Pelmeni

I've just come from reading cjane's blog. I check in every day to see how NieNie (her sister) is recovering, and to see how she is doing with all the little people who now live in her home. I've read them both since before the accident and now I am compelled to check in, to read about the love they have and the faith and to root for her recovery and to hope that her love affair with her handsome husband will be strong enough to weather this tragedy. I think it will, I hope it will, because some where deep in my heart lives a romantic hope that love will last no matter what. That eternity is within our grasp, that someone can be adored for the essence of who they are and not just what shows on the outside by our smiles, our figures, our even our actions. When I read I always leave hopeful and some times a little tearful, because they are so beautiful in their love for each other or because life just isn't fair, I am not sure which, probably both.



Today while I read my thought turned to my own family. Yesterday we drove Papa and Grandma to the airport. Next time we will see them it will be 2 years from now. Lucy will be in Kindergarten and J a senior in HS. S will be in college enjoying many fun times and E will have been baptized already. H will be a tween and I might be a grandma myself. A lot changes in two years when you have a young family. I am super excited and thrilled for them to go, but we will miss them. Having them live here in Texas near us for the last three years has been a real blessing. The kids have gotten to know them really well, the kind of knowing that only happens when you see each other a lot. I am grateful for the eternal bonds that bind families together. Knowing that even while we are apart in mortality we can be together for eternity, thanks to the atonement of Jesus Christ and the blessings of Heavenly Father's great plan of happiness.



Two days ago we made pelmeni, a family favorite that we hardly ever make because it's a lot of work.



It is a traditional Russian dish. I remember having it growing up and watching Baba Olya, Baba Katya and my own mom rolling and filling and pinching together the little pelmenis. I remember hearing about the Russian army and how they would travel with pelmeni's frozen in the packs. When they stopped they would build a fire and boil some broth and then drop them in and viola, a yummy dinner in a matter of minutes (not counting the many minutes it took to build the fire and boil the water :) ) When I was a little kid I loved catching the little dumplings on my spoon and eating them up. I still love it! and so do my kids. I guess I'll have to take the time to make them more often, it gives a family a lot of time to talk sitting around the table rolling and rolling and pinching and pinching.

Pelmeni

Dough:

4 eggs

6 1/2 cups flour

1 1/3 cups water

1/2 t salt

mix, then put in the fridge to cool while preparing the rest

Filling:

ground beef

ground pork

onion

soysauce

Directions: roll out dough and cut out into small circles, make a little ball out of filling and place in middle, pinch together on edges and fold into a "little bonnet".

Freeze on cookie sheet. When they are frozen you can place individual serving amounts into baggies and keep in freezer.

When you want to eat them make a beef broth, when it boils drop in pelmeni's, they are done when they float to the top (about 7-9 minutes). Serve with sour cream, dill and soy sauce. Delish!!!