My Favorite Recipes By Linda Marler

Meet Ann Emerson, Colfax, and Phyllis Stueckle, LaCrosse

Ann Emerson and her sister Corinne Aune Stitzer traveled back to their father’s hometown of Selbu, Norway, in 1987.

Ann Emerson

It was quite an experience seeing the land that their ancestors left to come to America.

Besides Selbu, they visited Bergen and Oslo, Norway. It was so beautiful that they wondered why their family ever left Norway. The answer is that the population of Norway was growing, and people needed more land, as occurred in many countries at that time.

Norway was absolutely gorgeous in May. Farms of about forty acres were beautifully tended, and streets and towns were immaculate. Most farms had one building that served as both house and barn, one end with windows for the family, and the other end walled off for the animals. This arrangement is common in much of northern Europe.

Ann and Corinne visited the church where their father was baptized. Sytenn Mai occurred while they were visiting—a huge celebration on May 17, Norwegian Constitution Day, and it is commemorated lavishly with grand parades, and people wore their distinctive suits and dresses that represented their districts.

Familiar Norwegian dishes were served, as well as lots of herring. They were served boiled potatoes with melted butter at most meals, and about the only vegetable that was served was carrots. It was the trip of a lifetime.

Now their families are carrying on traditions in their own ways. Bud and Judy Aune’s son, Joel, and Joel’s daughter, Cara Broeckel, have learned to make lefse. The younger family members are cooking other traditional favorites. The Aune clan gathers for Christmas Eve dinner at Selbu Lutheran Church, one place where there’s room for all of the family.

Ann’s husband Jim’s last name, Emerson, sounds English, but it was changed from Engebretson when his family came to America. Judy Leinweber Aune has helped carry on the tradition of Norwegian cooking, although her side of the family has German roots, too. After a Norwegian Christmas Eve dinner, her family often has German food on Christmas Day.

Phyllis Stueckle still cooks traditional Norwegian foods although she married a German.

Phyllis, Ann and Judy shared their thoughts about rearing children in modern times. Growing up on a farm automatically brings opportunities for children to learn how to be responsible and develop a work ethic, to share and be an important member of a family. They are pleased that their children who live on farms are continuing to involve the next generation in the same kinds of activities and that the children who are being reared in cities are having opportunities to learn important life lessons, too. For example, Phyllis’ daughter, Karen Light, has her children involved in gardening, and they have a very impressive garden.

Ann and Phyllis shared some favorite desserts from their treasure trove of recipes.

Recipes:

Sot Suppe (Sweet Soup)

a favorite from the Selbu Smorgasbord

1/2 cup minute tapioca

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon vinegar

1 cup sugar

2 cups grape juice

1 stick cinnamon

1 cup currants

1 cup seedless raisins

1 cup pitted prunes

1 cup chopped apples

Bring water to a boil and add tapioca; stir frequently. Add rest of ingredients, except grape juice, and boil until fruit is tender. When soup is done, add grape juice. Serve with rusks, which are a sliced quick bread that resembles biscotti.

Betty Aune’s Lefse

5 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 cup water

1 3/4 cubes margarine

1 cup milk

Lefse grill – preheated to 450 degrees

Grooved lefse rolling pin (regular rolling pin can be used)

Sweet butter Filling:

1 pound butter

1/2 pound Imperial margarine

3 cups sugar

Bring water and margarine to boiling point until margarine is melted. Add milk and heat to near boiling. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add liquid. Stir until dry ingredients are moist. Roll egg-size pieces of dough on flour dusted surface. Roll rounds till very thin, made to measure the size of the grill. Cook rounds till light brown on each side. Place round on a damp cloth, covered with another damp towel. Keep top towel damp during procedure. Stack will need to be turned often so the bottom and top rounds don’t get soggy.

Mix together filling ingredients. When all the rounds are pliable to fold, spread a thin layer of filling. Fold outside quarter of top and bottom toward the center, then fold these lengths over each other. Cut off ends and cut to desired size. Enjoy! Freeze what you don’t eat in plastic bags till served. Thaw before serving.

Romme Grot

4 cups cream

2 cups flour

2 cups milk, scalded

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

sugar

cinnamon

Boil cream 10 minutes or more in a heavy saucepan; add salt. Sift flour into cream gradually and stir to prevent lumps. Continue cooking over moderate heat, stirring to bring out the butterfat. Skim off butter as it forms and reserve. Add more flour to grot until it forms quite a thick mush. Add scalded milk gradually, stirring until mixture is smooth and of pudding consistency. Add sugar and cook about 10 minutes more. Serve with butterfat, sugar and cinnamon. “Mektig god!”

Rosettes

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup milk

Beat eggs. sugar, and salt slightly; add milk and flour. Beat until smooth. Bake with rosette iron. Heat iron form well in boiling oil or fat and dip into batter, being careful not to let batter run over the form. Dip the iron with batter sticking to it into the hot fat until nicely browned.

This recipe makes about 40 rosettes. Omit the sugar if rosettes are not used for a dessert dish. When serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Recipe Corrections:

Flat Brod (flat bread)

4 cups white flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk, warm

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

Shirley Walker

1 3/4 cup boiling water

1 3/4 cup flour

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup margarine

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon Hershey’s baking cocoa

1- 12 ounce package chocolate chips, divided

1 cup chopped walnuts, divided

Mix boiling water and oatmeal in large bowl and let stand 10 minutes. Add brown sugar, sugar, eggs, and margarine; stir until melted. Combine the dry ingredients, add them by hand except just add 1/2 the chocolate chips and 1/2 the walnuts. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle remaining nuts and chips on the top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. This cake is so rich and chocolate that is doesn’t need to be frosted. For the Avista group, I made cup cakes, baking them 20-25 minutes.