So my kids decided that they want to introduce new foods/dishes from other cultures starting this Christmas and have also decided that the first one would be a Russian dish of some sort. Sure, I could Google, but I'd rather get some assistance with finding a dish that isn't complicated/time consuming and actually tasty. Is anyone here from Russia or prepare a lot of Russian foods that could help me out. It definitely has to be somewhat "easy" as my menu is HUGE for Christmas, and I do all the cooking myself because everyone else is traveling in from a distance (and not able to arrive early to help with cooking). Also, it should be a side dish or even small main dish - not a dessert.
Thanks in advance for any help!
It is difficult because all the kids (well, the ones that could help) are traveling in arriving about an hour before the Christmas party, we will eat, have gifts and family time, then all go to see my dad/their grandpa in a nursing home for dessert, then they have to take off. This is kind of an unusual year because one daughter just started a job so has no time off for extra visiting and another daughter just moved across the state and another daughter actually moved to another state.
I did reach out to a couple of the other kids who informed me that they didn't "all decide," but rather one of them did and kind of foisted it on all the others (who really didn't care one way or the other). This daughter (2nd oldest) is the one that tries to turn everything into an afterschool special for my 4 yr old granddaughter (and only grandchild). Bless her heart for wanting to enrich her daughter's life, but you guys are right - I definitely do not need to add to my menu of 27 items (really, that is where I am at this year). Oldest daughter offered to make White Russians, though :) Plus, I happen to know that neither middle daughter NOR grandaughter would eat one bit of the Russian food. My boys would, being from Russia, but honestly they didn't want anything to do with where they came from when they arrived (too many bad memories for them) and later when I took them to a Russian restaurant, they hated nearly everything they tried.
Thanks for putting this into perspective! I tend to be an over-pleaser at Christmas - which this year, with 2 military kids and 1 not stable enough to come for a visit from his current hospitalization, is already making me crazy :)
If my family told me to incorporate a Russian dish into the already over-complicated world of holiday cooking, I would present them with a Stouffer's microwaved side dish.
Why?
Because it is a great choice for someone who is rushin'!!
(Thank you, thank you, I do three shows a night.)
Russians love pork, beets and cabbage....poor mans food..
My FIL came from the "Mother Land" and LOVED beets...my MIL taught me how to make Borcsht.
Also pickled cabbage with beets....
let me see if I can find the recipes
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/213106/russian-beet-and-pota...
this doesn't look like what I learned to make - mine is more red/purple
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/85517/russian-cabbage-borscht/
more like this:
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=russian+b...;
I need to go through my books in my kitchen to see if I can get more.
There's a lot to choose from!
This is one of my favorite hot beet soups:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/77933/creamy-beet-with-dill-...
This sounds more complicated than it is but it tastes great:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/109254/slow-cooker-borscht/
Cold beet soup:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/218178/ninas-russian-cold-be...
Some nice pumpernickel is great on the side with any of the soups.
If soup is too much maybe a nice potato salad will do:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/213106/russian-beet-and-pota...
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/236419/olivie-russian-potato...
If you ever try any Polish cuisine -farmers cheese pierogies are great!
You can make your own or just buy them online at
https://milliespierogi.com/
They taste just like what we use to get at the Broadway Market in Buffalo where we grew up.
Additional:
chacha - you made me laugh!
Added:
just read your SWH. Ok - I had forgotten your kids were older. Oh ya ... I would not be taking this on. Love chacha's answer (made me chuckle) - Mamazita, you hit the nail on the head.
Just a thought ... there's people pleasing and then there's children being a tad disrespectful. Your grown kids should know how much you've got going on (with your special needs children, your parents, etc.). They seem a little ... I don't mean to be offensive, but my husband would tell my kids to stuff it if they suggested this to me and I was in your shoes. I'm glad you're saying no :)
I know you didn't ask about that - but you'll have your hands full as it is. Enjoy the white russians while preparing the feast :)
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I am thinking beet soup (borsch?) maybe that's Christmas Eve
I love pirogies as well like B says. Those are very fun (somewhat messy) to make but even I can make those and have.
Not sure they are Russian .. Ukrainian? Sorry - I should know this ...
Are you getting assigned this task? If it's your kids' idea, maybe they could take on the culture part (google) and just add even something simple like appetizers, breads, cheeses, cookies .... easy to look up :)
Your kids are older, right? If this is their idea why aren't THEY coming up with suggestions?
My son's favorite dinner is beef stroganoff with a sour cream sauce which is Russian. Yummy. I love Borscht with a dollop of sour cream on top. That would be easy and delicious! Pelmeni are a traditional Russian dumpling. We had a Pelmeni restaurant in Juneau when we lived there and we loved it! It would be a lot of work to make them from scratch, but I bet you can find them frozen. Then all you have to do is make the dipping sauce. Blini (like crepes) are a traditional Russian food that would be a delicious dessert. They are served with fruit jam and sour cream. Ok, now I'm hungry!
Every time we have a multi-cultural pot luck, my colleague from Russia brings Mimosa salad: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimosa_salad
ETA: Wrote this before I saw your SWH. You can keep this in your pocket for some other time ;)
