Cooking for the husband

I cooked this a little bit ago, and then again for my parents on Christmas Eve. I cannot wait to try it out on the husband. Super thick Chops (dare i call them Iowa Chops???) with spaetzle and sauerkraut. I have made spaetzle from scratch with the family recipe, but i actually KILLED my KitchenAid the last time i made it. My poor Grandmother was probably spinning in her grave, because not only was the recipe HER family recipe, but SHE bought me the KitchenAid! Ugh, it was a shameful moment for several reasons. Number one, i used the WRONG attachment. The dough hook would have been the correct one. Number two, Grandma always did it by hand. The KitchenAid has since been sent to a repair shop, but it has never been the same. I think it is holding a grudge?

Anyways, the nice thing about being able to shop at the commissary (aside from the low prices!)is that they usually have very good international food sections, and get a TON of German grocery items that you really cannot find easily outside of Germany. I found some really great spaetzle, so i just use that now. Sorry, Grandma. I also found a great jarred Sauerkraut. I do not think Grandma would fault me for not making my kraut from scratch. I add lots of goodness to it, though...apples, brown sugar, bay leaves, paprika, beer.

My poor parents really needed a GOOD dinner after their train ordeal. We were going to have chili on Christmas Eve, but i thought this would warm them up a little bit better. They were not disappointed.

The Le Creuset pot was a great find. I have an obsession with Le Creuset, and have amassed a nice little collection, thanks to the VERY generous Husband. Last year we were in a Williams-Sonoma, and found this on a discount rack, for the shock-and-awe price of $80!! I think they were mistakenly put there? I should have bought all three of them they had, but i exclaimed so loudly that another lady dashed over, and grabbed one up, called her friend and grabbed one up for her, too. I clutched mine to my chest and moved away from her before she could rip it out of my hands.