TASTY TUESDAY - A TASTE OF HOME

On Sunday’s I always like to cook a big meal for the family.
Sometimes we have friends over or go to friends house, but it’s always a big meal.

This Sunday I cooked up a little “Taste of Home”. Home being my Oma’s (German for grandma) house where I spent the better part of my life. She is full German and from a little town in Germany called Bad Windsheim. Growing up with her I ate German food all the time. When I was little, I did not love it. But as I grew older I grew to appreciate it more, and now I miss it. She is over 80 now, and still working so it’s not often that I get one of her home cooked meals. Since I have my own family now, I have asked for her recipes and I do my best to cook them the way she did. Although, it's just not the same.

The meal I picked to cook for my family this Sunday is one of my favorites and one that reminds me of both my Oma and summer.
Enjoy the recipes!

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Beer Brats with Onions and Sauerkraut

What you will need:

1 Package of your choice of bratwurst

2 beers... one for cooking and one for.... well you'll see.

2 onions

1/2 head of shredded cabbage

butter

Red wine vinegar

Salt & pepper

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Pierce the skins of the brats with a fork. Place the brats 1 beer and 1 onion sliced in a pot. Fill the beer bottle or can with water and add to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour.

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Slice the remaining onion. In a pan over medium heat saute the onion in butter until golden brown. You are probably drinking the second beer wondering what you are going to use it for. I add splashes of it every now and then to the onions as I'm cooking them... but that's just me.

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Remove the onions and place in a dish or on a plate to eat with the brats.

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Add the cabbage to the pan with some butter and begin to saute it. Add a splash of beer and about 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar to the pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Saute until it begins to look like the sauerkraut you get in the store.... only this one is much better in my opinion.

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Remove and place on a plate to eat with the brats.

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Remove brats from pan and grill or fry in a pan until brown on all sides.

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German Potato Salad

What you will need:

9 potatoes, peeled
6 slices bacon
3/4 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until

tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool and slice thin.
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Place bacon in a large, deep skillet.

Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.

Drain, crumble and set aside, reserving drippings.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper.

Add to the sauteed onions and cook and stir until bubbly, then remove from heat.

Stir in water and vinegar, then return to the stove and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Boil and stir for one minute.

Carefully stir bacon and sliced potatoes into the vinegar/water mixture,

stirring gently until potatoes are heated through.