Day: May 25, 2011

Batka Bows for CashBy Tai AdelajaRussia Profile05/25/2011
Pressed up against a rock and the hardest of places, combative Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has finally thrown in the towel, agreeing last week to the sale of stakes in some of his country’s highly sought-after assets. The first salvo in the long-awaited privatization program came with the announcement of a deal to sell a 50 percent stake in the Beltransgaz company to Russia for $2.5 billion. “The Russian side is ready to buy our stake in (pipeline operator) Beltransgaz for $2.5 billion,” Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich told state news agency Belta on Friday. Russia’s gas monopoly Gazprom already owns a 50 percent stake in Beltransgaz, which it acquired through a series of purchases between 2007 and 2010.

Hummm…

What a deal, talk about timing for Russia…

Windows to Russia!

Meat With Mayonnaise And Fruits on top is a very common dish in Russia. In fact it is very common in Ukraine also. I eat a solid meat portion covered in a thick mixture of mayonnaise and fruits, nuts, veggies or any other ingredients that suit your fancy as a regular meal while in Ukraine doing business. A Russian restaurant like “My My” (Moo Moo) here in Moscow always has several variations of this dish…

I call it the all in one meal deal… 🙂

So lets look at a yummy recipe that will tempt your taste buds with delight…

Ingredients:
600 to 800 g lean beef (Sliced into 100 to 200 gram slices)
1 carrot (peeled shredded)
parsley root (peeled and shredded)
onion (diced)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
200 g mayonnaise (real mayo)
200 g fruit puree (apple or plum or what ever you like) or preserved fruits of any type
Just a few chopped up finely – nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc.)
ground red pepper (to taste)

Method:
Pour hot water over a cuts of beef,chicken or pork that weighs about 100 to 200 grams each and cook for 30 minutes or until tender…

Then remove meat (set aside) and add to the water that is left in pan the pepper and salt, carrots, parsley root, onion, fruits, nuts, red pepper and what ever else you want. Just do not add the mayonnaise to this mixture. If necessary add more water and cook until ingredients are done and soft…

When the ingredients are done and somewhat mushy, drain the water off completely in a colander and mix with the mayo in a bowl… (You want a thick mixture)

Take meat slices and lay on the bottom of a oven pan. If not nonstick please grease the pan. Pour over each slice the mayonnaise combined with all your goodies. I even like to at this point lay a slice of Gouda cheese on top… 🙂

Bake the slices of smothered beef or what ever you used for meat. In a preheated oven for about 10 to 12 minutes at low to medium temperature. You just want to start browning the top and not really cook it. For it is already cooked…

Serve hot and steaming on a plate with a side of asparagus…

This is such an easy dish to prepare and a bachelor can cook this dish to impress his girl friend. It makes a wonderful meal served with wine and makes you look like a gourmet chef…

Windows to Russia!

PS: My favorite version of this dish also has an egg on top and you really get the meal deal then…

Then This…

Then This…

Then This…

Then This…

Then This…

Windows to Russia!

In Russia May 25th is an important day to observe. In fact in Russia there has been a huge increase in programs and awareness of children who are missing…

A child’s disappearance is the most awful disaster for a family. Only by official estimates, there are millions of missing children on our planet and this number grows every year. To draw the world’s attention to this frightful problem the 25th of May is marked as the International Day of Missing Children.

Every year:
70,000 boys and girls disappear in Europe…
1.5 million in the USA…
52,000-55,000 go missing in Russia…

Pavel Astakhov, the Ombudsman for Children’s Rights in the Russian Federation, has told the press in Russia that a national center is being established in Russia for helping missing children and children in distress…

Windows to Russia!