Is This Just Crazy?

[Thriftylady]

And cheese curds!!! Trust me they're hearty and so good. Make sure the fries are crispy though, obviously.happyface

I have never even seen cheese curds, unless cottage cheese is similar? But I never dreamed anything so easy. My kiddos don't really even try gravy but maybe on fries they would.

[LysesKids]

Wait a second. Are we seriously talking about french fries with gravy here? I mean really?

You would be surprised at some of the meals & snacks I find for different countries; there is a lot that is simple stuff just put together differently than what we do... I mean For France it's as easy as a croissant, fruit & milk/cocoa for breakfast, for a Finland lunch try Rye bread with cheese & smoked Salmon and some pickled veg (my older kids eat it). Crazy how simple some of the menus can be

[Mad_Pistachio]

want a recipe for my go-to Russian vegetarian salad? if I go for a pot luck, this is what I bring about 90% of the time (it takes about an hour to make, so if I have that hour, I go with it).
not sure if children will want to eat it, but it also comes with a weird name and a story of how it got it, so who knows

[LysesKids]

want a recipe for my go-to Russian vegetarian salad? if I go for a pot luck, this is what I bring about 90% of the time (it takes about an hour to make, so if I have that hour, I go with it).
not sure if children will want to eat it, but it also comes with a weird name and a story of how it got it, so who knows

Even if she doesn't want it, I DO!!!. Russia is one of my Wednesday countries...

[Mike]

Wait a second. Are we seriously talking about french fries with gravy here? I mean really?

French fries with cheese and gravy. Different places make it different ways. Most common is curd and gravy, but some use mozzarella instead of curd. One chip wagon used both for a little while. I was in London (Ontario) several years ago and one chip wagon used cheddar instead. One chip wagon where I live goes to the extreme. They offer several different extras, like hamburg, sausage, mushrooms, onions, and 2 or 3 others.

I used to eat one of those 4 or 5 times a week, but a couple years ago, when I first decided I wanted to go into daycare, I realised I need to work on my health and eating habits. Now I only eat poutine a couple times a month.

[Thriftylady]

want a recipe for my go-to Russian vegetarian salad? if I go for a pot luck, this is what I bring about 90% of the time (it takes about an hour to make, so if I have that hour, I go with it).
not sure if children will want to eat it, but it also comes with a weird name and a story of how it got it, so who knows

I would love it! I bet others here would also.

[Mike]

want a recipe for my go-to Russian vegetarian salad?

I do.

I've had an interest in Russia since /95. I was the Sunday School bus driver for the church I went to and we had a few families who brought children over from Belarus. One year, we were picking up one of those little girls on the bus and it bothered me that nobody on the bus could talk to her, so I started studying the language and by the end of her 8 weeks visit, I was able to say a few simple things and understand simple answers. By the following summer, we were able to have small chats and she loved it.

The end of the 2nd summer, the family was getting ready to send her back home and I got a call. The girl wanted to see me before she left. I went and said goodbye, in Russian of course, and got a hug I have never forgotten. I never saw her again. One of the many children in my life that will be in my memory forever, even if I get Alzheimer. ::

[Laurel]

My youngest DCB right now just turned 5. So I have all SA kiddos right now. I was thinking about summer activities, and am thinking I want to do a mix between a daycare and a day camp as far as keeping the kiddos busy.

One of my ideas was to have some "countries" themes. Such as one week we could do English. We could have afternoon "tea time" perhaps and maybe a lunch from that country.

It sounds like a good idea, but then I got overwhelmed by the research and putting it together. Has anyone ever done such a thing? Am I nuts for thinking about it?

One summer I did a 'states' thing. It was like a vacation in the U.S.A. We had a map and 'traveled' the U.S. but actually only got through a few states because it is a lot but we had a ton of fun!

[Josiegirl]

One summer I did a 'states' thing. It was like a vacation in the U.S.A. We had a map and 'traveled' the U.S. but actually only got through a few states because it is a lot but we had a ton of fun!

We did the same thing; maybe you were the one that gave me the idea!!
I had each dck pick a state, we got books from the library, found out what popular regional foods they had, and tons of facts. We made an A-Z chart and listed all the things we could think of pertaining to that state, did lots of crafts, it was a blast. All ages enjoyed it but it was a lot of work and the kids, towards the end of the summer, were just done with it. So I think the last couple weeks we just played.
Hmmm, maybe I should talk to the dcks this week and see what they think about doing it again. It's difficult though, when you've got all ages.

The country thing sounds like fun though too!

[Ariana]

That is an awesome idea and I am totally stealing it!

I also love that half the replies are about Poutine :: YUMMY!!

[MunchkinWrangler]

I have never even seen cheese curds, unless cottage cheese is similar? But I never dreamed anything so easy. My kiddos don't really even try gravy but maybe on fries they would.

Cheese curds are kind of a chunk of cheese and the state fair fries them up(mmmm) They can come both ways but usually people use the unfried version for poutine. I've seen mozzarella in place of cheese curds also. I'm in MN and the best come from Ellsworth Wisconsin IMO. I guess it's just where I am. We have a lot of cheese here::

[Thriftylady]

I kind of like the states idea also. Wondering if I could find enough regional foods to do something like that. My kids are not really into trying new foods, so I am trying to find some fun ways to encourage them to try some. It is amazing when I get them to try things and they like them. I have one who was afraid to try baked potatoes. Swore up and down she hated them. Now she asks for them .

[Mad_Pistachio]

Even if she doesn't want it, I DO!!!. Russia is one of my Wednesday countries...

... and also the quotes from Mike and Thrifty that I was too lazy to put in here

so, okay.

• beets (cooked) - 1-2 cans
• carrots - either 1 can cooked, 2-3 large cooked or steamed, or 8-10 baby cooked or steamed
• potatoes - either 1 can cooked whole or 2-3 whole, peeled and cooked
• pickles - the official recipe says "2-3", I used more like 4-5 kosher dills (larger ones), but I like it pickly
• sauerkraut (I use German or Bavarian, but again, it's the taste preference) - 7-10 tbsp...? okay, I just grab a huge serving fork and plop 2-4 of those into the dish. do not drain it.
• beans - 1 can of any white variety.
• oil - 3-4 Tbsp (but again, see how much salad you have in the dish and feel free to add more if it's too dry); I use avocado oil, but any you like will work.

beets, carrots, potatoes, and pickles need to be cut in small cubes (almost diced, but not mashed). beans need to be drained and washed. sauerkraut goes as it is.
the trick: first, put the beets into the dish, then mix it with oil. beets leak color onto everything, and mixing it with oil first makes the salad multi-color instead of beet-red. doesn't affect the taste, but may make it look more appealing. then mix everything else in.
letting it stay in the fridge for a few hours or overnight makes it better (probably because it's cold).
I eat it with meatballs and bread. or just with bread (I prefer rye).

the salad is called Vinaigrette. has nothing to do with the dressing.
there is no official document about how the name came about, but I found this legend.
a French dude was visiting Russian palace. he wandered away from the royal part of the palace (again, the legend didn't clarify why; maybe he was looking for a bathroom) and got lost. he came into the kitchen, and the cooks didn't know French and got scared... so they decided that whatever that French man says, they will agree with (smart, I know). if he is a spy, at least, he won't have a reason to complain. he sees someone making this salad, and the salad smells of vinegar (from pickles and sauerkraut). he comes up to the table and asks, "oh! vinaigre?" and the cooks start happily nodding and saying, "vinaigre! vinaigre!"
eventually, the French guy finds his way back to France, comes home and tells his cook that those Russian people make this yummy salad, but he doesn't know what it's called. probably vinaigrette because it has vinegar in it.
somehow, Russian cuisine has quite a few dishes with French names: olivier salad, Napoleon cake, vinaigrette... I wonder if that French dude from the legend had a hand in those, too.

[Mike]

Looks good. Thanks for sharing.

[Thriftylady]

Thanks for sharing. Not sure my kids would touch a beet or sauerkraut. If I do it I may have to make a very small "just tasting" recipe. I get the feeling my DCK''s hardly ever see a veggie.