Herb-Speckled Spaetzle

Herb-speckled spaetzle (posted 1/16 for 1/4)

Happy New Year to all!  And Happy Birthday, Mom!

What about New Year's resolutions?  Some of mine are: to start re-organizing and cleaning out closets and drawers on a regular basis.  I actually did a pretty good job with the home desk, and before New Year's too.  Also, to put away the clean stacks of laundry in the bedroom and not wear directly from them instead of reaching into the drawer for them(something my son does everyday!).  Another, to try to keep cooking with the Dorie club while taking my masters courses but I am allowing some breathing room here; aim for 2 a month, my choice, and respond to 3 blog posts for each week, regardless if I cook or not, and the 3 response blog posts must be different each week.  So in a way, I will be the part-time, 'now you see me, now you don't blogger', and will be sprinkling words of admiration and praise for the other Doristas sporadically as well. I am trying to refine 'balance strategies' for work, life, family, friends, and interests, and give each quality if not quantity.

When I read about the spaetzle, I recalled a conversation with my neighbor friend who's Oma made this for her and her sister many times when she was growing up.  Her version included strong swiss and limburger cheese (I know, limburger?) but she loved it.  So I thought I would rope her in to cook this dish with me, she being a spaetzle expert and all.

So here we were, in my kitchen, reading, measuring, mixing the ingredients, and washing the long unused spaetzle maker she keeps in her garage.  It was during this time that she tells me that she's never cooked it, always leaving that tradition to her Oma. What, I say?  And then we laugh!  So much for having an expert assistant!  That spaetzle maker is a great gadget, I can't imagine trying to make it without it.  So I will look for one in Bed,Bath & Beyond or Amazon.com.  I substituted shitake mushrooms and shallots for the white mushrooms and onions.  So neighbor friend, husband and I sat down and ate this dish with relish.  We loved the little pasta-dumplings with the fresh herbs, shitakes, and shallots in the chicken broth.  Very filling, too!  It was then she told me about her Oma's goulash....so I grilled her on the cooking process to be sure she actually had made it.  She did!  So I thought that would be great with the spaetzle...

My husband is putting away some dishes we use for Chinese food in one of my corner cabinets.  Seems there is a lot of extras sauces and stuff in the cupboard.  Guess I will tackle that 'clean-out' next as he casually said, 'do all of these dishes go into this cupboard?' lol