"I've nothing to say agin' her piety, my dear; but I know very well I shouldn't like her to cook my victual. When a man comes in hungry and tired, piety won't feed him, I reckon. Hard carrots 'ull lie heavy on his stomach, piety or no piety."- George Eliot.

Cream Sauce

Cream together two level tablespoons each of butter and flour. Place over the fire in a small saucepan. Stir until melted, but do not brown, and add one large cup of hot milk. Stir and cook until smooth. Season with one-half teaspoon of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper.

Asparagus

Remove the toughest portion at the base of each stalk. Place in a wire basket and immerse in salted boiling water. Boil five minutes on the stove and half an hour in a cooker. Lift out the basket and carefully place the stalks on a dish. Cover with a white cream sauce.

Green Beans

String and cut a quart of fresh green beans. Cover them with boiling water and boil five minutes over the stove and set them in a cooker an hour and a half. If they are old and tough they will need a longer time in the cooker and perhaps fifteen minutes on the stove at first. When ready to serve season with melted butter, salt, and pepper.

Green Shelled Beans

Shell and wash young green beans. Put them over the fire in a generous quantity of boiling water, salted. Boil five minutes over the fire and in the cooker two hours. Then drain off the water and add to them rich milk or cream. Season with butter and salt to taste.

Fresh Lima Beans

For one cup of beans take one quart of water. Boil fifteen minutes and set in cooker all night. Drain and save the surplus water for soup. Season with butter, salt, and a teaspoon of curry moistened with lemon juice.

Fresh Beets

Beets should never be cut before cooking if you wish to retain their bright color. They may, however, be thoroughly cleaned with a vegetable brush. Cover with boiling water and let boil ten minutes on the stove or longer if they are large, and three hours in the cooker. Slip off the skins. Slice and season to taste.

Beets With Dressing

Wash thoroughly two large bunches of beets. Pour enough boiling water over them to cover well, and boil rapidly for ten minutes; then place in the cooker for two or three hours, according to the condition of the beets. When done plunge them into cold water, when the skins may be easily removed. Cut them into thin slices or with a vegetable cutter into any shape you choose.

Dressing

Take three-fourths of a cup each of vinegar and water, one-third of a cup of sugar, one large tablespoon of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth of pepper, and one and one-half tablespoonfuls of flour. Boil the vinegar, water, and sugar together. Cream the butter and flour and add to the other ingredients when boiling. Season with the salt and pepper and when it thickens, put in the sliced beets. Let boil up a little and serve. If the beets are old, they will require more time and may be prepared the night before and reheated in the morning if necessary.