Krumkaker

These mean Christmas to me!  From my Norwegian kin, we had these every Christmas for dessert with ice cream squares with cute little icing bows or wreaths or candy canes on top.  I found a Nordic Ware Krumkake iron at a flea market 30 years ago for $12.  I was reflecting today, as I made my annual batch for Christmas Day, that I've gotten my money's worth!

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted (1 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup flour (It can be either wheat or gluten-free flour blend)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Method:
Beat eggs and sugar until thick.
Stir in the melted butter and flour-mixed-with-cardamom.
Blend well.
Heat the Krumkake Iron on both sides over medium heat.
Brush with butter and put about a tablespoon of batter in the center of the iron.
Close it and cook for about half a minute on each side, turning the iron.
Roll quickly into a "cigar" shape and cool on a wire rack.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

So easy and a wonderful substitute for pasta for those of us who can't indulge in durum wheat!

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

Method:

Cut the squash in half, lengthwise.

• An easy way to do this is to score it along it's entire length on both sides with a paring knife, then stick your big chef's knife in the groove and on into the middle of the squash.  Ease the knife down the scoring line and it will crack open pretty easily.

Once it's open, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits.

Place face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put about 1/4 cup water on the pan.

Bake for about an hour at 350*.

Take out, flip the squash over and allow to cool some.

When ready to "make spaghetti," use a fork and ease it around the perimeter of the squash between the skin and the flesh.  You'll see the strands take shape.  Keep loosening it and then "fluff" it with the fork.

This can be served with any kind of pasta sauce.  I usually put butter on it before adding the sauce, kinda like what you do with olive oil or butter on traditional pasta.

It can also be used just as a vegetable side-dish with additions of butter, cinnamon, nuts, seeds, dried fruit.  Use your imagination!

I'm surprised at how good this stuff is!