The new practical housekeeping

Both apples and meat may be put through the sausage grinder instead of chopping. Some do not cook the beef before chopping and putting ingredients together, when it will be necessary, after mixing, to cook all thoroughly until meat is tender, adding a little water, if needed ; others who cook the meat first, always cook the mince-meat after mixing until apples are tender. Driea-apples may be used in mince-meat, simply soaking overnight before chopping, and when evaporated apples are used the pies are nearly if not quite as excellent as those made with fresh apples, but the mince-meat must be thoroughly cooked. A • good proportion for a few pies is one-third chopped meat and twothirds apples, with a little suet, raisins spices, butter and salt, and enough boiled cider to make of desired consistency. Care should be taken not to have the mince-meat too thick or the pies will be drv and hard. When ready to use, it is a good plan to test by first baking a small pie or turn-over. Many prefer to freeze mince-pies after baking, heating them as wanted. Fragment Mince-meat — Take one pint chopped corned beef, or remains of any cold meat will do, carefully removing all bits of skin, gristle and bone, and if very lean adding a little fat, one twelve ordinary sized potatoes, scalded until softened, but not thoroughly cooked, and chopped, one pint bread-crumbs, and any bits of cake, doughnuts, etc., chopped fine, juice of four lemons with the chopped pulp and a little grated rind, one pint each sugar and molasses, or sweetening to taste, one pound raisins, or dried currants and any "left-over" preserves at hand, or dried apule sauce, with spices to taste ; put all together over fire with cold coffee, tea and a little vinegar — ^about three pints wetting in all — bring to scalding heat and add three or four well-beaten eggs, or these may be omitted. Do not make too thick as the mixture hardens in baiting ; thin with water if necessary. Before putting into pies, taste and add more vinegar or seasoning if needed. These fragment pies have been so successfully made as to be thought the real mince article, but judgment must be used in amount of sugar, wetting and seasoning needed. Molasses-pie, — Three eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately, half cup New Orleans or sorghum molasses, cup white sugar, butter size of a walnut, cup sour cream, teaspoon soda stirred into molasses, whites mixed in last ; or reserve two whites for meringue. Bake slowly in moderate oven. Nutmeg gives a nice flavor. Another half cup molasses may be added with teaspoon corn-starch, making sufficient for two pies. • They may also be baked with two crusts.