redolent with the smell of grandmother's best recipes, of families tucking into wholesome, unfussy dishes around the dinner table, and of daughters learning from their mothers how to prepare such meals for future husbands and families.

Thanks to Betty Crocker's Old Fashioned Cookbook, now available at the Bermuda Library, you can capture the essence of yesteryear's favourites in this classic collection of recipes for everything from hors d'oeuvres to preserves.

Here's a sampling: *** STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES Bright, elegant additions to any appetiser tray, these are colourful, easy to serve, delicious with a variety of fillings, and dainty enough to be eaten in one bite. A tiny slice cut from the bottom of each tomato keeps them steady on the platter.

20-24 cherry tomatoes 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. milk 1 tbsp. prepared horseradish 11 tsp. snipped fresh dill weed OR 1 tsp. dried dill 1 green onion (with top), finely chopped CUT thin slice from stem ends of tomatoes. Remove pulp and seeds with melon baller or spoon; turn upside down on paper towel to drain. Mix cream cheese, milk, horseradish, most of the dill weed, and green onion. Fill tomatoes with cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with remaining dill weed. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Yield: 8 servings.

*** BAKED BEANS The weekly ritual of preparing baked beans for the Puritan Sabbath gave Boston the nickname "Beantown.'' Housewives combined the ingredients, had them baked slowly in a communal oven, then served them at Saturday supper or Sunday breakfast. For a real New England touch, pierce a peeled onion with several whole cloves and bury it in the middle of the beans before baking.

1 lb. dried navy beans (about 2 cups) 6 cups water 3 lb. lean salt pork or smoked pork, sliced 1 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp. red pepper sauce 1 bay leaf, crumbled 1 cup ketchup 1 cup molasses 11 tsps. dry mustard 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground ginger 11 tsps. Worcestershire sauce 1 cup packed dark brown sugar HEAT beans and water to boiling. Boil uncovered 2 minutes; remove from heat.

Cover; let stand 1 hour. Stir in pork, onion, garlic, pepper sauce and bay leaf. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 11 to 2 hours or until beans are tender (do not boil or beans will burst).

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Drain beans, reserving liquid. Add enough water, if necesary, to measure 2 cups. Stir ketchup, molasses, mustard, salt, ginger and Worcestershire sauce into bean liquid. Place beans in ungreased shallow 2-quart casserole; pour reserved bean liquid over beans. Arrange pork slices on top; sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake uncovered 1 hour. Yield: 6 servings.

*** LEMON VEAL SCALLOPINI 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tsps. garlic salt 1 lb. veal for scallopini* 1 cup vegetable oil 2 tbsps. butter or margarine 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth 2 tbsps. lemon juice 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges MIX flour and garlic salt. Coat veal with flour mixture. Heat about half of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook veal until brown on both sides, adding oil as necessary. Arrange veal on serving platter; keep warm. Drain any remaining oil and overly browned particles from skillet. Add butter, wine and lemon juice to skillet. Heat to boiling, scraping any remaining brown particles from pan. Boil until liquid is reduced by about half and mixture has thickened slightly. Pour over veal. Serve with lemon wedges.

Yield: 4 servings.

* 1 lb. of veal round steak can be substituted, in which case cut veal into 8 pieces and pound until 1 inch thick.

*** CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS 3 to 31 -lb. stewing chicken, cut up 4 celery stalk tops 1 med. carrot, sliced 1 sml. onion, sliced 2 sprigs fresh parsley, snipped 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 5 cups water 1 cup variety baking mix 2 cups variety baking mix 2 cup milk REMOVE any excess fat from chicken. Place chicken, giblets (except liver), neck, celery, carrot, onion, parsley, salt, pepper and water in Dutch oven.

Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook over low heat about 2 hours or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and vegetables. Skim 1 cup fat from broth; reserve. Remove broth; reserve 4 cups. Heat reserved fat in Dutch oven; blend in 1 cup baking mix. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in reserved broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Return chicken and vegetables to Dutch oven; heat through.

Mix 2 cups baking mix and the milk until soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto hot chicken mixture. Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes; cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

*** HASH BROWN POTATOES These golden brown shreds, delicately seasoned with onion, are equally delicious with eggs for breakfast or steak for supper. For many years they were standard fare at American roadside diners. Serve in wedges, or present the whole round at the table, then cut into serving pieces.

11 lbs. potatoes (about 4 med.), pared 2 tbsp. finely chopped onion 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 2 tbsps. butter or margarine 2 tbsps. vegetable oil or bacon fat HEAT 1 inch salted water (1 tsp. salt, if desired, to 1 cup water) to boiling; add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 30 to 35 minutes or until tender; drain and cool slightly. Shred enough to measure 4 cups. Toss potatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil in 10-inch skillet until butter is melted. Pack potato mixture firmly in skillet, leaving a 1 -inch space around edge. Cook over low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until bottom is brown. Cut potato mixture into quarters; turn. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil if necessary. Cook 12 to 15 minutes or until bottom is brown. Yield: 4 servings.

Note: Potato mixture can be kept in one piece if desired. To turn, invert on plate and slide back into skillet.

*** MACARONI RING WITH CREAMED PEAS 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (8 ozs.) 2 cups hot milk 1 cup butter or margarine 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 ozs.) 2 cups soft bread crumbs 2 eggs, slightly beaten 2 tbsps. snipped fresh parsley 2 tbsps. finely chopped onion 2 tbsps. chopped pimiento 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper Creamed Peas (recipe follows) COOK macaroni as directed on package; drain. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 10-inch ring mold. Mix macaroni and remaining ingredients except Creamed Peas. Pour into mold; place in pan of very hot water (1 inch deep).

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Remove mold from water; let stand 5 minutes. Loosen sides with metal spatula. Unmold ring on large platter; fill centre with Creamed Peas. Yield: 8 servings.

Creamed Peas 2 lbs. fresh green peas* 2 tbsps. finely chopped onions 2 tbsps. butter or margarine 2 tbsps. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 11 cups milk HEAT 1 inch salted water (1 tsp. salt, if desired, to 1 cup water) to boiling; add peas. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook uncovered 5 minutes. Cover and cook 3 to 7 minutes or until tender; drain. Cook and stir onion in butter in 2-quart saucepan until tender. Stir in flour and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from hat. Stir in milk.

Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in peas gently; heat through. * Or substitute: 1 10-oz. pkge. frozen green peas, cooked and drained, OR 1 16-oz. can green peas, drained.

*** CRANBERRY ORANGE MOLD 1 11-oz. can mandarin orange segments, drained (reserve juice) 1 3 oz. pkge. orange-flavoured gelatin 1 16-oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce ADD enough water to reserved juice to measure 11 cups. Heat to boiling. Pour boiling mixture on gelatin in medium bowl; stir until gelatin is dissolved.

Stir in cranberry sauce until sauce is melted. Stir in orange segments. Pour into 4-cup mold. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until firm; unmold. Serve on salad greens if desired. Yield: 8 servings. NESSELRODE PUDDING Created by a French chef in the 19th century, Nesselrode began as a frozen sweet, laden with chestnut puree, fruits and nuts, and flavoured with maraschino liqueur. In America, it evolved into a molded dessert or pie. This version omits the traditional chestnut puree and highlights the chopped nuts, dried fruit and rum.

2 envelopes unflavoured gelatin 1 cup cold water 4 eggs, separated 1 cup sugar 2 cups half-and-half 1 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted 1 cup finely chopped candied cherries 1 cup finely chopped raisins 1 cup finely chopped citron 2 tbsps. rum or 1 tsp. rum extract 2 tsps. vanilla 1 tsp. salt SPRINKLE gelatin on cold water in small bowl to soften. Mix egg yolks and sugar in heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stir in half-and-half gradually; stir in gelatin. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens; do not boil. Place pan in bowl of ice and water, or refrigerate 20 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds when dropped from a spoon. Mix almonds, cherries, raisins and citron thoroughly. Stir almond mixture, rum and vanilla into gelatin mixture. Beat egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry. Fold into almond-gelatin mixture. Pour into 6-cup mold.

Refrigrate about 3 hours or until firm; unmold. Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired. Refrigerate any remaining pudding immediately. Yield: 12 servings.

*** MILE HIGH LEMON PIE Beaten egg whites and gelatin give this chiffon pie its gossamer texture.

Chiffon pies, originally high and "set'' with beaten egg whites only, date from the early 1920s. Although many chiffon pies are made in a graham cracker crust, this one uses a baked and cooled pastry base.

9-inch baked pie shell 8 eggs, separated 1 cup sugar 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin 1 cup water 1 tbsp. grated lemon peel 1 cup lemon juice 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cream of tartar 1 cup sugar BLEND egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, gelatin, water, lemon peel, lemon juice and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture boils. Place pan in bowl of ice and water, or refrigerate, stirring occasionally, just until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Beat in 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Fold in lemon mixture. Mound in baked pie shell. Chill several hours or until set. Refrigerate any remaining pie. Yield: 8 servings.

*** ORANGE CHARLOTTE RUSSE This import from France, already popular almost 100 years ago, molds Bavarian cream in a ladyfinger-lined springform pan. Once unmolded, the cake is freestanding and elegant. The frosted grapes sparkle, adding an eighteenth century noted of excess.

11 cups boiling water 1 6 oz. pkg. orange-flavoured gelatin 1 tbsp. grated orange peel 1 cup orange juice 1 tbsp. lemon juice 3 egg whites 1 tsp. cream of tartar 2 cups whipping cream 11 pkgs. (3 oz. size) ladyfingers Frosted Grapes (recipe follows) POUR boiling water on gelatin in medium bowl; stir until gelatin is dissolved.

Stir in orange peel, orange juice and lemon juice. Place bowl in bowl of ice and water, or refrigerate 20 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until stiff. Fold gelatin mixture into egg whites. Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl until stiff. fold whipped cream into egg white mixture.

Cut ladyfingers lengthwise into halves. Line side of ungreased springform pan, 9 x 3 inches, with ladyfingers, cut sides in. Arrange remaining ladyfingers to fill bottom of pan. Pour gelatin mixture into pan; smooth top. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until firm. Loosen from side of pan; remove side of pan.

Garnish with Frosted Grapes. Yield: 12 servings.

Frosted Grapes 1 tbsp. water 1 tsp. corn syrup Small clusters of grapes Granulated sugar MIX water and corn syrup. Dip grapes into corn syrup mixture; dip into sugar.

Place on wire rack to dry.

*** CHERRY BLINKS Crushed Wheaties make a crunchy coating for these fruit-and-nut cookies, invented in 1941.

1 cup sugar 1 cup shortening 1 tbsp. plus 11 tsps. milk 1 tsp. vanilla 1 egg 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 cup raisins 1 cup chopped nuts 13 cups whole wheat flake cereal, crushed Candied or maraschino cherries HEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Mix sugar, shortening, milk, vanilla and egg. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into crushed wheat flakes; roll gently until completely coated. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press a cherry into each cookie. Bake until just set, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet immediately. Yield: about 3 dozen cookies.

*** ORANGE-LEMON REFRIGERATOR CAKE 1 cup plus 2 tbsps. all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 2 tsps. baking powder 3 tsp. salt 1 cup cold water 1 cup vegetable oil 3 egg yolks 2 cup egg whites (about 6) 1 tsp. cream of tartar Orange-Lemon Filling (recipe follows) 1 cup whipping cream 1 cup powdered sugar HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in water, oil and egg yolks until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Pour egg yolks mixture gradually over egg whites, folding just until mixture is blended. Pour into 2 ungreased round pans, 8 or 9 x 11 inches. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until top springs back when touched lightly in centre. Invert pans immediately with edges on 2 other pans until layers are completely cool. Loosen edges from pans with spatula. Turn pans over; hit edges sharply to loosen completely. Remove cake from pans. Prepare Orange-Lemon Filling.

Split layers horizontally into halves. Divide 1 cup filling between layers; frost side and top with remaining filling. Wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 12 hours.

Just before serving, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar in chilled bowl until stiff; frost cake. Garnish with grated orange or lemon peel if desired.

Refrigerate any remaining cake. Yield: 12-16 servings.

Orange-Lemon Filling 1 cup sugar 3 tbsps. cornstarch 1 tsp. salt 1 cup orange juice 1 cup water 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten 2 tbsps. lemon juice 1 tbsp. grated orange peel 1 tbsp. butter or margarine MIX sugar, cornstarch and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in orange juice and water gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir at least half of the hot mixture slowly into egg yolks. Blend egg yolk mixture into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice, orange peel and butter. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until set. Gently stir to soften, if necessary, before using.