Sunday, November 15, 2009

Hunting widow comfort food

Spaetzle

Farmboy has gone hunting with his best friend way up north, and I am left alone for a couple of days.
This is SO hard on me.
NOT!
I LOVE it when he goes away!
I get the house pretty much to myself.
I can eat, sleep, drink when I want to.
Watch old Christmas movies.
(So far it's been "Christmas in Connecticut" and "The House Without a Christmas Tree", one of my all-time favorites!)
So...yesterday, with kids all gone, I was rootin' around the fridge, looking for something simple.
Nothing.
Hmmm....how about pasta?
Nah.
How about EASY pasta?
Yeah!
Got out my spaetzle maker, which has never been used.
Twas a gift from a dear friend, and just tucked away in a drawer since last Christmas.
How could I have been so negligent?

These were so easy peasy it's almost embarassing to call it a recipe.
It is simply a gooey mixture of eggs, flour, water and salt, dripped into a saucepan (through the spaetzle thingy) of boiling chicken stock.
When the tiny dumplings rise to the top they are done!
I topped them with a teensy bit of butter, fresh parsley, parmigiano reggiano, and salt and pepper.
Oh.
My.
Word.
I hope Sam didn't get into the leftovers last night, cause spaetzle just might be my breakfast of choice!
Carry on, Farmboy.
I'm doin' just fine.

xoxo
Cindy
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25 comments:

Lisa~A Cottage To Me said...

I LOVE my time alone in the house! Do what I want same as you. Glad to hear you are enjoying yourself!

Janie B said...

That looks delicious!! I'd love to know more. Like, what in the world is a spaetzle thingy??? It sounds like these are teeny, tiny dumplings. Is that about right? Enjoy your time to yourself.

goatmilker said...

How nice all the guys are here hunting. The pasta sounds great. Have a great day Rebekah.

Unknown said...

my hub is a hunter too...and I too love it when he heads out for his guy-time...I get to recharge...my way. I'm going to check out the Christmas movies you mentioned...we are looking for a good classic to watch on Thanksgiving night.
Oh..the spaetzle looks amazing!

Unknown said...

oh good, I don't feel so bad now. I LOVE when hubby goes away. its just less...I dunno, complicated? and I get the remote aaaaaaaaaaaall to myself (except for the kids but thats easy to take care of LOL)

Gwynie Pie said...

I MUST try spaetzle. About three weeks ago I saw Claire Robinson on FoodNetwork's show, 5 Ingredient Fix( or something like that) She made spaetzle and remarked about how easy it was and yet definitely "comfort" food. Yum. Gotta try it soon.

Gwyn Rosser
gwynrosser.blogspot.com
The Pink Tractor

Lovella ♥ said...

I have never made spaetzle but make noodles for my noodle lover. I smiled at the thought of my beloved going hunting and arriving home to find out I had made noodles without him.
The spaetzle maker is going on my wish list.

Stacie, A Firefighter's Wife said...

That sounds so yummy!

Sherry in MI said...

You never mentioned a long, hot bubble bath with a good book. That's one of my favorites when the husband is gone! Of course, to enjoy that I also need the four children to be gone, as well. :)

KathyB. said...

Yup, my husband was gone for a week this month, hunting. And I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I think I enjoy myself so much because I know he will be coming back home to me...that security and confidence goes for him too,he has a great time hunting, and he knows he is coming back home to me...ain't love grand?

Melodie said...

I love old movies,especially Christmas ones!

Holly said...

My husband left to go hunting around three a.m. and shot his elk later that same morning. The weather was too warm to hanging in a tree on the mountain while he went fishing so home again he came. I was a bit disappointed. Not that he got the elk but that I didn't get my time alone. I had a big messy project planned while he was gone and it didn't happen. Instead, because of the warm weather we were cutting up elk. I envy your few days alone. Enjoy!

The imPerfect Housewife said...

You are my kind of gal!! My husband doesn't hunt - will your husband teach him (I need some time here too)!? Your spaetzel looks awesome - way to try something new!! Enjoy your time ~ ♥

Regan Family Farm said...

Where in the world did you get "The House Without a Christmas Tree?" I love that!
Kathy

Sandra said...

I have NEVER heard of this. Where do we find them? Could you post a picture of yours?

Mary from Michigan said...

I love spaetzle too, but have never made my own. Tell Sandra if she's near a Gordon Food Service (Resturant Supply) that they sell pre-made bags of frozen spaetzle. I'm going to have to try making my own, as my hubby is also gone hunting. In the last 10 weeks, he's been out west for 8 of them, hunting. Where can you buy a spaetzle maker? I also enjoy making Chrismas Crafts with my 12 year old daughter while playing Christmas movies-- "Christmas in Connecticut" is one of our all time favorites!

Carol............. said...

I LOVE spaetzle! My mother used to put some of the gooey dough on a small wooden cutting board and scrape small pieces off with a knife into boiling water...that, off course, was in the "olden" days, LOL.

Sue said...

OH, how I laughed when I read this! First, because my husband works nightturn...so I have the bed to myself...well, he was on vacation last week...I think tonight might be my first good nights sleep in a week! LOl Also...the 'spaetzel'...we make them in our pot...they are to die for with pork, sauerkraut and gravy....and we make them with potato for our haluski with cabbage. Aren't the little pot things wonderful?! Glad you enjoyed them! Enjoy our solitude!

Camille said...

Yummy...I love spaetzle...spell that right?? :) Comfort food is defintely "in the air"...I made homemade mac and cheese for lunch today.

Blessings,
Camille

jules said...

I believe that my Czech grandmother made spaetzle but I don't think she called it that. She would put flour, salt, maybe an egg, and water in a shallow bowl, mix it all up and then 'cut' it off the side into boiling water. We had it with wilted cabbage and bacon bits as a yummy side dish. Oh gosh, this makes me miss her so much. I was so young, didn't pay much attention, moved away and then she died. Dernit. Maybe I'll see if my mom remembers. Thanks for the memory.

jules said...

OMGosh! I just 'googled' it and it's halusky!!! And she was Slovak, not Czech. Oops. Do I get a break that she was from there when it was still one nation? Slovaks were the farmers, Czechs were the rich town folks. I'm from farm stock.

Farmgirl Cyn said...

Jules...whoever you are....this was too funny! How'd you ever find my blog???

Thistle Cove Farm said...

While I've never made spaetzle but I love it...so, SO good! Like you, am over the moon when Dave has a biz trip but, lately, he's been taking me with him. I'm SO torn between staying home and eating junk or going with him and eating in restaurants -grin-!
Jules is a funny gal! I've been to both countries, after the wall fall, and loved what she said. I'm from good farm, and coal, stock myself but a bit more to the west.

jules said...

Hmmm, how DID I come to find your blog? Maybe through Rhonda at Down-to-Earth? Looking at your blogroll, we have many 'friends' in common: Holy Experience, PW, KS Milkmaid, Coldantlerfarm, Throwback at Trapper Creek. When I have a regular blog I read, when I'm reading the comments, lots of times I go to that person's blog just to see them. Probably how I found you, following a comment. I love your blogroll. There are so many interesting folks there and I love reading through them. I'm a regular here, even though I hardly ever comment. Thanks.

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