Cookery for Little Girls

the first lesson suppose the choice be baking-powder biscuit. When properly made they are delicious, but from the number of times that otherwise good cooks fail on this point, I have come to the conclusion that the secret lies in the mixing and handling. [Illustration: PREPARING TO MAKE BISCUIT] BAKING-POWDER BISCUIT Have the child place two even cupfuls of flour in the sifter, with two level teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, and then sift. To this add one rounded tablespoonful of lard. The little maid's hands and nails should be specially cleaned so she can work this thoroughly into the flour, and it may take her five minutes to do it properly. Next, dusting her hands, have her take a table fork and stir all the time as she adds the milk. Generally three-quarters of a cupful of milk is enough, but if the flour was packed in solid it may take a whole cupful. Mix up well with the fork into a soft dough, and turn out on a floured bread-board. She must not handle it, even now, but sprinkle over just enough flour to keep the rolling-pin from sticking while she rolls it out until three-fourths of an inch thick. Next she should be shown how to cut into small rounds without any waste, for the dough that is left to be molded over will take up more flour and consequently be thicker and not so light. As each biscuit is cut it should be carefully placed in the pan, close to its neighbor, but not crowding, and when all are ready, popped into a hot oven for fifteen minutes' baking. This lesson should be repeated in a few days, before the child has forgotten any of the details, and thereafter it is advisable to let her make the same dough, for different purposes, at least once a week for a while. For meat pies, dumplings, or shortcake, one-half the recipe will be plenty for a family of four, and she will feel that she has learned each time how to make a new dish.