Roasted and Seasoned Warm Cubed Potatoes Replace Croutons on Green Salad Paired with Old World Spaetzle

My dinner salad before the dressing.

My German Grandmother made Rivila soup and I do not know how she made it but I tried Spaetzle because it looks close enough in heritage and composition to at least be a cousin!  This is a featured recipe from The Iowa Housewife blog written by two wonderful sisters.  It is my opinion that the star of this dish is the broth and being a lover of good homemade broth it was a hit at my house.

My husband's dinner salad with shredded cheese before dressing.

Complimenting this main dish I cubed a large potato and roasted it with salt pepper and olive oil for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. and served them warm atop a dinner green salad in place of croutons.  This was a delicious new twist!  My husband liked this better than croutons.

Our steaming Spaetzle a rich stock with chicken, vegetables, and noodles.

Ingredients for Spaetzle:

1 1/2 quarts good chicken or turkey stock
3/4 C. sliced celery
3/4 C. shredded carrot
1 large diced onion
2 C. diced chicken or turkey, optional

Simmer all together  20 minutes or so until the vegetables are tender.

Batter for Spaetzle:

1 large beaten egg
good pinch of salt, no more than 1/4 t.
1/2 C. flour
1 T. milk

Beat egg, add salt, flour, and milk gradually.  Beat well.  Batter should be thick and elastic.  Butter or spray with cooking spray a flat dinner plate and a table knife.  Flatten out the batter on the prepared plate and tilt it over the bubbling hot soup.  Slice off small noodles and slide them off the plate.  Continue until the batter is gone.  Let them cook about 5 minutes until they are all floating atop the soup.  Garnish with parsley or green onion diced finely if desired and serve.  Yield 4 servings.