RECIPES.

ASPARAGUS SOUP.—­Wash two bunches of fresh asparagus carefully, and cut into small pieces.  Put to cook in a quart of boiling water, and simmer gently till perfectly tender, when there should remain about a pint of the liquor.  Turn into a colander, and rub all through except the hard portion.  To a pint of asparagus mixture add salt and one cup of thin cream and a pint of milk; boil up for a few minutes, and serve.

BAKED BEAN SOUP.—­Soak a half pint of white beans over night.  In the morning turn off the water, and place them in an earthen dish with two or two and one half quarts of boiling water; cover and let them simmer in a moderate oven four or five hours.  Also soak over night a tablespoonful of pearl tapioca in sufficient water to cover.  When the beans are soft, rub through a colander, after which add the soaked tapioca, and salt if desired; also as much powdered thyme as can be taken on the point of a penknife and sufficient water to make the soup of proper consistency if the water has mostly evaporated.  Return to the oven, and cook one half hour longer.  A little cream may be added just before serving.

BEAN AND CORN SOUP.—­Cold boiled or stewed corn and cold baked beans form the basis of this soup.  Take one pint of each, rub through a colander, add a slice of onion, three cups of boiling water or milk, and boil for ten minutes.  Turn through the colander a second time to remove the onion and any lumps or skins which may remain.  Season with salt and a half cup of cream.  If preferred, the onion may be omitted.

BEAN AND HOMINY SOUP.—­Soak separately in cold water over night a cupful each of dry beans and hominy.  In the morning, boil them together till both are perfectly tender and broken to pieces.  Rub through a colander, and add sufficient milk to make three pints.  Season with salt, and stir in a cup of whipped cream just before serving.  Cold beans and hominy may be utilized for this soup.

BEAN AND POTATO SOUP.—­Soak a half pint of dry white beans over night; in the morning drain and put to cook in boiling water.  When tender, rub through a colander.  Prepare sliced potato sufficient to make one quart, cook in as small a quantity of water as possible, rub through a colander, and add to the beans.  Add milk or water sufficient to make two quarts, and as much prepared thyme as can be taken on the point of a penknife, with salt to season.  Boil for a few minutes, add a teacup of thin cream, and serve.

BEAN AND TOMATO SOUP.—­Take one pint of boiled or a little less of mashed beans, one pint of stewed tomatoes, and rub together through a colander.  Add salt, a cup of thin cream, one half a cup of nicely steamed rice, and sufficient boiling water to make a soup of the proper consistency.  Reheat and serve.

BLACK BEAN SOUP.—­Soak a pint of black beans over night in cold water.  When ready to cook, put into two and one half quarts of fresh water, which should be boiling, and simmer until completely dissolved, adding more boiling water from time to time if needed.  There should be about two quarts of all when done.  Rub through a colander, add salt, a half cup of cream, and reheat.  When hot, turn through a soup strainer, add two or more teaspoonfuls of lemon juice, and serve.