From USA with Love

All these recipes are my favorites, which I cook all my life, and some of them I can cook so quickly, and I am sure you can do that, just start from the simple recipes. When you see how your family is pleased, you will want to try to cook more complicated recipes, and it becomes simpler. I remember how surprised my future American husband was when he came to my apartment to meet my youngest son Ivan in Russia. When I introduced him, and they start to talk, I go to the kitchen and bake my simple apple cake, Sharlotka.

Oh, I saw his eyes , it was better than words. At first, he did not believe that I made cake so quickly. Now he knows me. I spoil him so much, and he loves me more and more. I am sure, dear ladies, that homemade food and sweets is just only way you can grow healthy children, and keep your family together. Your husband will hurry to come home, and your children will eat healthy food and vegetables and fruits, and children want be used to just pizza, hamburgers, and French fries. You can order or go to restaurants sometimes, but children will not be overweight, and will be used to your food. I see my husbands mother, Lena, I told you that she is great cook, and both her sons ( they are not young now loves her food so much!

When we go to Mississippi, she cooks for us so healthy southern food, chicken, beans, ham potato salad, cornbread, but everything is homemade. Her food is the best to them, better than from any restaurant, and your children will be the same way. I see that earlier, every family cooked in USA, but now tradition changes, and children eat a lot of snacks, and fast food. After that, when they are grown, they have different health problems. You have so good traditions in USA, American breakfast is the best, why you didn’t cook it at home on weekends or sometime in the evening, it is good at anytime. Of course, you can use your recipes, but cook, maybe together with your children on weekends. I try food from cans and frozen, it is not good and not healthy.  I believe American women will start to cook, because health is the main important thing in human life. My mom always told me, watch yourself, keep your body healthy, because when you are sick, you are no good for your husband or children. They need healthy mother, who can care for them , and set example for them. Dear ladies, the main thing in life for women is to bear and raise children, healthy generation, and I hope this book helps you to do that, and of course, it saves you money for traveling, theatres, and future.

In Russia, we are used to cooking at home, and at first, I couldn’t understand why a lot of families don’t cook. Just you can make sandwich at home, but it will be your homemade sandwich. I understand that everybody works, but I cannot understand this life style. You must change, I know it is difficult, but for your children, for their future. America is so rich country, but it is not healthy country now, and to be sick here is so expensive.

I see so many wonderful things in USA, everything is comfortable, your wonderful roads, your stores, your houses, nature, and a lot of stuff for wonderful cooking. Please, try to live healthy life, because I have never seen so many overweight people and children in Russia or Europe, as in USA.

Sometimes, when I awake now, I ask question to myself, why I am in USA, in the foreign country, with foreign man who is my husband. I am real Russian who loves her country to the death, and now I am here. I speak English: I didn’t know it before, just studied it at university 35 years ago. My husband told me that I speak English in my dreams now. At first, I thought, it is my destiny, but the more I think, I made my own destiny.  My Russian husband passed away when I was 47 years old. I had 2 good sons and a very good job, but I was alone. I couldn’t meet man who would love me in Russia at my age. Everybody who tried to have relation with me , they were not in love, only wanted my apartment, my car, and my money. Man who does not need that, who has everything , they want young beautiful girl. I think that you have this way in USA also. Men are stupid, when they see a beautiful young body. One day that body is old, and you need a best friend for the rest of your life, but that is the nature of many men. I was lucky. One day I decided to go to the internet, it was risky way, but I found the wonderful man from USA, who loves me so much, nobody loves me as he does. We have so good relations, and I thank God for the wonderful gift everyday. I see that woman is the strongest person in the world. She can do everything that she wants to, and I believe American woman is the same way, because they are more independent, and have more opportunities.

I would like to write new book if somebody will publish this. I will call it THE LOVE ON INTERNET.

The first words in this book: It was dark winter morning in St. Petersburg, Russia, when Olga opened her eyes and looked through the drapes and saw the same dirty buildings ,naked trees, and gray snow on the street.