Hollywood (Jan - Mar 1943)

Holiday Economy CROCKER Shirley Deane, who was the attractive young daughter in the Jones Family series, and is now married with a home of her own, has some helpful suggestions for economy in decorating the festive board and planning the holiday menu ■ Holiday meals this year are difficult to plan. Rationing and shortages of many items make it impossible to get just what you want. That's what Shirley Deane discovered when she started to plan her holiday menu. Shirley was the young daughter in the Jones Family pictures. Now she is married and devoting her time to home-making. This year her holiday table will be as gay as ever. "There's more reason than ever to keep the Christmas spirit alive, because that is part of what we are fighting for," Shirley said. "I think the table should be decorated as beautifully as possible." Now that tinsel and metals are going into war along with most everything else, her decorations were made from materials on which there are no priorities. For instance, she gathered leaves and gilded them with some gold paint. With Christmas tree balls, left over from other years, spilled among the leaves which draped her electric candelabra, Shirley contrived a lovely effect. As for the menu, she decided on a ham baked with pickled peach juice. This is the way she prepared it: BAKED HAM WITH PICKLED PEACH JUICE Place a whole or half ham fat side up on rack in open roasting pan. Do not cover and do not add water. Bake in slow oven (300°), allowing 15 to 20 minutes per 54 pound for a large ham; 20 to 25 minutes per pound for a small ham; and 25 to 30 minutes per pound for a half ham. The shorter cooking time in each case is for tenderized hams. Roast-meat thermometer registers 170° when ham is done; 160° for tenderized hams. Ham may be basted during cooking period with pickled peach juice. The last 30 minutes of baking, score fat in diamond shapes; stick a whole clove in each diamond and rub surface with dry mustard and brown sugar moistened with ham drippings. With the baked ham, Shirley served crusted pears. These are peeled pear halves brushed with butter. Roll in fine crushed corn flakes, then bake until brown. Another delicacy, one of Shirley's favorites, is Stuffed Pickled Peaches. STUFFED PICKLED PEACH Stuff pickled peach halves with chopped cucumber, celery, nuts and a bit of salad dressing and serve in cups of curled lettuce. For dessert, Shirley likes something light, such as a sherbet served with Russian Tea Cakes or Norwegian Butter Cookies. RUSSIAN TEA CAKES 1 cup butter •/2 cup confectioners' sugar 2y4 cups all-purpose flour \\ tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla % cup nuts, finely chopped Cream butter, add sugar gradually, and cream well. Sift flour once before measuring, then again with salt and add to creamed mixture, working it in thoroughly with the hands. Blend in vanilla and nuts, also working them in with the hands. Chill dough, if desired, to make it easier to handle. Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place about 2V2 inches apart on very lightly greased heavy baking pan. Bake 14 to 17 minutes in a moderately hot oven 400° F., until a very delicate brown. (Watch cookies carefully after they have been in the oven for a little while, as they brown all of a sudden.) This makes about 5 dozen cookies. Roll in confectioners' sugar while still warm and again when cool. These cookies should be crisp. Store them in a can with a loose cover. NORWEGIAN BUTTER COOKIES % cup butter V2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour % cup cornstarch 1 tsp. baking powder Melt butter over low heat, being careful not to brown it. Add sugar gradually, beating it in thoroughly with a spoon. Add the well-beaten egg, and continue beating with a spoon until mixture is smooth, creamy and somewhat thick. Blend in vanilla. Sift flour once before measuring. Then sift flour, cornstarch and baking powder together, and add to first mixture. Stir until well-blended. Drop by teaspoonsful (or force through cookie press in desired shapes) about 1% inches apart onto lightly greased heavy baking pan. Bake 16 to 18 minutes in a moderate oven 350° F., until a very delicate brown. (Watch cookies carefully after they have been in the oven for a little while, as they brown all of a sudden.) This makes about 4V2 dozen cookies, 2 inches in diameter. The dough may be chilled, if desired, and then rolled into balls about 1 inch in diameter. These cookies should be crisp. Store them in a cool place, in a can with a loose cover. FREE Betty Crocker HOLLYWOOD 1501 Broadway New York, N. Y. Dear Madam: Please send me your suggestions for lunch boxes for war workers. Name Street City and State