on the range or stove for three or four hours. When" done, take it from the fire and thin it with rich milk until you can pour it through a tin strainer; then strain it. Add to it a little salt and a piece of butter the size of a nutmeg; or, if you prefer sugar, sweeten to the taste.

Indian Gruel

One heaping tablespoonful of Indian meal mixed in a little cold water. Boil a quart of water, pour on it, beat well and return it to the sauce-pan and boil fifteen or twenty minutes; add a little salt, and sweeten to taste.

Sago Gruel

Soak two tablespoonsful of sago for an hour in cold water to cover it; then add to it a pint more of cold water. Put it on a slow fire in a sauce-pan and stir until the sago is dissolved and becomes thickened. If too thick, thin with boiling water. Pour it out, sweeten to taste, and if allowed, add. a glass of wine and a little nutmeg.

Arrowroot-Mix Two Teaspoonsful Of Arrowroot In A Little Cold Water

Boil a pint of milk or water, or half and half milk and water; stir in the arrowroot, and boil until thickened and clear; a few minutes will do it. Sweeten it to taste.

Oysters On Toast

Put six or eight oysters in a small stew-pan, without any juice, over the fire, with butter the size of a nutmeg and a little pepper and salt. Toast a slice of bread brown on both sides, butter it slightly, and when the oysters have boiled up, pour them over it and serve.

Squab Pigeons, Partridges Or Any Small Birds

Split them, flatten with a cleaver; broil them over a bright fire. Put them on a hot plate, butter them slightly and season with pepper and salt; or you may lay them on a nice brown slice of toast slightly buttered.

Chicken Broth

Put half a chicken into a small stew-pan with a teaspoonful of rice which has been well washed, a little pepper and half a teaspoonful of salt. Cover with cold water and boil slowly until the meat falls from the bones; then take out the chicken, leaving the rice in, and serve. Keep the vessel closely covered and the chicken entirely covered with water.

Mutton Broth

Two pounds of lean mutton from the neck. Put it over the fire with cold water to cover it, add a teaspoonful of rice picked and washed, salt and pepper to taste. Boil slowly until the meat falls to pieces. Take out all the meat, and serve.