The Ladies Page

secured with the plastic lid, make handy containers. I must have
between 100 and 200 by now. Cut up your washed rhubarb, shake off
moisture and pack in cans. It is that simple.

From my mother’s kitchen comes a recipe which I am sure is
not widely known. She used to cover this jam with paraffin and
store in the basement, but I freeze mine. It keeps so tasty and
fresh.

Take 3 cups of rhubarb, cut up fairly fine. Put in large kettle.
Add 1 small can of crushed pineapple, 1 large orange, cut up fruit
and add. Of course I’m assuming you all know that the seeds and
any stringy parts should be removed. Add to all of this 3 cups of
sugar. Boil the orange rind and some water in a small kettle until
tender. Chop into tiny pieces, and add rind and water to first
mixture. Boil all of this slowly until it is of the right
consistency. Stir often, but carefully. Test by dipping a small
portion into a sauce dish now and again. It does thicken up even
more after it cools.

Last Spring, as I was cutting up my rhubarb for the freezer I
prepared about three large coffee cans containing 6 cups each. In
mid-January I used one of these. I forgot I needed 9 cups for the
large batch I always make. I merrily dumped in the six cups, added
3 oranges and rinds, 2 medium sized cans of pineapple, 9 cups of
sugar and proceeded to cook it all. It was even better than before.
So that is: how I may make my jam from now on, using 3 less cups of
rhubarb, for: the original recipe.

To freeze the rhubarb in season seems not to hurt it at all, and
then refreeze the jam. It is luscious, and especially so on
homemade bread, just a little warm. UMMMM!

Then there is a rhubarb cobbler which is tops with us. This
takes 3 cups of rhubarb, cut fine, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter
or margerine. Arrange rh. in 7? x12 or 9×9 in. greased’ pan.
Cover with sugar and dot with margerine. For the cobbler part take
1/2 cup shortening, (I used marg.) 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup flour,
1 teas, baking powder, and a little salt. Method.

Cream short, and sugar, add egg, and beat in mixer. Sift flour,
B.P., and salt together. Add alternately with milk to first
mixture. It is best to finish with flour for a really smooth
batter. Do this last mixing with a spoon. Pour over rhubarb. Bake
40 minutes at 350 or hotter. You know your own oven. Try it.
You’ll like it. We think it is best warm from the oven.

As the summer wears on you may find your cabbage all getting
usable at the same time. What to do with it? I found the answer
last Fall when a lady from our church handed me a recipe for frozen
cole slaw. IT IS GOOD! This calls for 1 medium cabbage, shredded, 1
large carrot, grated, 1 green pepper, chopped, and a little onion,
if desired. 1 teas. salt. Mix salt with shredded cabbage. Let stand
1 hour. Squeeze out excess moisture. Add carrot and pepper. While
cabbage is standing make the following dressing. 1 cup vinegar, ?
cup water. 1 teas. whole mustard seed, 2 cups sugar. Combine
ingredients and boil 1 minute. Cool to lukewarm. Pour over slaw
mixture. Put into containers, cover and freeze.

The smaller size cottage cheese containers work fine for the two
of us. It is so nice to have the mess all over with in one
operation. A salad maker is a great help in making this. My Duncan
Hines is a much used item, and has been, throughout the last ten
years.

Also among my file of recipes is one for Rose Hip Jelly. I will
gladly share it with you in the next column if enough of you are
interested and will write me. Rose hips are the fruit of the rose
bush and are very rich in vitamin c, which one gets in orange
juice, tomato juice, etc. But rose hips contain this in far greater
amounts. I am also very much interested in the use of Day Lily
blossoms in cookery. I have heard they can be used in soup. Do any
of you ladies have anything on this? I chew on them in my garden
(when no one is looking.)

I am anticipating Spring with special urgency this year. Some of
our children gave me a pair of binoculars for Christmas and our
daughter-in-law, (the one on the farm) is as interested in bird
watching as I am. So the two of us should have some happy mornings.
No doubt I will be carrying them with me as I start my gardening.
Isn’t God good to us? All that we need for food will grow, one
way or another, and all the abundance of beauty besides.

A well tended garden can certainly cut down on our grocery
bills. My niece passes this pointer on, when you harvest your
carrots in the fall, cut off both the crown end, and the bottom.
Pack in large plastic sacks and store in a cool, dark place. Mine
are still very usable as I write this in mid-February.

Maybe you will save enough money so your ‘Steam Man’ can
go out and buy another engine. Think how sweet he will be to you
for weeks to come! How about that? God bless you all.