WINTER HOSPITALITY AND WARMTH

(Photo from Mrs. Staggs' Blog)

"Thistle-Down Fancies - A Token of Friendship"

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When I saw these lovely ladies on Mrs. Staggs' blog, I thought how lucky her friends were to be receiving them. Imagine my delight when one appeared in my mailbox the other day, along with a pretty pink, white and yellow handkerchief.

Have you visited Mrs. Staggs (Lena) yet? She lives in a wonderful place named Merryville, a simple place in a simpler time. “Now while you may say Merryville isn’t a real place,” says Mrs. Staggs, “you can’t really say that it doesn’t exist.”

It is always good to pay a visit to Merryville, especially for those of use who usually reside in Grumpyville. Mrs. Staggs’ door is almost always open to visitors. When she ushers you inside, she will be wearing a soft sweater and warm socks to match, and soft faded jeans.

Last summer, we enjoyed many strolls through her delightful garden, but Merryville is wonderful in all seasons. I have especially enjoyed visiting her this winter, because she knows how to stave off those winter blues.

When you pay your visit, I’m sure she’ll offer you tea and hot buttered toast. You’ll be warmed by a cozy fire and smell the scent of hyacinths, reminding you that spring is not that far off.

There will be soup bubbling on the stove, and cookies baking in the oven. Mrs. Staggs will be working on her latest handicraft. And as the afternoon draws to a close, she will light glowing lamps and candles to ward off the dark. There, on the table by the comfy chair, you’ll see a tempting stack of books awaiting your perusal.

I have never stayed the night in Merryville but if I did I think I would find a nightgown warm from the dryer, a handmade quilt for my bed, and a sweet kitty for company.

Your portal to Merryville is http://www.ahappymiscellany.typepad.com/. It is truly “A Happy Miscellany of Fine and Frivolous Things.”

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I drove out to my sister’s place yesterday, in the cold, blustery afternoon. There too, I was welcomed with the warmth of hospitality and also the warmth of a hearty knoephle (nefla) soup made by my 17-year-old niece.

Even though we are Norwegian and Scottish, we have embraced this German soup. It's very popular in Bismarck, having been brought here by Germans From Russia immigrants. In fact, if you're not from North Dakota, South Dakota or Minnesota, you may not know about knoephle soup.

Strictly speaking, the four basic ingredients to qualify a soup to be called knoephle are potatoes, celery, chicken stock and knoephle. Often called dumplings, knoephle are actually made from noodle dough.

Knoephle soup – also spelled knoephla, knephla, knepfla, etc. – has as many variations as it does spellings. Should one use milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream or half and half? Some people add chicken, ham, hamburger, bacon or sausage to this supposedly meatless soup.

I am very particular about my knoephle soup. I don’t care for the soupy (thin watery) kind. Often, the knoephle are very gummy. Until yesterday, my favorite knoephle soup in Bismarck was from a now-defunct restaurant called The Drumstick. It was suitably creamy and extra flavorful. Now my favorite is Kelsey’s soup, nice and thick with chunks of bacon.

KELSEY’S FAMOUS KNOEPHLE SOUP

Ingredients:

6-8 potatoes, cut up
carrots (chopped, sliced or our preference, shredded)

chopped onion (Kelsey says 1/4 cup, Glori says 1/2 cup)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
½ pound bacon, cut into bite-size pieces
1 soup can of milk
knoephle
chicken bouillon
garlic powder
pepper

Knoephle Dough:

1 ¾ cup flour
1 egg
½ cup water
1 tsp. salt

Combine dough ingredients, roll into the shape of a pencil, and cut into ½ inch pieces. Set aside.

Cook the bacon.

Boil potatoes with just enough water to cover them.

When the potatoes are done, do not drain the water. Add the carrots, onion, soups, milk, bacon and knoephle. Season to taste (because of the sodium in the soup, don’t add salt, and limit the amount of bouillon you use.) Boil for 20 minutes or until the knoephle are done.

Vegetarians can leave out the bacon, and depending on how strict they are, also eliminate the chicken-based ingredients. Although it wouldn’t strictly be knoephle soup anymore, they could substitute cream of potato or other cream soup for the cream of chicken soup, and vegetable bouillon for the chicken bouillon.

(Photo from the web)