Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving went by so fast! I can't believe it is already December! I know everyone has been saying that, but man, it just went by so fast! We celebrated our Thanksgiving by making Lefse in the morning after watching the parade. Then we went home and napped Charlie for the big shebang of a dinner. And was it a big shebang of a dinner. Yum. 

I made the Lefse and Gifta this year and they were absolutely delicious. They are traditional foods that my family made every year. Lefse is a Norwegian food that is basically a potato based tortilla. Gifta is something that I was always told was Norwegian, but come to find out we don't know where it came from. But we eat it all the same. I didn't snap any photos of this before it was eaten, but it's pretty delicious.

Our Lefse making station

As soon as Ben came over with a plate of food the children all flocked over. It was adorable.

Lefse

4-6 potatoes, peeled and boiled until soft

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1. Drain potatoes and mash them with the butter and salt.
2. Cool for 1-2 hours in refrigerator.
3. In a stand up mixer, mix the potatoes with cream and flour until dough forms.
4. On a heavily floured surface, roll out (about) 1/4 cup balls into thin circles. 
5. Bake on a hot griddle or frying pans until bubbles form, then flip and bake another 30 seconds (or until brown spots show).
6. Place finished lefse between a folded dish towel in a plastic bag, this keeps the lefse warm and moist.
7. Serve with butter and brown sugar.

Gifta

1 can wholeberry cranberry

1 pint heavy whipping cream

6 oz. gingersnaps, crushed

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whip the cream. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla towards the end (this is very sweet so you can put a smaller amount of sugar in).
2. In a glass dish layer 1/3 of the cranberry, bread crumbs, and whipped cream. Repeat 2 more times.
3. Chill in the refrigerator before serving.