Marie Kondo Your Fridge

By now every one has heard of Marie Kondo, the cute perky queen of organizing. Due to her Netflix show, hundreds of Americans are reorganizing their closets and thanking the items of apparel for sparking joy. Any home chef can do this with their fridge as well. This one did.
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To be honest nothing I threw out sparked joy, especially the ones with thick layers of mold. (I know,  I know) I had more science experiments in my refrigerator than a biology lab and enough penicillin to cure half the East Coast. Not good. As anyone will know , it's so easy to buy stuff and then forget about it , thanks to the busy lives we all lead. To prevent this buy small. If you need sour cream for a recipe and you don't normally eat it, buy the smallest cup. All of it will usually get eaten. Even a medium sized tub can wind up be forgotten.You can buy bigger sizes of ketchup and mustard. One, these are used , and two an opened bottle of ketchup can last up to two years while an opened jar of  mustard can still be eaten after two to three years. Honey is another foodstuff that tends to get put at the back of the shelf. It can last six to eight months after its' jar is opened. Remember that it's not just for sweetening drinks, but can also be used to neutralize the acidity in tomato sauce and chili.

Another part of fridge clutter is leftover something. Too many times, we're guilty of even putting a mouthful of soup in the fridge, not wanting to waste a drop. Yet days pass, there are better leftovers to eat, that container gets forgotten. Next thing you know it's a month later and there's a layer of green gook on top of it. If you know you're not going to eat it after two or three days, then toss. Certain leftovers can be repurposed. Leftover chili can be slathered on hot dogs and burgers. Leftover rice can be refried with veggies for a main or side dish. If you've made egg noodles or spaetzle, then have what's left with just butter the next day. It makes for a filling  yet light lunch or dinner. The remainder of that Sunday roast can easily be refigured into not just sandwiches but also salads.Nothing beats a tomato and roast beef salad or a roast chicken laced Caesar one.Leftover ham and its' bones can be easily added to homemade pea soup.Any uneaten mashed potatoes lying around? If there's enough , then dip in beaten egg, dredge in breadcrumbs and fry for a tasty snack or meal.Just keep reminding yourself that leftovers need to be thrown out after a few days. Don't leave a bowl of something in the fridge for weeks. You'll never  eat it.

Konmari your fridge. Getting rid of all those uneaten or never eaten foods will make you feel better. They may not spark joy, but dumping them will give you some satisfaction.

Spaetzles For Spring

One of the joys of Spring cooking is that it means lighter meals.One dish on the light side is the classic Swabian German dish  spaetzles. This versatile noodle can be the side or supporter of different meats and vegetables.It can also be bought or homemade - all are delicious.

Spaetzle originates in the southern German state of Swabia and means "little sparrows.It also goes by the name knopfle which means small buttons. The area was good for raising spelt -a hulled wheat that can thrive in poor soil. The noodles can be made with only water which was good in times of hardship. It has been part of the southern German diet for over three hundred years and is now considered a "specialty" food, only eaten on feast days. You can make them at home.It's a simple recipe which consists of flour , usually four eggs for body and nutmeg for taste. Milk or water is  added as well.(you can even use soy, rice or almond milk).The dough is then beaten until air bubbles arise.You can then roll a slab of dough on a pastry board  and then cut off long noodles using a pastry cutter, letting them drop into boiling water. You can also splurge and buy an expensive one for sixty dollars from Amazon bu they also have cheaper ones between ten and fifteen dollars. Mine was only twelve dollars.I have yet to use it. I discovered Aldi's Deutsche Kuche Egg Spaetzle. It cooks up like any other pasta and has a lovely tender texture.

What I like about spaetzle is that it can go with any thing.I grew up with it, my maternal grandfather was Swabische-American and he brought some amazing recipes  to the family table.It can mellow out tart sauerkraut  - which was and still is not my favorite. It can also transform the bland green bean into a tasty treat.It also serves a great base for sauerbraten and gravy . The Deutsche Club in Clark, NJ has a delicious spaetzle dish, chock full of beef and gravy. This last is one version I enjoy, however try to  recreate it in a primarily vegan household. juice. It was portobello mushrooms with mushroom caps and stems. The gravy was a combination vegan butter, sage - which is used a lot in German cuisine and the juice from the mushroom bits. The dish turned OK, but next time,I'll make the spaetzles with green beans. The noodles can also be served with any kind of cheese. My cousins like theirs with butter and Parmesan which is a southern Italian spin on the dish. Buttered spaetzles can also be a great side to roast chicken and/or Cornish game hens too.They  served can also be chicken breasts in a lemon butter sauce too.

Spaetzles are a versatile addition to any menu. They can be used as a main dish or a side. Have them as part of your Spring dinner plan.

The Many Facets Of Egg Noodles

Egg noodles have been a kitchen staple forever. Many of our mother's and grandmother's recipes centered around them. They're still as versatile and delicious as ever. They could be the main dish or part of a side.They can even be used in desserts.Egg noodles are what you make them whether in savory or sweet dishes.

Egg noodles originated in China not in Europe as many would believe. They were first made about  4000 years ago and preserved ones were unearthed at Lajia in Quinghai ,China in 2005. They made their way to Europe where most German and Scandinavian households used them on a regular basis. Egg noodles were in savory dishes, sopping up gravy and providing the carb part of the meal. German Jews used the noodles in sweet dishes such as kugel.They're different from pasta in the sense of whole  eggs or egg yolks mixed with wheat flour and then boiled in water. Pasta can come with or without eggs. Sometimes olive oil and vegetables can be incorporated in the recipe. Noodles are generally one length and shape while the other,as we all know, comes in avariety of shapes and sizes. Like pasta, egg noodles can be bought or made at home. It's just taking two cups of flour and mixing ot with one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of baking powder . Two whole eggs are added and this is what gives the noodles their rich , sunny color.Half a cup of milk is added as well.It's left to sit for half an hour before rolling out. You can use a pasta machine to make them or a knife.It's then dropping them into boiling waiter for two to four minutes.

Whether they're home made or store bought egg noodles are a great base for so many dishes. The Swabian Germans from southwest Germany cook boiled ones with eggs for Lent. This traditional and delicious dish also has sliced peaches  on the side to cut the intensity of the eggs.Germans also use them with meat and gravy recipes. They can be used instead of the traditional spaetzle, a kind of noodle itself. Another delicious recipe is beef tips and gravy over egg noodles. The noodles' mildness is the perfect foil for the beef's and sauce's strong flavors.Try them with either beef or chicken paprikash, the famed Austrian dish, known for its spicy ' paprika sauce. Of course egg noodles taste their best in chicken soup. Nothing beats a homemade one, thick with those luscious eggy, strands and hearty chicken chunks. You can also think out of the box and put the noodles in a minestrone for a chunkier version of the original recipe. Egg noodles have a sweet side. They give body to cinnamon laced sweet casserole along with providing the base.  A lush one involves egg noodles,cherries and sour cream baked together for  truly rich dessert.

Egg noodles are a versatile staple every pantry and kitchen should have. They're easy to use and easy to create hearty dinners and desserts. Make them, buy them but definitely use them in your next dish.,

Time For Spaetzle

November is the time to cook hot homemade meals and appreciate classic foods. The German favorite spaetzle falls into both categories.It is a great dish to make on these chilly nights, and a classic to be served on its' own or with a traditional meat dish.Spaetzles are also relatively easy to make as well, and once learned, become an instant family favorite.

Melissa Clark wrote about them as well as tried out a rye one in her A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Normally spaetzles are made from   just the simple blend of flour, eggs, water and salt. Ms. Clark cuts the amount of white flour used , replacing it with rye. Her recommendations involve pouring the batter into a colander , or a spaetzle maker.This last is a great device to have because it sits on top of the pot in which to boils the little noodles.It leaves the cook's hands free to pour the batter through the holes.

Some prefer just the boiled spaetzles as I do , with green beans and butter. This and having them with sauerkraut are my family's recipes. Ms. Clark prefers hers to be fried in butter cooked to a crisp. She also likes them with cheese on top along with cooking them up with Savoy cabbage and leeks. This a sweeter version of spaetzles mitt  sauerkraut. I would cook these  little treats without the leeks and maybe just a common cabbage instead of the Savoy (which can be used for other tasty dishes). Also as a comfort food. I would just have them with butter or with a gravy laden goulash which is another good accompaniment.

Nothing beats a hot dish during these chilly days. Spaetzles are just that dish,creating a warm , comforting meal. They are the perfect meal for this nippy November weather,

Winter Warmer Spaetzle

Now that winter is officially here ,it's time to think of hearty meals. Spaetzles fill the bill nicely.These tender and delicate German noodles can be used in casseroles or with sauerkraut. Not only that, they are the perfect comfort food during these chilly , icy days.

This is what  New York Times Dining regular Melissa Clark wrote about in today's A Good Appetite column. She discovered their charm while perusing an old German cookbook. There she discovered a myriad of recipes,using traditional ingredients such as kielbasa(!) and cabbage. She decided on a casserole with them along with kielbasa , onion and Emmenthaler cheese. This sounds sort of like a Saxony version of baked mac with bacon. I don't know if it's to my traditional tastes however it's tempting enough to try. I am going to make it sans the sausage, although if I were to add meat, it would be the more traditional ham

Ms. Clark also tries making her own spaetzle. This is pretty easy wit being on the same par as making pasta dough, except the dough consistency is that of a thick pancake batter.You can buy a spaetzle board from any gourmet cooking store or online. You can also use a colander to press out the dough (unlike pasta which is basically ribbons, spaetzle vary in length and size). They are then boiled in salted water. After you can do what you like with them.  I prefer mine with string beans or plain with butter however some like them the traditional way, cooked with red cabbage or better  yet, sauerkraut.

Spaetzles are great chill chasers. These hearty little noodles are the perfect canvas for  anything , from a cheesy bake to traditional pickled cabbage. You can create a perfect  and winter meal with them.