I think all the beer, brats, and wiener dog races have gone to my head. There were big white tents on the river this weekend and the sound of polka music filled the air. It was a little rainy and cold, but that didn’t stop the fun.One of my favorite German foods is spatzle. As one friend said…”don’t know a dumpling I don’t like!” For many years I met my parents in The Amana Colonies to have dinner at The Ox Yolk Inn. It was a halfway meeting place for us, and we loved the food. I always ordered spatzle. It wasn’t till a couple years ago that I tried to make it myself. It’s really just a soft noodle dough pushed through a devise with holes. I did purchase one, but a colander with large holes will work just as well. There is also a press that a customer told me about. She purchased one in Germany. She said it made longer noodle shaped spatzle. I’ve also see it “cut” off a board. I tried it, but it takes a little practice, and maybe a German grandma to show you how. Mine was German but she didn’t make spatzle.

And what do you serve with spatzle? Why pork chops of course. And what better than blue cheese stuffed pork chops with mushroom gravy?

Spatzle, what a tasty dish for baby! For older babies puree it with the Sage Brown Butter or cut up to make a finger food. For younger babies puree it with a little breast milk or water.

Wow, one thing toddlers like to do is make dough! So what a great time to introduce Oktoberfest cooking traditions of Germany. Just be careful when it is time to make the spatzle. Do a few test runs with your little chef over a plate and then let them watch you cook it. They will enjoy eating something they helped make.

SWEET POTATO SPATZLE
SAGE BROWN BUTTER

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes

The Spatzle

2 eggs
2 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup mashed sweet potato
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 cup flour

In a large bowl beat 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons cream. Beat in two tablespoons melted butter, 1 cup mashed sweet potato and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1 cup flour to form a dough. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Push the dough through a spatzle maker, or the holes of a colander, right into the water. When the spatzle rise to the surface of the boiling water cook for about 2 minutes. With a strainer, transfer to a bowl of ice water and repeat with the remaining dough. When all the spatzle is cooked, drain and spread out on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

Sage Brown Butter

2 tablespoons butter
4 leaves sage, thinly sliced

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large non-stick skillet. Add the sage and sauté for a few minutes until crisp and butter is starting to brown. Add the spatzle and gently stir to coat with the butter and heat through.
Serves 4

STUFFED PORK CHOPS?
MUSHROOM GRAVY

Serves 4
Prep time: 45 minutes

Stuffed Pork Chops

4 thick boneless pork chops, about 3/4-inch minimum
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 º

Cut a slit in the side of each pork chop. In a skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter and add 1/2 of a small onion, diced. Cook until softened and starting to brown. Add 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs and cook until starting to turn golden. Add 1/4 cup cranberries and 1/2 cup blue cheese. Cool slightly. Divide into 4 portions and stuff in the pork chop pocket. Secure with small skewer. Cut off the excess skewer. Heat a large skillet and add 1 tablespoon oil. Brown the pork chops on both sides. Transfer to a baking dish and place in the oven. Make the mushroom gravy in the same pan.

Mushroom Gravy

4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brandy
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with
1 tablespoon water

Add 4-ounces sliced mushrooms, 1 minced shallot and 1 clove minced garlic to the pan that you browned the pork in. Sauté until softened and starting to brown. Add 1 tablespoon brandy and cook until it’s absorbed. Add 1 cup beef stock and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened. Pour over the pork chops that are in the oven. Return to the oven and bake until they are done—140-145 degrees on an instant read thermometer—about 20-30 minutes.

Serves 4