Pork Paprikash
(Serves 6)

2 pounds pork stew (shoulder)
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
oil for searing
2 medium onions (24oz) diced medium
1 red pepper, diced medium
1 green pepper, diced medium
1 yellow pepper, diced medium
1T tomato paste
3 T Hungarian paprika
2 tsp minced garlic
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup brown natural beef / veal stock
2 cups brown sauce or demi glace
sachet of 4 parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, 6 black peppercorns
1 cup sour cream

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Sear the pork in oil to a deep brown on all sides, small batches at a time. Remove pork and add onions to pan and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add peppers and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until it turns a deeper color, about one minute. Add paprika and cook 1 minute and then add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add white wine and cook until wine is reduced in half. Add pork stew back to pan along with any juices they may have released. Add demi glace and stock, enough to cover pork. Add sachet, bring to a simmer, cover, and place in a 325 oven for 1 - 3 hours or until pork is fork tender. Remove pork and sachet, skim off any fat, reduce sauce to consistency, add sour cream and adjust seasoning as necessary. Add pork back in and serve. Great served with spaetzle or mashed potatoes

Best Mashed Potatoes
(Serves 6-8)

2 pounds Idaho potatoes of uniform size
¾ to 1.25 cups whole milk
1 to 1.25 cups butter
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Scrub potatoes but do not peel. Place potatoes in pot, cover with water by 1 inch and add 1T kosher salt per quart water. Simmer uncovered until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and peel. Bring milk to a simmer. Pass potatoes through food mill into a heavy bottom sauce pan. Place pan over low flame and dry, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes. Start adding butter, about ¾ cup, little by little stirring vigorously until each addition of butter is incorporated. Slowly add ¾ cup hot milk until incorporated. Sieve the potatoes, seson to taste and finish adjusting consistency as required with more butter and warm milk. Serve with a smile!

Spatzle
(Serves 10)

2 eggs, 3 oz. milk, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste, pinch nutmeg
1 oz. chopped parsley, 6 oz. bread flour

Combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and parsley and mix well. Add flour and mix until incorporated. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes and then drop the dough through colander into simmering salted water. Simmer until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Drain well and sauté in whole butter until lightly browned.