[Illustration: "Yes," chimed in Mantel Clock]
"That's so!" said Mary Frances. "The next recipe is:
1. Choose potatoes of the same size--rather large.
3. Bake in a hot oven from 30 to 45 minutes, or until soft when pressed between thumb and fingers.
4. Roll each between the fingers: this makes them mealy.
"Why, I won't need to pare those! I'll put two of these I've washed in the oven. The oven's grand and hot!
"Let me see,--will all the others need paring?
[Illustration: "I won't need to pare those."]
"Yes," she laughed, "I didn't notice the heading of the chapter before----
3. Drain; cover with boiling water, allowing 1 tablespoon salt to every twelve potatoes.
4. Let boil ½ hour, or until the largest is soft when pierced with a fork.
6. Shake over fire, or place on back of stove to dry off the potatoes.
2. Mash in pan in which they were cooked.
1 dash pepper, 1 saltspoon salt, ½ tablespoon butter (scant).
4. For every cupful, heat 2 tablespoons milk.
7. Pile lightly on a hot dish. Serve uncovered.
NOTE.--Remember that all measurements are level or even with the top. To divide a spoonful, cut it through the middle lengthwise, for a half; and across that, for one-quarter of a spoonful.
3 freshly boiled potatoes 1 onion butter parsley flour dredger pepper salt 1 pint milk (2 cups)
1. Put the milk in the upper part of a double boiler, half filling the under part with boiling water.
2. Throw in 2 slices of onion, and put double boiler on the stove for 10 minutes.
3. Mash potatoes and add to the hot milk.
4. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper.
5. Put through a wire strainer, rubbing the potatoes through with a spoon.
6. Put into double boiler and place on stove.
7. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a little pan.
8. Throw into it ½ tablespoon flour. Stir well.
9. Dip a little of the hot milk on this, stirring well, then pour into the soup.
11. Add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. If too thick, add hot water or milk.
"Oh, I know how to cook boiled potatoes! They're just like jacket-boiled, only they have their jackets off," she cried.
"Why, certainly," exclaimed Boiler Pan, which she had put on the stove half full of water, "I know my part--I just hurry them right along in a jiffy."
[Illustration: "I just hurry them along"]