Living on a Little

ame o

and I have decided that it is not so much like chess or whist as it is like anagrams. But though it may not be as great an intellec

paper and gave Dolly

our planning by what we find there morning by morning. But still there is always a place for new dishe

e down what you are

come out as I planned it. Besides these good reasons, there are more which apply especially to you. One is that when you have once learned to make up menus rapidly, you will save yourself a lot of mental storm and stress. Often young housekeepers groan over thinking out mea

week at a time you soon see if you are repeating yourself. If the words 'beef stew,' for instance, appear frequently you presently grasp t

u can gauge with accuracy the size of the family's appetites. Suppose some night, instead of each one's taking

w better than to join you in your extravagance,-then you will have to modify your next day's menu and either plan a new meal or substitute something else for the meat you had arranged for. But still you will find written men

ndelier a few moments and then wrot

ato

mplings; boiled rice

ca pu

ff

r stay where he is. Now think a minute. Potato soup first, and potatoes are starchy; next, boiled rice, dumplin

od one. He would never know he was eating starch if you did not put it into his head. I think it

ave a dyspeptic husband, would you? People who have poor digestions are proverbially cross

with oil; then a very simple sweet; coffee last; or, omitting the sweet, coffee alone. Of course you and I cannot afford to have dinners like that all the year around, because green vegetables cost too much, but that is the ideal toward which we must strive. In place of the things we cannot have, we must have substitutes as nearly resembling them as may be.

chandelier, and after much

ar s

d potatoes; cann

e pu

ff

be pretty expensive in March? And why string-beans, when parsnips and

ted her much tried sister. "I am sure that was a be

still

one; absolutely faultle

ar s

y stew; potatoes

apple

ff

in the house, and the mutton and barley stew is good and nourishing. But why have potatoes and barley at the same meal? You do not need them both. Instead, drop out the potatoes and have a dish of spiced fruit with the meat instead of a second vegetable. Or, omit the soup, have

will eat the whole up one night

ve half-priced things t

how i

s; mashed potatoe

d; crackers

dding wi

ff

ensive, wasn't it? Could you not have had shredded cabbage instead? And you really did not need crackers and cheese with it; you might

, after som

dried lima

derloin; minced ca

rry

ff

ork tenderloin you had Frenched, so it would be enough, and you had a heavy soup with the light meat. So far I

the word "pie," an

ust one more to use up th

of carr

scalloped canned to

ate cu

ff

e Do

no pork to use up, so you got two veal chops, and those are fairly cheap. Having tomatoes was a master stroke, because they g

t, Mary, I did not intend to use up the tomatoes for a sec

half after it is creamed, and the next day have it baked with layers of cheese; that is a delightful luncheon dish. You can use up boiled rice in the same way with white sauce and chee

that'

of cele

peas; new pot

rry sho

ff

e only seasonable things. And lamb chops are always expensive by the pound, and very small, with lots of bone and tr

the month, Mary. They ar

rm I don't think Fred will care for a hot

hange that if you do n

strips; peas a

matoes on

rry sho

ff

aten up with pride yet, for as you said, summe

d beef; potat

cress

corn-starc

ff

own rapidly,

menu that you possibly could have. Remember the rule: you must eat whatever is in season. Now, why have in September the fo

people who were too particular,

of co

tewed; fried eggpla

n pea

ff

d peaches all in one good dinner, and yet all cheap. Now, cover yourself with glory again in a menu for December. And this time use up some probable left-overs. Let me see. Suppose you had

time, but prese

weet potato puff

an

ff

y prize. That soufflé of the lamb is quite right, but imagine what a light and trifling meal for a hungry man! Soufflé

heavy bean soup; b

everything else is heavy. With the bean soup you will improve things, but it seems to me you should

ily rewrite the whol

k bea

ried sweet pota

and r

ff

e corn, and sliced and fried the sweet potatoes. That is a very good di

cabbage; mas

tring-be

ie and

ff

r have mince pie with a heavy meat. I might almost say never have it at all, because it is so hearty it ought to be a meal all by itself. If you

e matter with corned beef and cabbage? I th

n digest it, even a child or a confirmed dyspeptic, you can have it with any meat. But never cook anything wit

s and butter are dear in Januar

econd dinner and use the

t pea

baked; string beans

d fig

ff

iled in, I see, and used up your half-can of string-beans for a vegetable; and of cour

ght before; not a scrap of it was left, be

ractise it as you get time. Making out a whole set of menus for a year, four or five f

ng glaring mistakes there as in dinners. If you don't tell me what to have, I shall certain

hen, here are a few breakfasts, j

ri

s on toast; mu

raisins, with cream

pop-overs; coffee, to

mm

with berries;

eggs; corn

ied eggplant; m

tu

s; little pan fi

ith cream sauce; ri

elette; sally

nt

ed figs; creamed cod

ed apples; co

eggs on toast; coffee;

of them expensive, substitute something else. You can have broiled dried beef in place of the bacon in one of the winter menus,

ri

fritters; tea

toast; tea; ch

utlets; tea;

mm

onnaise; sandwiches

eggplant; tea; lettuc

toes; iced co

tu

croquettes; c

lette; tea;

potatoes; tea

nt

soufflé; t

up; macaroni

ed with creamed

vers and which were not, but some of them are, you can see for yourself. Of course you must never forget to use up what you have

playing this game for awhile and g

it's lunch time now. I declare, Dolly