Use either fresh green asparagus, or canned asparagus. Cut it into two-inch lengths, and if fresh is used cook in boiling water for ten minutes. Put 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan and brown in it 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of finely chopped roasted peanuts. Roll each bit of asparagus in beaten egg and the crumbs and nut mixture, and arrange in a buttered gratin dish with alternate layers of thick white sauce, seasoning each layer with a little pepper and salt. Cover the top with crumbs and a sprinkling of grated cheese, and brown in the oven. GRIDDLED APPLES Peel and core large sour apples. Cut them in thick slices and lay on a well-buttered griddle, and let fry until a light brown; turn, and brown the other side. APPLE FRITTERS Pare and core as many tart apples as required, sprinkle with salt, dip in batter, and fry until golden brown in hot fat. Drain on brown paper before serving. BOILED BANANAS Put bananas unpeeled into boiling water, let boil for ten minutes, then peel and cut in two and serve with melted butter. BANANAS WITH TOMATOES Peel 3 bananas and cut them in slices either lengthwise or across, and slice 3 or 4 large tomatoes. Put 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted lay in the bananas and tomatoes and sprinkle well with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let cook slowly, and when browned on the bottom turn and add another sprinkling of sugar, brown again, and serve very hot. BANANA FRITTERS Pare the bananas required, cut each in half crosswise, and then split each half. Sprinkle with salt and dip in batter and fry until a golden brown in hot fat. Drain on brown paper and serve very hot. BOSTON BAKED BEANS Cover with cold water 3 or 4 cups of dry California pea beans, or any small white beans, and let them soak over night. The next morning drain and put on the stove in a large kettle well filled with water, and let cook slowly, with 1/4 of a teaspoon of soda added, for half an hour. Put 2 tablespoons of butter in the bean-pot, or a deep baking dish, drain the beans, and put them in the butter. Pour over them slowly 4 tablespoons of dark molasses, 1 tablespoon of salt, and add 1 tablespoon of butter; then fill the bean-pot to the top with hot water and bake in a very slow oven for 6 or 7 hours. As the water cooks away replace it. This will require doing about three times during the baking. Serve in the dish in which they were cooked, and garnish with whole black pickled walnuts. GREEN STRING BEANS If fresh beans are used pick them over, remove the ends and "strings," and boil for half an hour or more; then drain them, and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of milk, season with salt and pepper, and serve after ten minutes' slow cooking. If canned beans are used omit the first long boiling. GOLDEN WAX BEANS