Wash, pick over and cook two quarts of spinach for twenty minutes; drain, chop and rub through a sieve and return to the water in which it was cooked, add one-half cup of chopped onions, cook until thoroughly done, thicken with a white sauce made by melting two tablespoons of butter to which is added two tablespoons of flour; stir until smooth, add two cups of milk; season with one-half teaspoon of salt and pepper and add the spinach mixture.
Proceed as with spinach, substituting lettuce for spinach.
Cook one quart tomatoes (fresh or canned) with one pint water until done, and strain through a sieve. Meanwhile melt two tablespoons of butter, add two tablespoons of flour, add gradually one and one-half cups of milk (or half cream and half milk), one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper; add a little chopped parsley and celery, and let this boil for fifteen minutes. Just before ready to serve add one-fourth teaspoon of baking soda to the hot strained tomatoes, pour gradually into the cream sauce stirring constantly and serve at once.
Soak one cup of lentils over night. Drain and boil slowly for one hour in water containing one-half teaspoon of baking soda, drain and boil again very gently in fresh water; when the lentils are tender drain off most of the liquid and return to the fire. Add two tablespoons of butter, or butter substitute, two teaspoons of salt, and one-half teaspoon of sugar. Bring three cups of milk to a boil in the double-boiler. Just before serving mash the lentils through a strainer directly into the milk. Serve in cups and pass croutons with the soup.
Slice two or three large onions; fry them in a tablespoon of butter until they are soft and red, then add three tablespoons of flour and stir until it is a little cooked. To this add slowly a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time, so it will be smooth.
Boil and mash three good-sized potatoes. Add to them slowly a quart of scalded milk, stirring well so it will be smooth. Add the potato and milk mixture to the onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Let it get very hot, and pass it through a strainer into the tureen. Sprinkle over the top a little parsley chopped very fine, and a few croutons.