people, separate yolks and whites of five eggs. Beat yolks very light, add one-quarter teaspoonful salt, pepper, five tablespoonfuls milk, and lastly the whites, beaten very stiff. Mix lightly, but thoroughly, and pour in well-buttered hot frying-pan, place on stove about two minutes until well puffed up, then put in oven for a moment until firm on top. On removing, fold omelet over with a cake-turner, place on a hot plate and garnish with parsley.

After the little daughter has mastered this popular dish, show her how to make it into a fancy one by adding various things. A small quantity (half a cupful) of chopped ham stirred in before cooking, converts it into a ham omelet, a cupful of cold boiled rice mixed thoroughly through the uncooked eggs, a rice omelet, while a cupful of chopped meat—or better, chopped chicken—will make a meat or chicken omelet. A delicious green corn omelet has the pulp from two ears of green corn, grated from the cob, added just before cooking. This should be given a slower fire and more time. For a cheese omelet, sprinkle half a cupful of grated cheese over the eggs after they are cooked before folding over.

The wise mother will suggest to the young cook that instead of always using one recipe she try to think of some way of improving or varying it. A few green peas left from dinner can be made hot and sprinkled over an omelet the same way as the cheese, or the cup of stewed tomatoes left from the day before be strained, thickened with a teaspoonful of flour, seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, and served as a sauce, this making a delicious accompaniment to a plain omelet.

Take the desired number of hot hard-boiled eggs, cut in quarters, lay on pieces of hot buttered toast, and cover with white sauce. This makes a most appetizing dish for breakfast or luncheon. Garnish with parsley.

Put on in hot water, simmer for half an hour, then place in cold water to loosen shells. When cold, cut in half, remove yolks, mash, and season with salt, pepper, a dash of prepared mustard, and a teaspoonful of vinegar, with a half teaspoonful of soft butter for each egg. Rub to a smooth paste, and pack back in the whites. For picnics, fasten two halves together with a wooden toothpick.

Beat the desired number enough to break the yolks, season with salt and pepper, and add a tablespoonful of milk for each egg. Put in a hot pan half a teaspoonful of butter for each egg, and when melted, pour in the beaten eggs. Stir constantly, scraping from the bottom of the pan until cooked enough to suit individual taste, but watch closely, for the longer they cook the drier they become. Garnish with parsley or with dried beef, frizzled in a hot skillet with a small quantity of butter.

Place thin slices of bacon in a hot skillet, turn frequently to keep from curling, and remove to a hot plate when cooked as much as desired. Break eggs in a saucer, one at a time, to see that they are fresh, then drop gently into the hot fat. When done to suit individual taste, lift carefully to the center of a hot platter, and garnish with the bacon.

The secret of an attractive table, which should be made clear to every girl, is clean linen, with dishes and silver carefully arranged. Each article of food, however simple, should be carefully placed in the center of its dish, and vegetables, meats and salads garnished with parsley, celery leaves, or occasionally rings of hard-boiled eggs. The eggs are especially nice on salads and on such a vegetable as spinach.

A kitchen lesson would be incomplete without a few words regarding the care of the all-important dish-towels and dish-cloth. However many may be on hand, it is a wise plan to teach the little cook to take warm water and plenty of soap and wash them out each time, being careful to rinse them thoroughly after she is through. Then hang out in the air to dry.

CHAPTER II

Every mother, in teaching her little daughter to cook, should impress upon her two essential points—economy and neatness. A cook cannot be too careful to have her materials, her utensils, and herself as clean as possible. So, before beginning work, the child should carefully wash her hands, clean her nails, smooth up any stray locks of hair, and put on the cap, sleeves and apron that are to protect her from spots and flying flour. Then all fruits or vegetables which are to be used should be well washed before being peeled, and the cooking utensils wiped off. Sometimes the pans or the stewing kettle have not been used for days, and there is sure to be a certain amount of dust on these that is almost imperceptible, but nevertheless unwholesome and often dangerous.

Following the instructions regarding cleanliness, and of equal importance, is the lesson in the economical use of materials on hand. Anyone can take a recipe calling for all fresh materials and, with a little care, turn out a successful dish; but it takes a culinary artist to successfully work up the odds and ends found in the ice-box and pantry. In small families these bits can be made into attractive dishes for luncheon, or, in case of an unexpected guest, converted into an additional course. In the line of vegetables, for instance, there may be left a few leaves of lettuce, a couple of tomatoes, the remains of a roast, a small quantity of chicken, and a bottle of sour milk. Not very promising, certainly, in the ice-box, but full of possibilities. The little cook is going to be a magician, and by a wave of her wand (the cook-book,) make a grand transformation.

First the sour milk! Not attractive as sour milk, but most delicious as cream cheese. Set one quart of sour milk on the stove where it will warm slowly, and let stand until the curd and whey separate. Spread a piece of cheese-cloth or an old napkin over a colander, pour in the curds and let drain until quite dry. This may take a couple of hours, and it is a good plan to warm the milk while getting the supper and then let stand all night. Next put the curds in a bowl and rub to a paste with one teaspoonful of butter, a saltspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of cream. When smooth, mold into little balls if to be served with a salad.

A Table Set for a Valentine Luncheon

Nut cheese crackers are most appetizing, too, made by spreading this cheese on small saltine crackers, and sprinkling chopped nuts over the top. Any child will delight to make these, and while easy and cheap, they are attractive enough to serve any company. Or, the cheese can be served, French fashion, with a little heavy cream and a small quantity of richly preserved currants or cherries, (Bar-le-duc,) for dessert.