This is a one pan wonder. I’m not a fan of most casseroles but this Baked Pork Chop Casserole is too delicious to turn down.
Great for a crowd.

Ingredients;
6-8 thin cut pork chops with bone in or boneless chops
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
2 large onions, sliced thin
3-5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced thin**
14oz can beef stock
1/4 cup dry red wine
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions;
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large skillet brown the pork chops in the butter.
Remove from pan and add the onions. Cook until slightly brown. Remove the onions and add the wine to deglaze the pan then the beef sock.
Bring to a boil scrapping the pan juices for a few minutes.
In a large casserole or roasting pan place a layer of pork chops, then a layer of potatoes and then a layer of onions. Pour the stock/pan juices over the casserole.
Cover with foil or a lid and bake for 45 minutes.
**I used a mandoline, which is a slicing blade mounted on a guide to slice veggies and fruit evenly.  It takes just a few minutes and the plastic one I bought at Aldi’s with 3 blades for $10 is dishwasher safe.

This is an easy version of apple strudel. I recently visited Germany and made this with our host. So delicious and a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a perfect compliment.

Ingredients;
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and coarsely shredded
3 (4 if they are small) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 TSP cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 TBLS melted butter
1 egg
1/4 cup milk

Directions;
Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place apples in a large bowl.
Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins, set aside.
Place puff pastry on baking sheet. Roll lightly with a rolling pin. Brush with the butter. Arrange apple filling down the middle of the pastry lengthwise. Fold the pastry lengthwise around the mixture. Seal edges of pastry by using a little water on your fingers, and rubbing the pastry edges together. Whisk egg and milk together, and brush onto top of pastry.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve warm with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and ice cream.

Make my Spritz (German Butter Cookie) recipe and use the press disk for a heart. Press them onto a baking sheet and gently press the tops to flatten them a little. Sprinkle the Valentine Butter Cookies with red sugar and bake. Once cooled leave them as is or make a sandwich cookie with heated raspberry jam in the middle or melted chocolate.
So yummy and buttery !!

These Spritz Cookies are a very old German holiday butter cookie recipe.  Spritz Cookies are easy to make once you practice using a cookie press. This recipe dates back to my 8th grade home economics teacher, it was her German Grandmothers recipe !!

Ingredients;
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
4 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2 TSP vanilla or almond extract

Directions;
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, blend. Add the balance of ingredients and blend until smooth.
Fill cookie press and place desired disk design and tighten cap. You can use an electric press or the old style hand crank type. Press cookies onto a cookie sheet. Decorate with holiday sprinkles and bake at 350 for 10 minutes, just until set but barely brown on the edge. The cookies are very white in color even when set and done. Store in a tin can and keep them in a cool place, They will last for 10+ days.

A classic German Style Kraut and Grilled Wursts recipe changed for an easy work night dinner.

Ingredients:
1 LB bag Sauerkraut
1 TBL veggie oil, any kind
1 Med onion, large diced, sautéed
½ TSP caraway seeds
6 Juniper berries (if you can locate them)
6 Knockwursts or any kind you like

Directions:
Place the kraut in a colander and rinse with cold water, drain well. In a skillet sauté the onion in the oil, add the kraut and the balance of the ingredients(not the wursts), cover a simmer on low for 30 minutes. Grill the wursts and serve them on the side or cut into pieces and add to the kraut mixture and simmer a few minutes more.

My Aunt Chris gave me this German potato salad recipe and she is from Germany!

4 large Red potatoes, boiled until fork tender
up to 1/3 cup chicken stock
1 TBLS white or Champagne vinegar
1/2 TSP sugar
1/2 a large onion, chopped and sauteed
4 slices of bacon, cooked, chopped and 1 TBLS of the grease saved
1/2 TSP parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook and cool the potatoes so they are just warm. Slice into med pieces. Slowly pour the chicken stock over them and toss until they are wet. Mix all ingredients and add to potatoes. Add more stock if still too dry.