Birthday Celebration | Oktoberfest Recipes

     On Saturday Snicklefritz (a.k.a. Erich) and I celebrated Herr Keith's Geburtstag [birthday] in Oktoberfest style at our Haus.  In Germany, Oktoberfest begins in late September through early Oktober.  We love German food, bier and wein!  So much so, that we were married in Oktober and had our wedding reception at Heinzman's Heidelberg.  Keith had a business trip to Chicago once and we went to the Berghoff Cafe' for dinner.  It's a gorgeous historical German cafe' and the food is wunderbar!  We also go to Frankenmuth, Michigan at least once a year.

      Last March we were invited to go to Kurz Dakota Inn Rathskeller in Detroit with some friends.  It was a blast!  I absolutely loved it there.  It's one of those precious gems in the crown of Detroit.  The Rathskeller was established in 1936-1938, is a registered Michigan historic site and it has the best authentic German food I ever had!  A little cuckoo bird told me that we have plans to back with the same group of friends.  Ja! I can't wait!

                                                       A special dinner for mein Liebe!

                                     Weisswurst, Bratwurst and roasted rosenkohl & karotte.

                                                 Kartoffelsalat   (German Potato Salad)

                                                       Schmarcie's Apfelmus Sauerkraut

          Roasted Rosenkohl & Karotte, Weisswurst, Bratwurst, Apfelmus Sauerkraut and Spaetzle

Naturally, during the Oktoberfest Geburtstagparty we listened to [Keith's parent's] Will Glahe and His Orchestra ~  Beer Garden Musik LP,  featuring the Lichtensteiner Polka. And we listened to my Lawrence Welk Favorites LP. 

Erich thinks the back of the Lawrence Welk LP is  's wunnerful, 's wunnerful because  Dodge was a sponsor of the Lawrence Welk  show!

When I was a kid I watched L.W. with my grandma.  I still watch it when we're home on Saturday evenings.

A few of my favorites by Mr. Welk include Champagne Time, Pennsylvania Polka,  Clarinet Polka and Josephine.

Pennsylvania Polka---- Lawrence Welk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3Qnlu9Nfj8

For nachspeise (dessert) I served raspberry sorbet
decorated with a Fräulein.

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!  mein Schatz!

 May God continue to bless you and keep you in His care always. 

                                                                             I love you,

                                                                                   Marcie 

Recipes

Kartoffelsalat  | German Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes

6 slices of bacon

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 cup water

1/2 cup vinegar

Peel potatoes and cut into equal size cubes.  Place potatoes in sauce pan and bring to boiling.  Boil for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  In large skillet cook bacon until crisp, place cooked bacon on paper towel to cool.  Reserve 1/4 cup bacon drippings in pan and add onion.  Saute onions till tender, not brown.  Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper.  Add water and vinegar---cook and stir till it thickens and is bubbly.  Cook and stir for an additional 1-2 minutes.  Stir in potatoes.  Crumble bacon and stir in.  Continue cooking for 5 minutes tossing lightly. 

Schmarcie's  Apfelmus Sauerkraut

32 ounce sauerkraut drained and rinsed

16 ounces applesauce

1/4 cup chopped onion

4 slices cooked bacon strips

1/4 cup reserved bacon drippings

In large skillet add 1/4 cup reserved bacon drippings and chopped onions.  Saute till onions are tender and translucent.  Add drained/rinsed sauerkraut and applesauce.  Simmer till heated through.  Crumble bacon and stir in sauerkraut.  Transfer to serving dish. Can be served warm or cold.

Spaetzle

9 ounces uncooked spaetzle noodles

2 tablespoons butter

8 saltine crackers or butter flavored crackers crushed

I use spaetzle noodles imported from Germany and cook according to the package directions.  After I drain the spaetzle I return them to the pot and add butter, stir till the butter covers the noodles and then I add half of the crushed crackers and stir.  Transfer spaetzle to serving dish and sprinkle with remaining cracker crumbs.  Serve with lieb.

Lawrence Welk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKyWiXTAToE

Auf weidersehen!

~ Frau Schmarcie