Wednesday's Blue Plate Specials

Breakfast: Rice Porridge

Peel, core and dice 1 large, sweet apple. Set aside. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup each uncooked white rice and water to a boil. Add one 3-inch cinnamon stick, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Add 4 cups milk and bring to a simmer. Stir in the chopped apple, ¼ cup brown sugar and ½ cup raisins. Cover and simmer 45 minutes. Mixture will thicken as it cooks. Remove cinnamon stick and add 1 tsp vanilla. Serve warm with cream and honey.

Dinner: Potato Soup
Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Potato Soup: Crisp cook 4 slices bacon. Cool and crumble. Saute 1 chopped onion in the bacon fat. Peel and quarter 6 medium potatoes. Cook potatoes in 2 cups boiling chicken stock or broth until soft. Pour off all but 1 cup of the liquid. Mash potatoes coarsely. Stir in 2 cups milk, the crumbled bacon and onion. Heat through, but do not boil.

Tuna Salad: Drain oil or water from 1 can tuna. Stir in 2 Tblsp mayonnaise, 2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped and 1 Tblsp sweet relish. Make sandwiches on marble or wheat bread.

Lunch: Almond Rusks

Cream together 1 cup shortening and 1 ½ cups sugar. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 cup buttermilk. Sift together 4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt and 1 ½ tsp cardamom. Stir in 1 cup finely chopped almonds. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients about 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into 3 small, greased loaf pans and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool slightly and carefully cut each loaf into 12 slices. Place on cookies sheets an dbake at 200 for 1-3 minutes on each side, until toasted. Serve with coffee, warm milk or hot cocoa for dipping.

Supper: Home Style Short Ribs with Potatoes & Carrots (Crock pot method)

Brown 3-4 pounds beef short ribs in skillet. Place 4 scrubbed or peeled potatoes, 4 peeled and quartered carrots and 1 large sliced onion in crock pot. Place browned ribs on top of vegetables. Combine 2 Tblsp cider vinegar, 1 Tblsp sugar, 2 Tblsp horseradish, 1 Tblsp prepared mustard, 2 Tblsp ketchup, 1 tsp each salt and pepper and 2 cups beef stock or broth. Pour over ribs and vegetables. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove ribs and vegetables and use pan drippings to make gravy. (Bring to a boil, stir in ¼ cup water mixed with 2 Tblsp corn starch. Reduce heat and whisk until thickened.)