Dear Junior,

Night has chased out the daylight several hours ago. Darkness wraps itself around the city and creates a superb backdrop for the holiday lights that twinkle, flash, shine, and glimmer from windows, lawns, and even neighborhood rooftops. Today was lefse-making day for your Aunt N and I. After nearly seven hours of either standing and bending over a counter while rolling out the dough or sitting and flipping the lefse as it cooks on the grill my back hurts, feet ache, and arms are just a little sore after all that rolling. Despite my complaints though, I wouldn’t trade the experience of making lefse with N for anything!

For several years making lefse was a Holiday tradition that was shared by Mem, your mom, N, and your Uncle B. It was never really something Mem was enthusiastic about doing. Lefse making is actually a two day event with Mem mixing up the dough the night before and the next morning she would mix the potato dough with more flour, divide it into three equal parts and then enlist N, B, and your mom to roll the dough into little balls. Often Mem would make a double batch that took from sunrise until perhaps ten at night to get transformed into lefse. Out of all our children N was the one who enjoyed making lefse with me the most. I’ve always loved to cook and having never even tasted lefse until I married your grandmother making lefse with my children was a treasured tradition for me. Mem saw it otherwise. She has been eating and making lefse most of her life and remembers her grandmother whipping up a small batch of lefse with the leftover potatoes from lunch or supper. For our family we all had our special tasks: Mem mixed up the batter and readied it for being rolled, N and B would roll the dough into small balls, I used the special slotted rolling-pin to roll the balls into razor thin (well that it the intent anywho) pieces that would then be put on a lefse grill to be cooked. Although it has been viewed as a Family Tradition to make lefse at Christmas time the bulk of the work fell to Mem and I. She mixed up the dough and honestly did most of the clean-up. Although the kids were always enthusiastic about the process and sure did enjoy eating the finished product usually I ended up doing much of the rolling and cooking. This was in part because your mom and uncle weren’t all that interested in making it and I often got a little too particular about the rolling and cooking (sometimes the dough sticks to the rolling pin or pastry sheet and would make a big, sticky mess). Also- as your mom, Aunt N, and Uncle B got older they became busier and it became more difficult to find the time to devote to the tradition. So several years ago Mem went on strike and refused to make the dough and since it was not my “job” I didn’t want to take on the extra task. Your Aunt  was the one who asked on a regular basis and lamented the loss of this Family Holiday Lefse-making tradition.

This year N again asked about making lefse, Mem insisted she wasn’t going to help, and I offered to roll and bake but not make the dough. So N took the initiative and with guidance from Mem (she now has the new role of “lefse consultant”) N took over the role of making the dough and also helped me roll and flip the lefse on the grill. While we made lefse today Mem and your great-aunt J hung around in the kitchen to watch, sample, and chat. You were a favorite topic of conversation. N and I wondered how long we had to wait before inducting you into the Family Holiday Lefse-making Tradition. Your Aunt thought you should start, like she did, with rolling the dough into balls and maybe we could get you a little lefse stick for flipping smaller pieces. Great Aunt J wondered if you would be living in MN as your father has expressed the intent on returning to Arizona where he has relatives and grew up as a child. We all grew somber at the thought of being separated from you as you grew up. It was determined that you should experience some Christmas holidays in MN where snow and cold seem so integral to the whole Christmas scene. Otherwise we would have to pack up our lefse making gear and take a road trip to wherever you are because we want you to be part of our lives. N decided she wants to make crochet a baby blanket for you and has been pondering the colors and design best for her beloved niece/nephew.

As another dusting of snowfall covers the sidewalks and trees the lefse has cooled and been bagged up, the dishes washed, and the flour soiled countertops wiped down. It’s time to end for now and rest. Until next time dear grandchild… be well, play hard, laugh often and know you are Loved.

Pep

Recipe for Lefse:  (makes 48 rounds)

3 cups dried milk powder
9 cups hot water
3 sticks butter
9 cups Betty Crocker Potato Buds
6 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons salt

Add butter to water and heat to melt
Mix dry ingredients together, add hot water and butter.
Beat with mixer
Cool overnight in fridge
Before baking divide into thirds and add 1 & ½ scant cups of flour to each section
Mix and work well and shape into a long roll.
Cut each roll into 16 pieces and roll out into rounds
Refrigerate the balls (rounds) keeping only 6-8 balls out to reduce the batter from sticking to rolling pin and pastry sheet