I love with this article by Sam Sifton of the New York Times, ” Good day. How’s it going for you right now, where you stay? It’s unsettling, what’s happening in our nation and across the world, and it’s maybe super-unsettling what’s happening in your neighborhood, your village, your building, your apartment, your head. Loads of people are sitting scared, some frozen, unsure what to do besides look at screens. Will it be worse tomorrow, or just the same? The answer’s in the kitchen“. I love it because I agree with him! A little baking and cooking in the kitchen can be good for the whole family. There’s something about preparing food that calms and eases the soul, and eating delicious homemade food is good for one’s mind and body.

And what is better than chicken soup and homemade popovers? I know, cake IS BETTER, but now more than ever, BALANCE is needed! Soup simmering on the stove makes the whole house feel safe and popovers, well, they are the perfect melt-in-your-mouth accompaniment. A tub of unsalted butter nearby for slathering onto the popovers is recommended. A Popover pan is a must!

Here’s a quick homemade Chicken Soup recipe with Spaetzle, little noodle dumplings (my Czech grandmother, Anyuka, gave me this recpe). You’ll need the Spaetzle maker, my must-have kitchen tool! It’s not expensive and you’re going to want to use the little dumplings in many other dishes.

After dinner you might want to watch a feel good movie like A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood or Little Women. Enjoy!

CHICKEN SOUP with SPAETZLE

Saute in olive oil:

3 stalked of celery, chopped

4 large carrots, sliced

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

Add:

2 boneless chicken breasts, cut in quarters lengthwise

or 1 package of chicken tenders

(leftover chicken is also fine)

Cook in the vegetable mixture until they are no longer pink.

Add:

1 32oz box of chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon herbs de Provence

salt & pepper to taste

Cook until chicken and vegetable are tender.

Keep the soup simmering while you make the spaetzle dough.

Anyuka’s SPAETZLE:

In a medium bowl, combine 2 1/3 cup flour and 1 teaspoon salt.

In a measuring cup, add 1 cup of water (or milk) and 1 egg. Mix together.

Make a well in the flour and pour in the egg mixture. With a fork stir until flour is incorporated. If the dough is very thick, just add

a little more water or milk.

Rest the spaetzle maker on top of the pan of simmering soup.

Spoon the spaetzle dough into the spaetzle maker and push the maker back and forth through the holes until all the dough is released. The dumplings will cook in less than a minute.

Scape off any clinging dough with a knife dipped into the hot soup.