Can someone educate me on orthodox religion (long)

L Sass

L Sass

Cathlete
Ok - brief background. My MIL doesn't like me. The reasons don't really matter. I was raised Baptist. MIL was raised Presbyterian. FIL was raised Russian Orthodox. The only Russian Orthodox holiday we all celebrate differently is Easter

We always do Christmas Eve at my in-laws home and there are a lot of people there. We start with dinner and then exchange gifts.Last year when I asked what I could bring, she told me an appetizer and a cookie tray. I did. Appetizer was my bacon bleu cheese dip with crackers and veggies. When we arrived and I set it out she saw that there was bacon in it and told me I should not have done that because there was meat in it. Asked if I should take it away - she said no, leave it out. I did tell everyone there was meat in it, and they all ate it - no one said anything. Asked DH why you cannot eat meat on Xmas Eve - he didn't know. My MIL keeps EVERYTHING to herself. (Eg, she had eye surgery last week and told NO ONE except FIL. Her sons never knew she was going in for anything.)

So last night we were with them and I asked what I could bring. Of course, appetizer and cookie tray. Learned my lesson last year. So I asked if I can bring spinach balls. She told me yes, as long as there is no meat in them. I asked why you cannot eat meat on Christmas Eve and she told me "well it's lent of course." (It was so matter-of-fact that I felt really stupid.) I truly did not know this (and DH now tells me he didn't know either) so I did a quick google search on the russian orthodox lenten periods. All I found was that lent comes before each of the major holidays. We do not celebrate orthodox Christmas.

I feel so stupid. Can anyone tell me how long this lenten period goes? My spinach balls do have eggs in them - should I not make them? I really don't want to make my MIL angry, but I know that she has this pent up anger to me anyways because I have not learned all of the nuances of this religion.


Lorrie
www.picturetrail.com/lsass
 
{{{{{Lorrie}}}}}, how thoughtful of you to make such a concerted effort to please your MIL!! I'm sorry I can't help you with the Russian Orthodox religion, but I do have a couple of appetizer recipes that don't have meat or eggs in them.


Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade

- 1 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1 6 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup capers, drained
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste

Add ingredients to a food processor and pulse until mixture becomes the texture of chunky pesto. Serve with pita chips and raw carrots as a dip, or spread over toasted Italian bread for a quick and easy bruschetta.



Here's another good one and festive, too. It's from Giada De Laurentiis.

Sun-dried Tomato and Peas on Endive Spears

- 1 pound frozen peas, thawed
- 8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, drained (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 heads endive, ends trimmed and leaves separated

Combine the peas, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse the machine until the peas and tomatoes are finely chopped. Add the olive oil and pulse until the olive oil is incorporated and the mixture is minced but not yet pureed. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the salt and pepper. Serve as a dip with the endive spears alongside. Serves 4 to 6.

HTH :)
 
Lorrie, I don't know anything about Russian Orthodoxy so I cannot help you. However, I have the feeling that even if you became ordained as a Russian Orthodox clergy person your MIL would find something else to spring on you. Often, when people keep everything to themselves, matters little and big, it's a way to control others or at least intimidate them.

There's probably a Lenten prohibition against spinach, in your MIL's eyes. Or maybe against balls. Whatever - make what you feel comfortable with (including those mouth-watering recipes above) and try to shake off the bad vibes. It ain't you, kiddo.

A-Jock
 
Lorrie,

ITA with A-jock on this. It ain't you!

Looking at the calendar link I sent you, no OILS are allowed on xmas eve. WTH??

Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
 
Jonahnah - that's a great link -- thank you! So according to that link both of Michelle's recipes are out because they both call for oil? I am clueless about it - but I wonder if I could score some Brownie points by doing a no meat and no oil dish and indicating it when I arrived? Or better to just do it and keep my trap shut. Thanks for the encouragement as well all. Yes, that silence about most everything in life leaves me guessing about more than not. Ugh - we'll have a great holiday anyway I'm sure! :)

Lorrie
www.picturetrail.com/lsass
 
Wow, that's a confusing religion! I looked at 2006 and Xmas eve was on a Sunday which is a fish only day so maybe that's why bacon was verboten. Buuuuut, this year, Xmas eve is on Monday, totally different set of rules, hence no oil. You're doomed. Call the local R.O. parish office. Or, better yet, forget the appetizer. Bring wine, a lot. Good luck!

Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
 
Here's my 2 cents...

At the risk of pissing off your MIL even more....

If everyone ate your bacon dish last year they'll want it again this year. Obviously no one cares about the no-meat thing except for her. I would be so tempted to bring whatever I felt like making and she doesn't have to eat it. I know this isn't they way to do it but I would be tempted to!

Good luck! You are a terrific DIL for caring so much!
 
>If everyone ate your bacon dish last year they'll want it
>again this year. Obviously no one cares about the no-meat
>thing except for her. I would be so tempted to bring whatever
>I felt like making and she doesn't have to eat it. I know
>this isn't they way to do it but I would be tempted to!

Oh yes, I am very tempted to do it ----- but I won't. To keep peace and because I adore DH way too much to put him in an uncomfortable situation. I just wish I knew the rules to play by. I did ask DH about the linked calendar and he has no knowledge of this no oil/meat requirement whatsoever. He says they probably go by no meat on Christmas Eve because that's what his great-grandmother used to do when she lived in Russia. Doesn't in any way make it accurate, but ok. (And yes Kate - my BIL already asked if I was making that yummy dip again. :()

(BTW - Kate - on a totally unrelated topic - I think it was you who recommended the Kenneth Cole Black cologne for DH. YES! We picked it up yesterday and it already <a-hem, insert blush here> has gotten me hooked! Yum!)


Lorrie
www.picturetrail.com/lsass
 
Lorrie,

IA that it's not you -- your MIL is being unfair and unreasonable in her expectations. It's funny because you say she was raised Presbyterian, and it is FIL who is Russian Orthodox. So how did SHE learn about these things, I wonder? Maybe FIL is the person you need to talk to.

She doesn't sound like an easy woman to get along with, but I do understand wanting to keep the peace. Maybe it isn't a bad idea to talk to someone at the local parish as previously suggested or continue to research on your own and educate yourself since, clearly, she will keep playing the secret squirrel game.

Wine is good. Perhaps Stoli is better? ;) :)

[font face="heather" font color=black size=+2]~Cathy[/font]

http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys/stockingsmiley1.gif
 
I used to try to keep the peace with the in-laws, but, you know what, life is too short to live in fear. No matter what I said or did, it wasn't enough for them (very strict fundamentalist Baptists). I finally started staying true to myself. I was always polite, and never brought up religion, but did answer questions calmly but firmly. Guess what? They realized I had a backbone too, and backed off. They also started showing respect for me. I was worried about DH at first, as you are, then realized that he was relieved I responded the way I did (though he would never have admitted it).

My FIL has passed away, but he and I had a great, fun relationship. My MIL is a tougher nut to crack, but treats me as an adult, and we are quite fond of one another.
 
I thought Advent was the period before Christmas and Lent was the period before Easter. At least, that's what it is in the Roman Catholic religion.

Anyway, I second the Stoli. And third it and fourth.... :*

Susan L.G.
 
>Lorrie, I don't know anything about Russian Orthodoxy so I
>cannot help you. However, I have the feeling that even if you
>became ordained as a Russian Orthodox clergy person your MIL
>would find something else to spring on you. Often, when
>people keep everything to themselves, matters little and big,
>it's a way to control others or at least intimidate them.
>
>There's probably a Lenten prohibition against spinach, in your
>MIL's eyes. Or maybe against balls. Whatever - make what you
>feel comfortable with (including those mouth-watering recipes
>above) and try to shake off the bad vibes. It ain't you,
>kiddo.
>
>A-Jock

Yep. My brother is married to a Russian woman (orthodox) and both she and her family are fabulous. I've spent lots of holidays with them and I've never HEARD of the no-meat rule. I suspect your M.I.L. is jealous of Y.O.U.

"prohibition against... balls..." Ha ha ha.
 
Annette Bethel

Actually both Catholic and Orthodox had restricted diets in the Early Church. Lent and Advent seasons were time of strict fasting, no meats, etc. After the break between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, Catholicism had a less strict fasting between meat. Then kick in Reformation, and Puritans, the foods became less strict. Vatican II has the most leninent forms in terms of food fasting.

I am thinking that she is a strict adherent to the old/Early Church traditions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top