Baked Potatoes

As the potato contains potash, which is an important constituent of the blood and is freely given off in the water in boiling, potatoes are much more wholesome when baked. Wash them well, place them in a baking-pan, and bake in a quick oven for from thirty to forty-five minutes. As all ovens do not bake alike, it is impossible to give the exact length of time required. Shake the pan at the end of twenty minutes to turn the potatoes. When they may be mashed in the hands they are done. Do not pierce them with a fork, as that allows the escape of the steam and makes the potato heavy; and serve as soon as baked for the same reason.

Princess Potatoes

One pint of mashed potatoes.

One table-spoonful of melted butter.

One egg, well beaten.

Cut the potato into strips two inches long, one inch wide and half an inch thick; or, if hurried, the potatoes may be made into flat balls half an inch thick. Dip the strips or balls first into the melted butter and then into the egg, and lay them with a knife in a lightly buttered tin pan. Cook in a hot oven for twelve minutes, and serve.

Potato Fritters

Five cold boiled potatoes.

Five table-spoonfuls of flour.

Two eggs.

One-half cupful of milk.

One tea-spoonful of baking powder.

One tea-spoonful of salt.

Grate the potatoes. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt well together, and add the potato, mixing as lightly as possible. Add the milk, and the eggs, well beaten.

Have ready a kettle containing boiling lard to the depth of three inches. Drop in the mixture by spoonfuls, and fry eight minutes. Drain well, and serve. The fat should be so hot that blue smoke rises from the center of tne kettle.

Creamed Potato, With Parsley

One quart of potatoes.

One tea-spoonful of flour.

One tea-spoonful of salt.

One-quarter tea-spoonful of pepper.

One pint of milk.

One table-spoonful of butter.

One tea-spoonful of chopped parsley.

Use for this purpose cold boiled potatoes, chopped rather coarsely and measured after chopping. Put them in a stew-pan with the flour, salt and pepper, and when the whole is well mixed, add the milk. Set the stew-pan in another containing boiling water, and cook until the mixture is boiling hot, usually fifteen minutes. Then add the butter and parsley. Take the stew-pan from the water, and set it where the potatoes will boil up once; then add more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve.

Omelet Of Potato

Nine potatoes of medium size. One-third tea-spoonful of pepper. One-half a cupful of hot milk. Three table-spoonfuls of butter. One table-spoonful of salt.

Pare the potatoes, boil and mash them until fine and light, and add salt, pepper, two table-spoonfuls of the butter, and gradually the hot milk, beating all the time. Put the remaining spoonful of butter in a large frying-pan, and when it is hot, turn in the potatoes, spreading them smoothly. Cover the pan and set it where its contents will brown slowly and evenly. When done (generally in about ten minutes), fold the potatoes the same as an omelet, turn them out upon a hot dish, and serve.

Potatoes Au Gratin.

One quart of cold potatoes.

Two table-spoonfuls of butter.

One table-spoonful of flour.

One pint of milk.

One tea-spoonful of chopped parsley.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the butter, and add the flour. When the mixture is smooth and frothy, draw the pan to a cooler part of the range, and add the milk gradually and then the salt and pepper. Butter a granite-ware or stone-china platter, and spread upon it the cold potato cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the parsley. Cover the potatoes with the cream sauce, and bake in the oven for twelve minutes. The cubes should be slightly browned when served.