Kitchen Krafts:

Rainy Day Lunch

By Beverly J. Ahlstrom

Drip-Drop Egg Soup

2 cups water

1 package (3 ounces/85 g) chicken-flavored oriental noodles

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup frozen peas, partially thawed

1. In a medium saucepan, boil the water. Add the noodle flavor packet.

2. While stirring, slowly add the beaten egg to the boiling soup. Let the soup come to a boil again.

3. Add the peas and the noodles. Stir and cook for 3 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Makes 1–2 servings.

Drop Cheese Biscuits

2 cups white flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

3/4 cup milk

1. Stir the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together.

2. Cut in the butter or margarine with a fork or pastry cutter until the texture is like coarse crumbs.

3. Mix in the grated cheese.

4. Add the milk all at once and stir until the dough clings together. Don’t stir it too much!

5. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 450° F (230° C) for 10–12 minutes.

Rainbow Fruit Salad

1 lettuce leaf, rinsed, for each serving

1 red apple, cored and sliced

1 can (11 ounces/311 g) mandarin oranges, drained

raisins

strawberries, halved

1. Place each lettuce leaf on a serving plate.

2. Arrange the apple slices, orange sections, raisins, and strawberries in a rainbow shape on each leaf.

Pudding in a Cloud

3 heaping tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sugar

3 heaping tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons milk

2 cups boiling water

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

whipped topping

1. Stir the cornstarch, sugar, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan until smooth.

2. Add the boiling water. Stir and simmer over medium heat until the mixture boils. Boil 1 minute, then remove from heat.

3. Stir in the butter and the vanilla; spoon into individual cups.

4. Mound whipped topping around the edges of each pudding to make it look like it is surrounded by a cloud. Serve warm.

Illustrated by Pat Hoggan