Ukraine Christmas....

is January 7th!

This year I thought I'd try and make some Ukraine food and invite my family and a few of our neighbor friends over. 

What was I thinking?

First off....do you know that it is tradition to serve TWELVE dishes for Ukraine Christmas? (Which represent the 12 apostles or if you're more into the pagan side of celebration, represents the 12 moon cycles?) I sort of forgot this. (We did a Ukraine Christmas last year with a bunch of our families. I think I brought a cake? That would be ONE cake!)

I wasn't even sure if Alex would want to do this. Maybe he'd scoff and I'd be off the hook?

He's so anti-Ukraine these days.

But, when I mentioned it, his eyes lit up! I asked him what we should make? Borscht of course and he thinks we can find some sort of sauce at the Russian store that you serve over boiled eggs? ("Did you have this in the orphanage?"  "No I bought it at the store myself." Apparently the orphanage supplied the boiled eggs? So, for all I know this is an Alex original recipe?)

So, as I'm goggling recipes and asking him about them, we realize that he never had a Ukraine Christmas IN Ukraine. He didn't know about the TWELVE dishes. He can only think of two! I asked what they did in the orphanage for Ukraine Christmas? They had Borscht, orange slices and candy. (I can't fault them there, who in their right mind is going to prepare TWELVE dishes for an orphanage of 500 children?)

But, in an effort to help Alex celebrate his heritage and find something good from his past. (Even if he never experienced it before coming to America.) I am accepting the challenge of preparing TWELVE Ukraine dishes.

(Insert gulp and small squeak of fear sound right here!)

I am heading to the Russian store this afternoon to start my quest! I actually have about 15 recipes that I think I might make edible. I will rule it down to 12 when I see what I can actually find for ingredients.(I am hoping that a few I will just be able to purchase? A babushka....I am not!)

Alex also wants to play "Russian games" for our celebration. When I asked what we should play the only thing he could come up with is "hide and seek". Apparently this is very fun because the orphanage is so big? I imagine it would be (I remember playing the same game in our church as a child) but, I don't think we'll be playing "hide and seek" in our house on Friday. 

But maybe, maybe the cook will be hiding under her bed, crying into her purple, beet stained hands because everything was terrible? Or she's just overly exhausted?

It's a possibility.....

Please share any recipes, games, secrets or advice you might have.....