Lefse and Fatigmand, Yah, Sure.You Betcha'

I just got an update on my DNA report. and I'm more Norwegian and Swedish than ever. Yes, Mom, they did find a little German now, too. 

For quite a while I have been attracted to the Scandinavian Christmas traditions, including the food. I have been making potato lefse for many years and a few years ago I started making cardamom flavored Fatigmand.   The grand kids like these projects too, so on Friday afternoon they came over to help. 

I spend a lot of time rolling out the elastic dough. It has to be paper thin. I cut the strips.

Irene slips the end through the slit to make a bow.

Isaac fries them.

We're a team. Tom helps with set up, takes photos, and best of all, does clean up.

Tom also saw to it that the cooled cookies got dredged in powdered sugar. 

After cleaning up from the Fatigmand frying, we started in on the lefse. I made mashed potatoes with butter and cream the day before so the potatoes were fully chilled. I added just enough flour to make a dough, and shaped the dough into  balls.  Now I am back at the rolling pin, rolling the dough very thin, but making sure it doesn't stick or tear. Lots of flour is involved. 

Isaac checked out for a while, since no frying was involved. 

Irene lifted the thin rounds on to the griddle with a special stick. 

She has mastered the art of griddle flipping. 

Then Isaac came to take his turn. We made seventeen rounds in all.

Fifteen made it into the refrigerator for storing. Two we ate hot off the griddle, buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Yum.