Monday Playdate

This is what happens when Katya wants to have a friend come over and play. The more the merrier, right?:)

 

What could be better than sharing some yummy hot cocoa with friends after playing outside in the snow?

The ladies—Ashley, Katya and Camille

 

The dudes—Jacob, John and Alex.

Mark’s friend girl:)—Marie.

Since we are friends with all of these kids’ dads, we’ve got connections with doctors, lawyers, pilots and other dentists:). Lucky kids—living in Japan.

I went shopping and my new skill.

I feel like I have to get out of my house at least once every day. Our kids are used to that—they are not home buddies either. Mark, especially, loves going places with me. So, on Monday, the commissary was closed (it’s always closed on Monday which makes it tricky to make sure we have everything we need on Saturday). We decided to stop by one of the Japanese grocery stores to pick up some mandarin oranges which are the sweetest right now.

We went to Asahi Drugstore at the Veedol Plaza “mall”. Don’t hold your breath, nothing crazy happened:).

 

But I wanted to share one outstanding skill that I have started to acquire while living here. Notice the way the cars are parked. Somehow, all these car manage to always back into their parking spots so it’s much easier for them to get out from the parking lot.

Now notice how I am parked:) That is one of the few times that I actually manage to do that easily. What you cannot see is that the row of  cars across from where I am parked is really close, so it is quite challenging to back into that parking spot. Anyway…I know people in Ukraine do that all the time….but since I learned to drive in the states, learning how to parallel park and back into a parking spot were not on top of my list.

Finally, here is a picture of what I bought. Mandarin Oranges are tucked in in the middle. As you can see, one of the packages on the left is open—that is my favorite puffy chocolate treat…and Mark’s too.

Now, any guesses of what those cookies might taste like in the package with a grandma? Here is a closer look at them.  

I am sure you have noticed the shrimp cracker-fries-hahaha. Yeah, Mark loves them. I am not sure what’s in “grandma’s” cookies, but they smell like squid, although they are sweet. And all of our kids love them. When I go to Japanese stores, I can never remember which flavor/brand we have tasted because they look a lot alike to me. I hope I remember these for next time.

Finally, how much do bananas cost where you are? I paid $2 for 5 bananas off base. On base, they are around $1.10 per pound right now. We go through two pounds of bananas a day, it seems:) No wonder our grocery bill is twice the amount what it used to be in the states….BUT I get to live in Japan:)

Sayonara.

Snowshoeing – Tato and Katya

I took Katya snowshoeing in the Hakkoda mountains last Saturday.  We booked a spot on the ODR (“Outdoor Recreation”) trip.  It was the family friendly trip, where children as young as 7 could go.  '”For the novice,” it says.  “Two to three kilometers,” it says.  Not this year.

Our party consisted of one terrific Japanese tour guide, a mom and her 10year-old daughter, another mom and her 8 year-old daughter, and me with Katya (who is 7 by the way).

Just starting out, still in the parking lot.

Snow was at least 6 feet deep.

It didn’t take very long to figure out that snowshoeing, especially for children, is easier (and safer) without poles.  I ended up carrying them the whole time.

In the beginning we walked on the tracks of those who trod the snow before.  Soon, however, the guide took us off the beaten trails and into the fresh, untouched powder.

So far so good.

Now it’s getting harder. 

“When’s lunch?”  “I need a break.”  “My feet are cold.”  Yup, we got that.  When one said it, the others would quickly echo.

 

Everyone kept moving.  I was very impressed.

One of many breaks.

Trudging along.  After blazing our own trail for a good half hour, the guide mentioned to me that this trail has never been so difficult to snowshoe on, because usually this time of year there’s not as much snow. 

Another break.

 

I liked the “snow sculptures.”

 

These mushrooms growing along the trees are called “monkey chairs.”  Guess why.

 

Lunch break!  Finally.  It was noon, and we were not yet to the designated lunch spot.  But nobody cared.  We were hungry.

 

This is where we were supposed to eat lunch.  Usually, the guide says, they arrive at this spot by 1100.  Because the snow was so deep, we didn’t arrive until almost 1:00. 

 

My favorite thing to do in snowshoes is to fall down in the soft snow.  I think Katya enjoyed it too.  Strange snowshoeing fact.  In deep snow, going uphill (mild grade) is easier than going downhill.  When you go downhill, you sink more so you expend more energy pulling your feet through the snow.

 

Running in snowshoes is quite fun too.

One of my favorite snow sculptures.  A short time after this photo, the guide’s GPS lost its signal.  I was worried the batteries were dead.  He took off by himself, backtracking to regain the signal, while the rest of us did just that – rested.  15-20 minutes later, he returned.  “Only 200 meters more,” he’d say.  10 minutes later: “About 200  meters more.” 

Finally, the end of the trail.  I think no one was happier to be finished than little Katya. 

Here’s the whole group, with Sasquatch in the back.

 

When we were walking back to the van, a Japanese couple on snowshoes approached the guide and told him that they turned around shortly after starting out because it was too difficult.  You could see the surprise in their faces when our guide told them that we had just completed the entire loop with three children!

I was very proud of Katya for doing so well.  The trip was supposed to be 2-3km and we were supposed to be finished around 12:30.  In reality, it turned out to be about 2 MILES (backtracking, funny GPS, couldn’t find the footbridge) and we finished 2 hours later than planned.  But it was so much fun.  I’d do it again in a heartbeat . . . next year, maybe.

Rob

Future Popeye

For the past year Mark’s favorite morning drink has been a berry/spinach smoothie. In fact, he prefers it to any other sweet drink. We stopped giving kids juice two years ago since we don’t see any need of it anyway (empty calories, extra sugar). Anyway, every morning, I throw a whole bunch of spinach or kale, frozen berries, banana, sometimes apple, baby carrots, sometimes even walnuts or dates, into my Vitamix and add a little water. Blend it all-and I have a delicious healthy green/purple smoothie with a ton of nutrients.  Mark usually drinks that whole sippy cup full of smoothie.

Katya likes “more berries than spinach” kind with a little honey for sweetness. Alex loves “chocolate smoothie” with spinach/bananas/dates/blueberries and cocoa powder. And they all like when I freeze that smoothie as popsicle for a healthy sweet treat.

Thanks to our friends here who are being great examples in healthy eating:)

Ukrainian Christmas-2011

Z Rizdvom!!  (literally “With Christmas”). Growing up, starting from December 31st through January 19th, people of Ukraine could think of nothing but celebrating the holiday season—with great food (and lots of it), family, friends, and lots of strolls through Lviv downtown. We celebrate Ukrainian Christmas on January 7th, with a huge feast of Holly Supper on January 6th. You can read more about why here.

This year, we decided to have two great families over—the Weber family and the Farnsworth family. The Webers moved to Japan the week before we did. They live on our street, have the same age kids as ours (+ a new baby), and Tom is a dentist who shares his office with Robert. Basically, they are like family. The Farnsworth family live off-base so we don’t see them as often as the Webers, but we go to the same church and our boys go to the same school. Dave Farnsworth is a physician. But the real reason why we wanted to invite them for this special dinner is because Dave served a two-year church mission in Poland so he is fluent in Polish, loves our Slavic food, and couldn’t wait to try real home-made “vareniki” (most Americans call them “pierogi”).

I decided to be very brave this year and make some Ukrainian dishes for the first time. Preparations started weeks in advance—I had to find some odd ingredients around here, such as wheat grain, and poppy seed. My healthy friend, J., gave me some wheat (which you have to buy in bulk online). But the only packages of poppy seed that I could find at the commissary were in the spice section—tiny bottles and quite expensive. See, in Ukraine, you can buy poppy seed by pounds:) We do a lot of baking with it.

My menu had you include at least twelve dishes, as you remember from last year. This is what our fridge looked like on Christmas Eve.

Menu:

Kutya

Olivye (egg/potatoes/carrots/peas/ham/mayo/pickles salad)

Venigred (beet/potatoes/carrots/onions salad)

Holubtsi (cabbage rolls stuffed with rice/meat mixture)

Vareniki (my favorite! “ravioli” with mashed potatoes and mushrooms)

Salad (regular green salad)

Polish meat stew (sausage/cabbage)

Napoleon (super yummy pastry with cream)

Hrustiki (fried cookies)

Kampot (cooked fruit drink)

Kolach (Christmas bread)

+ Water (I know, it was a stretch)

So my first crazy dish was Kutya—traditionally served at Christmas for everyone who comes to visit you. You HAVE to taste your host’s kutya, even if it’s just a spoonful:). Kutya is made with grain, nuts, poppy seed, honey and some berries. Frankly, I did not like kutya growing up, that’s why it took me ten years to finally make it. Well, this time, I loved it! I realized how yummy it was, full of texture and full of natural ingredients.

Secondly, I tried making holubtsi for the first time ever. My mom makes some mean holubtsi! I love her recipe. They turned out fantastic, but of course, not as good as hers:) You should have seen me trying to throw the cabbage into boiling water and then separating the leaves.

Thirdly, this was the first time we bake Kolach—the bread. I kneaded the dough and Robert was brave enough to do the rest—braiding and baking:)

Erin F. made Hrustiki according to the recipe I found in a Ukrainian recipe book adjusted to American ingredients .  You can see leftover Napoleon and Hrustiki on this picture.

  

My little Ukrainians:)

Of course, we dressed up in our Ukrainian shirts:) Mark’s shirt was brought from Ukraine last spring so this was his first time wearing it. We promptly took it off after the pictures were taken, before dinner:)

Side note: I think baby Allison is very pretty! (She belongs to the F. family).

 

 

Look at my “Ukrainian” husband! I am so grateful he goes along with all my crazy Ukrainian traditions and participates with enthusiasm:) He always makes me feel so good about the fact that I am Ukrainian.

Cannot wait till next year! There is a waiting list to be invited to our Ukrainian Christmas Eve, so you better sign up.

Banana Bread (boring title; tasty subject)

I like banana bread.  I like to eat it and, strangely enough, I like to make it (mostly because if I make it I get to eat it).
I don’t remember when my attraction to banana bread began, but I do remember my mom made it every once in a while, and it never lasted long, even though she usually added walnuts which I never liked.  I wanted a homogenous loaf – smooth texture throughout with no walnuts, no raisins, and no leftover unmashed banana parts. But oh, how things have changed!  Little Robert has finally grown up (note to self: people think you are weird when referring to yourself in the third person).
My favorite add-ins to banana bread are now (you guessed it)walnuts and Chocolate Chips (NOT raisins).  Sometimes together.  And I don’t mind those random banana squishies too much either. 
The other day I got to thinking a bit (troubling, I know).  What else can you add to banana bread?  Looks like a . . . opportunity.  Less than a minute later I’d discovered new direction in life.  I found the perfect recipe!  Then I modified it a bit because it had too much butter and sugar, and not enough vanilla and baking powder and wheat flour, until voila!  ze best banana bread this side of North base. 
Okay, I know what you’re thinking by now and no, I’m not turning this into a “Julie and Julia” blog or any of those other recipe-a-day blogs that everyone seems to have these days, and I won’t make it a habit of sharing recipes online (unless they’re really awesome), but since you’ve read the post this far, you at least deserve to have the recipe.
So, here it is (my version at least).  Modify at will.
Robert’s Over-the-top Banana Bread
Get two bread loaf pans greased and ready to go.  Nothing better than a recipe that makes two loaves.
Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup applesauce
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 – 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 or 4 medium)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans (divided)
1 cup frozen (or fresh) raspberries

Cream butter, applesauce, cream cheese and sugars.  Beat in eggs.  Then beat in bananas and vanilla.  In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to creamed mixture. 
Divide batter in half (that’s two separate bowls now).  In one bowl, fold in 1/2 cup pecans, pour into a pan, then sprinkle remaining pecans on top.  In the other bowl, fold in the raspberries, then pour that batter into the other bowl.  (You see where I’m going with this now?).  Bake at 350˚ for 60 to 75 min.  If you live in North Base, drop to 340˚ becuase the ovens here are messed up.  Whichever the case, just do the toothpick test to make sure they’re done.  I hate it when the center is too gooey.
And here’s what I ended up with. 
One loaf of banana bread with pecans:
 
and one loaf of raspberry banana bread.

15 minutes after they cooled:
Yum. 
I wonder what I should add in next time.  Any ideas?  NOT raisins.
Rob