Happiness is being Norwegian

 

A Lefse Recipe

3 c. twice riced potatoes (boiled russets)

3 Tb. melted shortening

3 Tb. melted magarine

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Mix well. form into a loaf and set aside on cookie sheet to cool.(overnight in refrigerator is fine)

Add:

1 c. flour

Mix well. Make into patties of1/2 c. each. Pat with hands until it doesn't crack at edges (knead) Roll out on pastry cloth with corrugated rolling pin into a 12"-14" circle. Bake on a 500 degree dry griddle. There should be some definite brown spots. Remove lefse and set under towel to hold in some moisture.

It is critical to use a lefse stick to lift the lefse onto and off the griddle. You can make a lefse stick by sanding the edges off of about 18" of a wooden yardstick - like a giant table knife. You simply slide the stick under the lefse to move it.

 

The meaning of UFFDA

It's on the bumper stickers of cars all over North America, Norwegians are known to say it on many

occassions, but it's not in the dictionary. Thanks to a postcard we received from Bergquist Scandinavian

Imports in Minnesota, we can now share with you what the words UFF DA mean:

UFF DA IS:

  • trying to dance the polka to rock and roll music
  • losing your wad of gum in the chicken yard
  • having Swedish meat balls at a lutefisk supper
  • spending two hours cleaning up my room and my mom says 'Uff Da'
  • walking downtown and then wondering what you wanted
  • arriving late at a lutefisk supper and getting served minced ham instead
  • looking in the mirror and discovering you're not getting better, just older
  • trying to pour two buckets of manure into one bucket
  • having a mouse crawl up your leg when you're on a hayload
  • eating hot soup when you've got a runny nose
  • getting out of bed in the morning with a backache
  • getting swished in the face with a cow's wet tail
  • waking yourself up in church with your own snoring
  • forgetting your mother-in-law's first name
  • when two steady girl friends find out about each other
  • noticing non-Norwegians at a church dinner using lefse for a napkin
  • eating a delicious sandwich and then discovering the spread is cat food
  • sneezing so hard your false teeth end up in the bread plate
  • NOT being Norwegian

 

Norwegian table prayer:

The following is the Norwegian table prayer which most Norwegian-Americans have seen at their Grandma's house.

I Jesu navn går vi til bords

Spise og drikke på ditt ord

Deg Gud til ære oss til gavn

Så får vi mat i Jesu navn.

 

Check out these related links:

Nordic Times

Sons of Norway

Prairie Home Companion

Great Norwegians