Breakfast:

grapes

prepared cereal with top milk

Soft-Cooked Eggs 394

toast with butter

coffee for adults (milk for children)

Luncheon:

Creamed Carrots and Celery 1014 on toast

head lettuce with 1000 Island Dressing 848

Cherry Cobbler 644

tea for adults (milk for children)

Dinner:

Lentil Stew with Ham 1040

Buttered Beets 1005

whole wheat bread and butter

Fruit Salad 750

Floating Island 234

coffee for adults (milk for children)

 

Breakfast was very nice as usual.

I was most excited about the new teacups I found at a garage sale.  They are a matched set of nine Noritake cups and saucers.  $12.50!  Based on the stamp on the bottom, they may even be 40s/50s era.  Here’s a close-up:

Now I need some egg cups for the soft-cooked eggs because it was rather awkward to eat whilst holding it in one hand.

Lunch was not a menu I would have come up with on my own, but the creamed celery and carrots over toast was nice and substantial.  The cherry cobbler, was good, but the balance between cherry and crust was not quite right.

There was a lot about the cobbler that was not quite right (my fault, not Meta’s).  The pastry was clearly too warm to work with, but I had to get lunch on the table so I didn’t want to remake it.

Yikes.  It’s funny, I could cream anything in my sleep, but a pretty pastry still eludes me.

Dinner was much tastier than I imaged it would be.  I looked at the ingredients for 1040 Lentil Stew with Ham and couldn’t figure out how it would have any flavor.  But magically, it did!  I’m saving this recipe for sure; great flavor and a good pantry-staple item.  Perhaps a bit of garlic and Tabasco would make it even better, but that’s just me.

So, I also got some place mats with matching napkins at the same estate sale.  Really cute fish!  Boy, does this need ironed…

I skipped the Floating Island for dessert in lieu of leftover cobbler (with a la mode camouflage).  I’ve made Floating Island before, see here.

 1014 Creamed Carrots and Celery

2 c. sliced carrots

1 c. diced celery

2 TBSP. butter

3 TBSP. flour

1 c. evaporated milk

1 c. cooking water from vegetables

salt to suit taste

Croutons (61)

Cover carrots and clery with boiling salted water (1 tsp. salt to 1 quart water), and cook until tender.  Drain, saving water.  Meanwhile melt butter in saucepan, blend in flour,a nd add milk and 1 c. water drained from vegetables, stirring constantly over low heat until sauce boils and thickens.  Add salt.  Add cooked vegetables and reheat thoroughly.  Serve the creamed vegetables poured over crisp croutons (61). 5 servings.

644 Cherry Cobbler

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour

1 No. 2 tin sour red cherries or 4 c. fresh sour red cherries

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 TBSP shortening

1/3 c. milk

Blend sugar and 1/4 c. of the flour together; add juice from canned cherries and cook over direct heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Add cherries and turn into a baking dish.  If fresh cherries are used, increase sugar to 1 c.; pit cherries, put in a baking dish and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and 1/4 c. of the flour.  Sift remaining flour with salt and baking powder.  Cut in shortening.  Add milk all at once and stir until dough stiffens slightly; then turn out on flour board and knead 3 or 4 times.  Roll 1/4 inch thick and cut in strips.  Arrange strips over cherries in lattice.  Bake at 425 for 15 or 20 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned.  Canned cherries will now be done.  Continue baking the fresh cherry cobbler 10 to 15 minutes longer, reducing heat to 325.  Serve warm.  Serves 5.

1040 Lentil Stew with Ham

1/2 lb. dried lentils

2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 TBSP. butter

2 c. canned tomatoes

1/2 lb. boiled ham, diced

dash pepper

3 TBSP. chopped parsley

Wash lentils and soak overnight in cold water.  Drain, cover with fresh cold water (about 2 c.), add salt, and boil gently for 15 minutes, or until tender.  Saute onion in the butter in a large skillet.  Add lentils with their cooking water, tomatoes, ham, and pepper; cook at moderate rate for 15 minutes.  Serve hot, with a sprinkling of chopped parsley on each serving.  5 servings.