Saratoga Potatoes

Pare, wash, and slice some raw potatoes as thin as wafers. This can be done with a sharp knife, although there is a little instrument for the purpose, to be had at the house-furnishing stores, which flutes prettily as well as slices evenly. Lay in ice water for half an hour. Put in the water a small piece of alum. Wipe dry in two cloths, spreading them upon one, and pressing the other upon them. Have ready some boiling lard, as you would for fried cakes; fry a light brown. To dry off the fat, take from the frying-kettle as soon as they are brown, with a perforated skimmer, put in a colander and shake for an instant, and sprinkle salt over them. They should be crisp and free from grease. Another way: Pare the potatoes and quarter them lengthwise, and fry as before. They are very nice cooked in this way.

Lyonnaise Potatoes

Two and a half cups of cold, boiled potatoes, two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, one teaspoonful of minced parsley, butter size of an egg. Slice the cold boiled potatoes; put the butter into a sauce-pan, and when hot, throw in the onion; fry to a light color; add the sliced potatoes, which turn until they are thoroughly hot, and of light color also; then mix in the minced parsley and serve immediately, while they are hot. The potato slices should be merely moistened with the butter dressing.

Potato Pie. Take about twenty good sized potatoes and six onions; pare the potatoes and peel the onions. If you put the onions in cold water they will not make your eyes smart. Slice the potatoes and onions very thin, and put them in cold water to soak for half an hour; have ready an earthen dish, and put in a layer of potatoes then a layer of onions; season with pepper, salt and butter, and so on till the dish is full. Put in a little water, beat four eggs and pour over the top; have ready a good puff-paste and put it over the pie; bake two hours in a slow oven.

A Nice Way To Prepare Potatoes

The potatoes are sliced thin, as for frying, and allowed to remain in cold water half an hour. The slices are then put into a pudding dish, with salt, pepper, and some milk - about half a pint to an ordinary pudding dish. They are then put into an oven and baked for an hour. When taken out, a lump of butter half the size of a hen's egg is cut into small bits and scattered over the top. Those who have never eaten potatoes cooked thus do not know all the capabilities of that esculent tuber. The slicing allows the interior of each potato to be examined, hence its value where potatoes are doubtful, though poor ones are not of necessity required. The soaking in cold water hardens the slices, so that they will hold their shape. The milk serves to cook them through, and to make a nice brown on top; the quantity can only be learned by experience; if just a little is left as a rich gravy, moistening all the slices, then it is right. In a year of small and poor potatoes, this method of serving them will be very welcome to many a housekeeper.

Baked Sweet Potato

Wash and scrape the potatoes, then split them lengthwise. Steam them half an hour, then put them into a pan with lumps of butter, pepper and salt. Sprinkle thickly with sugar and bake a nice brown. Hubbard squash may be cooked in the same way.

Potato Cakes

Grate eight raw Irish potatoes, add salt, two well beaten eggs, and half a cup of flour; roll in cakes with a spoon, and fry in butter.

Fried Raw Potatoes

"Wash, peel, and slice in cold water, drain in a colander, and drop in a skillet prepared with two tablespoonfuls melted butter or beef drippings, or one-half of each; keep closely covered for ten minutes, only removing to stir with a knife from the bottom to prevent burning; cook another ten minutes, stirring frequently until done and lightly browned. Sweet potatoes are nice prepared in the same manner.