Miss Parloa's kitchen companion

Only three ingredients are required, — a cupful of butter, half a cupful of sugar, and one pint and threefourths of flour. Mix the flour and sugar. Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat it into the dry mixture. The new mixture will be stiff and brittle, and must be worked thoroughly with the hands until it becomes pliable. Sprinkle a board lightly with flour, and, laying half of the mixture upon it, roll it down to the thickness of about half an inch. Cut into four parts, and pinch the edges with the fingers, to make little scallops. Bake in a moderate oven for a quarter of an hour. These cakes are nice to serve with preserves, marmalades, and fruit jellies. * Master Gingerbread. The materials required are : two cupfuls of molasses, a generous half-cupful of butter or lard, seven cupfuls of sifted flour, two table- spoonfuls of milk, one of water, one teaspoonful of salt, two of ginger, two generous teaspoonfuls of soda, and one-fifth of a teaspoonful of alum. One egg and half a cupful of milk or cream also will be needed for glazing the cakes. If alum be objectionable, substitute cream-of-tartar. Melt the butter or lard, and mix it in a large bowl with the molasses, salt, and ginger. Pour the tablespoonful of boiling water on the alum. Dissolve the soda in the milk, and add the milk and the boiling water to the mixture in the bowl. Stir well, and then beat in the flour. Let the dough stand for two or three hours, or even over night ; then beat it again, and make it into small balls. Koll these into squares about one-third of an inch thick, and place in baking-pans. Beat the egg well, and then beat with it the cream or milk. Brush the mixture over the squares. Bake the cakes in a quick oven from eight to ten minutes. * Sugar Curd Gingerbread. Use one cupful of butter, one of sour milk, two of brown sugar, two eggs, one teaspoonful of soda, two of ginger, half a teaspoonful of salt, six scant cupf uls of flour, and one table-spoonful of water. Beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the sugar, and then the salt and ginger. Next add the eggs, well beaten. Dissolve the soda in the table-spoonful of cold water, and stir the water into the sour milk. Continue the stirring for a moment ; then add the liquid to the mixture in the bowl. Gradually beat in the flour. Sprinkle the board with a little extra flour, and, putting about one-fourth of the dough upon it, roll down to the thickness of about half an inch. Cut in squares, place in buttered pans, and bake in a hot oven for about eight minutes. Cream Cakes.