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.

Holiday Fun At The Olive Garden

My family cashed in on the Olive Garden gift certificate they received on Christmas. Although I had been to one already it was fun to rediscover the fun and delight of going there and ordering. The Olive Garden may be a chain restaurant but it offers good quality food - similar to what a family owned

The restaurant is known for its' generosity. There is a huge bowl of salad that's almost served before you order along with their famed basket of bread sticks. The salad is the e Italian restaurant would.The food is plentiful and not badly priced - which explains its' popularity. We started with a complimentary salad, the size of a punch bowl and has every kind of veggie from hot peppers to olives and tomatoes in it. This on its' own is actually good lunch . The bread sticks are these wonderfully fat mini loaves of bread coated in garlic and oil. We ordered the bruschetta appetizer ,although to be truthful , it was like gilding the lily.It was a huge plate of toasted Italian bread accompanied by a large bowl of the tomato basil mix.

The Olive Garden serves such huge lunch portions you have to wonder what their dinner ones are like.There is a lot to choose from and meat lovers won't be disappointed.There are even some heart healthy dishes like the chicken with apricot sauce. Others include pastas with fresh pomodoro sauce which is what I had. I also tried their lasagna which was as good any any homemade one.The Olive Garden has a cooking school in Tuscany where it sends it's chefs on a yearly week long sabbatical which shows in their cooking. Unlike other chain restaurants, it really cares what it sends out to diners and also doesn't rely on prepackaged sauces or dishes that just have to be reheated. Everything is freshly made to order. We were all too stuffed for dessert however I am making a point to go back just to try their zeppolis with chocolate dipping sauce.

if you received an Olive Garden gift card this holiday season, cash in on it. The food is a great treat and the whole dining experience is just plain fun. Even if you didn't get one, go. Spending a meal at this restaurant is a great way to experience Italian classics such as pasta and lasagna at good prices.

Quiet Simple Food

This is the season, and especially the week for rich foods. Between Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's , our diets go crazy with an overload of sweets, meats and alcohol. During this down time, think about eating simple. It's easy. It's just trimming away the fat literally,

A good idea is to start off right.A decent well balanced breakfast is always appreciated. It;s also a great way to top off a day that may have more treats than "normal" food. After lush holiday brunches of french toasts and fancy omelets, return to simplicity with just plain whole wheat toast or oatmeal. Lunch can be simple salads (and this is a head start on all those New Year's diets) or soup. You can have sandwiches, but try to stick with just simple cold cuts on white or wheat bread. Stay away from mayo and butter (which you probably had lots of at all those X-mas parties). Instead use mustard or ketchup which have less calories.

It's hard not to have a sumptuous dinner during the holidays. Old friends call and want to go out or invite you over. If you're heading to a restaurant ,choose the plainest food on the menu. Think about a broiled salmon or chicken.Finish with sides of steamed spinach or Brussels sprouts as opposed to anything fried or with sauce. Desserts out can be fun but fattening, Thanks to a week of buttery cookies and boozy fruitcakes you may want to opt for a fresh fruit platter or just coffee and tea. Even a flavored coffee or cappuccino can be a little over the top this week. If friends do insist, then share something with the table. This means one or two spoonfuls. You can still have that rich chocolate mousse or carrot cake with ice cream.

Treat your tummy well this week and veer back to a simple diet. It's tempting to keep eating all those holiday goodies. Yet, it's a more a present to treat it right with good ,and nutritious foods. You'll feel a lot better.

A Very Merry Christmas

To all my readers worldwide,

Have a very Merry Christmas. Enjoy your dinner and your gifts and think of those who have less. Hope that they have a good holiday as well and that they have food on their tables. Enjoy all the family favorite recipes and the sweets. Relax with a cup of cocoa or brandy laced egg nog as you enjoy your tree and presents. Enjoy your family and what they give you - not just their gifts but their laughter and smiles, their hearts and souls.

Liz

Last Minute Craziness

Christmas in America is like a wedding day. You only have twenty-four hours to get it right. Other countries have two, like England with Boxing Day. The Caribbean along with the rest of Europe stretch it out til the New Year. Too bad we can't do the same. It would save us a lot of angst and headaches. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way.

There's always the chance that you'll run short.Then just sub. Margarine can easily fill in for butter whether at the dinner table or cooking. Pureed cauliflower can fill in for mashed potatoes (and they're healthier too). Rice is another substitute that can work as a side. What happens if the roast burns? Salvage it. Try to save as much as the meat as you can.A good idea is drowning it in gravy to give it some moisture. A dried out turkey or goose can be made juicy again by cooking it again in a stock bath. If the potatoes are too runny then add extra potato flakes. Too gummy? Add some milk or cream.

What about the dessert? Usually shortages happen, especially around the cookie tray. See which ones are going fast and stay away from them. Let your guests nibble the best. Also if the cookie supply is diminishing then don't feel shy about breaking out the packaged ones. There's nothing wrong with serving Oreos and Fig Newtons in a pinch. If you run out of Cool Whip then think about pie and even cake a la mode. Any kind of ice cream can be a welcome treat and the kids will probably like it. If there's not enough coffee, then push tea. (or if worse comes to worse borrow some java from the neighbors)

Christmas comes but once a year and it has to be perfect. The problem is that sometimes our dinners aren't .If stuff happens let it. There's always a way to fix it even without Santa's magic.

A Good Holiday Bubbly

Champagne and the holidays go hand in hand. A good bubbly adds to any meal or party. The question is what is good?That's what Eric Asimov answers in yesterdays. Wine of The Times column in the New York Times. Follow his advice and you'll select the perfect drink for your gathering.

What Mr. Asimov points out is that champagne is really nothing special. It is just a sparkling wine. Treat it as you would any ordinary dinner white. There are some good ones out there that would not seem out of place accompanying a roast turkey or common hors d'ouevres. he prefers blanc de blanc, the finest and most delicate of all champagnes. These are made solely of chardonnay instead of the usual pinot noir, pinot meunier and the chardonnay. Most of the bubbly tested was at the lower end of the price range, being around $35 to $55 a bottle.

Which ones did Mr. Asimov and his panel recommend? There is the Delamotte coming surprisingly out of Alabama and it has a taste redolent of minerals , herbs and chalk. For a more traditional taste there is Marc Hebrart Blanc du Blanc Premier Cru Brut NV which has a fruity mix of apple, plum and lemon flavors. This would b e perfect with poultry from goose to capon or with a lovely chicken salad appetizer. Another fruity blend is the Ruelle Pertois- Blanc de Blanc Brut , vintage 2005. Again this has a very light green apple flavor to it. Other champagnes had more of a mix of herbal and chalk taste.

Champagne, especially a good one, makes any holiday bubble. Select a blanc de blanc for a special taste . It can go with something as unique as caviar or as homey as a roast.

The Taste Of Christmas Memories

Today's New York Times Dining section was a cornucopia of Christmas memories. This homage in a way to Marcel Proust is full of traditional and not so traditional recipes by the section's best writers. There are so many to choose from savory to sweet. All are tasty and can be easily blended into reader's traditions as well.

Most of the section is written in mini article form followed by a recipe.I like the diversity of it all and the dishes are immensely tryable. There are the savory ones, especially the one by Jeff Gordonier. His contribution is a honey glazed ham which has a spin - white miso. Usually holiday hams are awash in ginger ale and/or pineapple however this one calls for the miso along with apple cider and apple sauce.The apple mixture created a crunchy sweet glaze that counter balances the ham's saltiness.Another great piece is the great Frank Bruni's eggplant and pasta. This is a variation of lasagna that his mother made and it involved crisp fried mezzani along with pasta and sauce. It would be good even at a New Year's party too.


Sweets are also represented and some of the Dining section's have given some great ones. Julia Moskin pitches in with an easy Christmas pudding. This is her take on the traditional British kind that doesn't have the rum but everything else. It's a flavorful dessert rich with spices and candied fruits.It doesn't have the liqueur's cloying taste which is refreshing. Another good recipe is Pete Wells ' candied orange peels which have the added zing of rosemary,Of course the holiday wouldn't be complete without cookies and contributor , Kim Severson adds her mother's ginger snap recipe. These are a break from the usual butter cookie ones and provided much needed spiciness to the holiday sweet platter.

There are several other savory and sweet recipes . Go to the Times online to see more. The ones above and those are great additions to any holiday feast.