German Dinner - Spaetzle, Schnitzel and Braised Cabbage

So the idea for this meal began when my mother called me and said she was cleaning out her kitchen cabinets and asked if I wanted some things.  Things turned out to be cast iron muffin pans, a heart shaped cake pan and a spaetzle maker.  I decided that since I was now the proud owner of a spaetzle maker, in a box with all of the directions in German, that I should learn how to use it.  And I couldn't just make spaetzle, I had to make a whole dinner.  I also decided I should have some friends over to test these new recipes and techniques on.  I figured if it didn't turn out well we could always order some pizzas.  The dinner invitation went something like this:

Maggie  I have a spaetzle maker, want to come over for German dinner?
Mike  Heck yes!
Maggie  When do you and Kim get back?
Mike  We are back.  When is dinner?
Maggie  Ummmm.  Sunday?
Mike  We'll be there.  Can I make sachertorte?
Maggie  YES!  I love cake. 

Pippa's Pumpkin Snacks!

Pippa made me do it.  That is all.

Cranberry Lemon Muffins

These are not "cake" muffins.  If that was what you were hoping for I'm sorry.  These are the kind of muffins you can toast and put butter on and they won't fall apart.  They are the kind of muffins I like.  Just a tiny bit sweet and full of fruit.

Sweedish Cardamom Rolls

I meant to have this up yesterday in case you had a little free time and felt like doing some baking today.  Opps.  I haven't got a good excuse for you.  I simply distract myself and don't get things done.  Lack of focus I think they call it.  Or focusing on too many things, which I think is my affliction.  Back to the recipe.  Focus Maggie, focus.

Butternut Squash, Spinach and Goat Cheese Pizza

I really like.  No let me start again.  I LOVE butternut squash.  After all those years of not eating squash unless it was baked with butter and brown sugar and now I can't get enough.  Maybe it is the color.  Orange is one of my favorite colors after all!  I am game to try just about any recipe with butternut squash in it and when I came across this on Epicurious I had to give it a shot.  Squash, spinach, goat cheese and onions on a pizza - how could I go wrong?  Though a little bit time consuming I think this will make several repeat appearances!

Buttermilk Biscuits with Green Onions

Who doesn't love a buttery flakey biscuit?  These are fantastic with plain old scrambled eggs and equally delicious dunked into soup.  And I can only imagine how great they would be as the topper on a chicken pie.  Yummmmm.

Pad Thai with Tofu

 

I've always wanted to make Pad Thai at home.  I make the curries after all so why not give Pad Thai a try?  There was a great article on Thai food in last month's Bon Appetit.  So I decided to go for it.  Unfortunately I couldn't find all of the ingredients but I did the best with what I could find and I'll just have to keep on the lookout for the rest next time I am near an Asian grocery.  The recipe did call for shrimp which is never hard to find, I just don't care for it so I left it out.  I also opted to leave out the ground dried chiles and stirred in my favorite ground chile and garlic paste as I was eating it.  To see the real recipe head over to Bon Appetit.