Fall Dinner-Chicken Spaetzle & Homemade Bread

I can't stand it any longer...Fall needs to just get here and stay here:o)

It has been a scorcher for the past few days after we were taunted with cooler weather. I am stubborn by nature, and have made soup and homemade bread, regardless of this horrid heat, hoping this will show Summer that I have had enough of it, and am ready for it to go away:o)

 Chicken Spaetzle is one of my favorite soups in the whole wide world. I order it from Bruegger's every time I visit that restaurant...which is a lot:o)

I looked for their recipe, and couldn't find anything but the calorie count online...I DON"T CARE what the calorie count is...IT"S DELICIOUS!

So anywho, I found a few recipes online and kind of tweaked here and there, and this is my version of Chicken Spaetzle.

recipe adapted from HERE

• 
  2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb total)
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning1 package of potato Gnocchi
  
  Combine all ingredients, except the gnocchi, and cook on low for 2 hours. After the 2 hours, shred chicken in the soup, and add gnocchi. Cook gnocchi in the soup according to package directions(just don't drain;o). Serve with homemade bread.
  
  
  
  
  I found this homemade bread recipe to go along with our soup.
  Food Processor White Bread
  from breadworld via Jennifer Judd-McGee
  makes 1 loaf
  3 cups all-purpose flour
  2 Tbl. sugar
  1 envelope RapidRise Yeast (do not use any other kind - just RapidRise)
  1 1/4 tsp. salt
  3 Tbl. butter
  1 egg
  3/4 cup warm water
  Insert metal blade into food processor. Add flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt; process 5-10 seconds. Add butter and egg.  Begin processing, then slowly pour warm water through feed tube just until dough forms a ball, about 10-15 seconds.  Continue processing for 60 seconds to knead dough (I let it go longer, more like 2-3 minutes, just for good measure).  Remove dough onto a lightly flour surface. Cover and let rest for 10 min.
  Roll dough into a 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll.  Pinch ends and seam to seal.  Place, seam side down, in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.  Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until double in size about 30-45 minutes (I've let it go much longer than this and it is just fine).
  I usually brush it with egg wash or a bit of cream to give the top a nice shine, but you don't have to.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until done (30 minutes is always just perfect for me).  Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack (be sure to remove it because otherwise the bottom will get soggy while it cools).  Slice and enjoy!
  
  
  
  This was a wonderful dinner, and I am so glad that we have air conditioning because when you eat soup, it warms your insides...who wants to be hot on the inside and outside;o)
  The kids loved the soup, so we have a winner in this household...when we actually get cooler weather, this recipe will definitely be a regular on the menu;o)