BAKED POTATOES.—­Choose large, smooth potatoes as near the same size as possible; wash and scrub with a brush until perfectly clean; dry with a cloth, and bake in a moderately hot oven until a fork will easily pierce them, or until they yield to pressure between the fingers.  They are better turned about occasionally.  In a slow oven the skins become hardened and thickened, and much of the most nutritious portion is wasted.  When done, press each one till it bursts slightly, as that will allow the steam to escape, and prevent the potatoes from becoming soggy.  They should be served at once, in a folded napkin placed in a hot dish.  Cold baked potatoes may be warmed over by rebaking, if of good quality and not overdone the first time.

STUFFED POTATO.—­Prepare and bake large potatoes of equal size, as directed in the preceding recipe.  When done, cut them evenly three fourths of an inch from the end, and scrape out the inside, taking care not to break the skins.  Season the potato with salt and a little thick sweet cream, being careful not to have it too moist, and beat thoroughly with a fork until light; refill the skins with the seasoned potato, fit the broken portions together, and reheat in the oven.  When hot throughout, wrap the potatoes in squares of white tissue paper fringed at both ends.  Twist the ends of the paper lightly together above the fringe, and stand the potatoes in a vegetable dish with the cut end uppermost.  When served, the potatoes are held in the hand, one end of the paper untwisted, the top of the potato removed, and the contents eaten with a fork or spoon.

STUFFED POTATOES NO. 2.—­Prepare large, smooth potatoes, bake until tender, and cut them in halves; scrape out the inside carefully, so as not to break the skins; mash smoothly, mix thoroughly with one third freshly prepared cottage cheese; season with nice sweet cream, and salt if desired.  Fill the shells with the mixture, place cut side uppermost, in a pudding dish, and brown in the oven.

MASHED POTATOES.—­Peel and slice potatoes enough to make two quarts; put into boiling water and cook until perfectly tender, but not much broken; drain, add salt to taste; turn into a hot earthen dish, and set in the oven for a few moments to dry.  Break up the potatoes with a silver fork; add nearly a cup of cream, and beat hard at least five minutes till light and creamy; serve at once, or they will become heavy.  If preferred, the potatoes may be rubbed through a hot sieve into a hot plate, or mashed with a potato beetle, but they are less light and flaky when mashed with a beetle.  If cream for seasoning is not obtainable, a well-beaten egg makes a very good substitute.  Use in the proportion of one egg to about five potatoes.  For mashed potatoes, if all utensils and ingredients are first heated, the result will be much better.

NEW POTATOES.—­When potatoes are young and freshly gathered, the skins are easiest removed by taking each one in a coarse cloth and rubbing it; a little coarse salt used in the cloth will be found serviceable for this purpose.  If almost ripe, scrape with a blunt knife, wash very clean, and rinse in cold water.  Boiling is the best method of cooking; new potatoes are not good steamed.  Use only sufficient water to cover, and boil till tender.  Drain thoroughly, cover closely with a clean cloth, and dry before serving.