Semi Homemade German Cooking

You know that show on the Food Network called Semi Homemade with Sandra Lee? She makes incredible dishes, yet they are based on products she store bought which requires a little (or a lot) less effort in the cooking process.

Tonight I made a nice German dinner. Schnitzel and Spaetzle.

Say that 10 times fast!

I have been trying to cook as much as possible, but given the pathetic state of our kitchen, I don't have that many options. So tonight's dinner was "semi homemade" ala Sandra Lee.

I got some precooked Schnitzel, which means cutlet without bones, at Kaufland that only required heating. Surprisingly, despite the fact that it's breaded meat, it was relatively healthy. I also got some prepackaged Spaetzle with vegetables mixed in.

Spaetzle [SHPEHT-sluh; SHPEHT-sehl; SHPEHT-slee] Literally translated from German as "little sparrow," spaetzle is a dish of tiny noodles or dumplings made with flour, eggs, water or milk, salt and sometimes nutmeg. The spaetzle dough can be firm enough to be rolled and cut into slivers or soft enough to be forced through a sieve, colander or spaetzle-maker with large holes. The small pieces of dough are usually boiled (poached) before being tossed with butter or added to soups or other dishes. In Germany, spaetzle is served as a side dish much like potatoes or rice, and is often accompanied by a sauce or gravy. The cooked spaetzle can also be pan-fried with a little butter and onions (usually a good left-over idea). **source**

I heated some of my own fresh veggies (carrots, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash) in the pan with some EVOO and tossed them in with the spaetzle.

I am so jealous of food bloggers who take photos of their meals that look like they come from the pages of Gourmet or Food & Wine Magazine on top of tablescapes that you would find on display in Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn. Maybe I need a new camera with a super fantastic lens or something, but I tried my best to capture our lovely little German dinner.

I will work on taking photos my own photos that make you drool, but for now, I will leave you with Pioneer Woman's Pear Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream

For the recipe click here

MMMMMMMMMMMM!