Asparagus on Toast

  1 lb. fresh asparagus      1/4 cup melted butter
  2 slices hot toast          or 1 cup Medium
  1/2 tsp. salt               White Sauce (p.
  1/8 tsp. pepper             122)
                             4 to 6 slices crisp
                              bacon
                             1 egg, hard-cooked

Break off asparagus stalks as far down as they snap
easily. Remove scales along stems and wash well.
Leave whole. Tie whole stalks in bunches with string
and stand upright in narrow deep pan or coffeepot.
Cook, covered, in 1" boiling salted water 10 to 20
min., until tender crisp. Catch string with fork when
lifting asparagus out of pan to keep stalks whole.
  Arrange asparagus on slices of hot toast. Season
with salt and pepper. Pour melted butter or hot White
Sauce over the top. Garnish with crisp bacon strips
and quartered hard-cooked egg. 2 servings.

         Asparagus on Ham Toast

Cook whole stalks of fresh asparagus (above), plan-
fling 5 to 6 stalks per serving. Make Cheese Sauce
(p. 122). If time is short, make Cheese Sauce accord-
ing to directions on can of cheese soup or heat canned
or frozen Welsh Rarebit. Spread toast with deviled
ham or top toast with slices of boiled ham. Arrange
asparagus on ham toast and pour hot Cheese Sauce
over toast. 2 servings.