Fundraising Frenzy -- Lefse Lovin'

Part of my job description as yearbook advisor at my school involves fundraising. I am not good at this. If I was good at raising money I would have much more money of my own. Hmmmph. This year, we have been trying to come up with novel ways to earn some cash--things that involve little work and lots of reward... We decided once that bake sales were out because we spent nearly as much as we made in creating the homemade goodies. However, this year we tried something new. In Norwegian land where everyone has heard of lefse and most have their own lefse grills.... I am somewhat surprised at how willing people are to buy the stuff. In my mind it's the sort of thing that ends up on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter tables and I guess that's what we were thinking in embarking on this task..... With the holidays coming we were sure to sell a few packages.. What we sold were three rounds in a ziploc package for $5.00.... And we sold every piece and more if we'd make it! Amazing. What was also amazing was the fact that with all our materials donated (50 lbs. of potatoes, 25 lbs of flour to name a few items) we made solid profit. (If you don't take back-breaking labor into consideration.) We worked peeling those potatoes for hours after school.... worked all day Saturday-a good 12 hours and then Sunday came back for a few more. On my 101 list, I mentioned I wanted to learn how to make lefse and believe me... after 17 batches... I now know how! And after the labor and special equipment involved I understand a bit more why people are willing to buy it rather than make it themselves.

Here's the recipe--it's good and it's not "top secret"

Ingredients:
5 cups potatoes
1 cup cream
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar
pinch salt (1/4 tsp)

flour ½ cup to every cup of potatoes.

Special Equipment:
potato ricer
lefse grill
lefse turner
flour sifter
corrugated rolling pin and rolling pin sleeves
pastry cloth covered board
muslin lefse cozies

Directions:

1. Peel and cook potatoes – DO NOT OVERCOOK.

2. Mash potatoes (we used a mixer). Add cream, butter, sugar, and salt.

3. Beat until light and then rice the potatoes and let cool. (typically do this step the night before and let cool until the next day)

4. When cool, measure potatoes and add 1/2 flour to every cup of potatoes to make a stiff dough.

5. Roll dough into a "log" and slice off individual portions and place on a cookie sheet or tray. Cover with wax paper and store in a cool place. (Cool dough is important to prevent it from getting sticky.)

6. Roll thin like pie crust using corrugated lefse rolling pin (the rolling pin is also covered with thin fabric covering that slips over the roller) and a pastry cloth. Be sure to dust the pastry cloth with flour between each round and sprinkle some on the rolling pin too to prevent sticking.

7. Bake on lefse grill on both sides taking care not to burn or bake too crisp. Watch for bubbles and a slight browning from the underside. This happens quickly. Use a lefse turner to handle both the dough and the grilled lefse.

8. When baked wrap in a cloth to keep soft. My mom has created something she calls the "lefse cozy" and she stacks the warm pieces in there to keep them from drying out until she is ready to package them by folding them twice and placing the lefse in airtight ziplocs or in clear wrap.