Saratoga Potatoes

Select large potatoes-small ones will do but large slices can be handled in less time than small ones. It is not necessary to pare the potatoes, though of course they are nicer with the skin removed. Slice very thin, from 70 to 90 slices to a large potato, with a bread-slicer or slaw-cutter, if you have one, and drop into salt water (about a teaspoonful of salt to a quart of water). Let them lie in the water for half an hour, longer will not hurt them. Then dry a handful at a time in a towel-just rubbing them lightly so as to take off most of the water. Have a skillet full of hot lard-so hot that the potato will sputter a little when dropped in. Then drop the slices in separately and if they fold over, unfold them with a fork, as they will hold the lard if folded or laid together. Put in enough to well cover the top of the lard, and when the edges of the slices are crisp, turn them with a fork and the middle will fry faster. When crisp, remove with a wire strainer and let drain for a few minutes, then spread on heavy brown paper, which will absorb drops of lard which might not have drained off. The lard must be quite hot for frying or the chips will not drain well. Before removing from the paper to a dish, -'sprinkle a little fine salt over them. It takes no longer to drop the slices into the lard separately and keep them flat than to put in a handful and stir with a fork. They fry faster if kept separate and unfolded.

One pound of potatoes, before being sliced, will make about half a pound when fried.

For an ordinary tea one pound of chips will serve about twenty-five persons. New potatoes fry much nicer than old ones.

The starch which settles in the water that the slices lie in is beautiful for laundry purposes if washed and strained.

Stewed Potatoes

Slice rather thick, cold boiled potatoes, pour in enough milk to make them very moist, cover and let it boil until the milk is nearly boiled out. Season with butter, salt and pepper, and with a knife chop fine. Serve hot.

Southern Potatoes

Pare and slice thin the number of potatoes wanted, let them stand in cold water 1/2 hour, then put them into a pudding dish, season with salt and pepper, pour on a cup of milk. Bake an hour. On taking them out, add a piece of butter the size of an egg.

Plain Pilav

Soak a pint of rice for an hour. Drain and pour into a kettle containing 2 or 3 quarts of boiling water and cook until the rice is tender. Do not stir or even put a spoon into it. When done turn into a colander, pour a dipper of cold water over it to wash off the starch and let it stand until the water has run off, shaking it gently, then return it to the hot kettle, in the bottom of which there should be a large spoonful of melted butter. Pour over the top of the rice through a strainer, at least 1/2 cup of melted butter. Cover the kettle closely with a heated lid, (a tin plate holding hot ashes is good.) Set it on the back of the stove, or on the hearth where it will keep hot, and let it stand fifteen minutes. It should be served on a platter, and when successfully made, each kernel of rice is unbroken, though thoroughly cooked, and no grains adhere together.