If you ask my husband, he’ll tell you that I’m the hardest working and most ambitious person he knows (and no, his friends aren’t deadbeats and he’s not saying this to score some brownie points from me – he truly believes it). I always find this hilarious (there may be some laughing in his face every time I hear those words) because I swear I’m one of the best procrastinators in the world. It’s true.
In college I pulled countless all nighters, setting up my work space right in the hallway (since my roomate didn’t share my “work ethic”), tripping up drunk kids running around. You may mistake this for being ambitious/hard working, but you’d be wrong. I’m just a master procrastinator who eventually needed to face the music and get the damn paper done. Yes, it was no doubt due the very next morning.
Today my todoist account has 31 items for TODAY. And no, brushing my teeth is not on the list. And yes, I will probably add another 5 new things just while writing this post. Some may say that’s one of my procrastination tactics. I say I like to keep myself organized… and I really love lists. 
(<—my husband will back me up on that one too.) Yet again you my husband may mistake this for being ambitious, but the proof is in the pudding as they say (btw, what the hell does that even mean??) – it’s 3pm and I’ve done only 1 thing today. That would be adding things to my todoist. Oy.
I’m telling you this because writing a post on these vareniki has been on the list for 2 weeks (when I made these) so at this rate I’ll be done with my 31 items in 62 weeks. Double oy. Oh well, better late than never! 
Remember the pelmeni post? I mentioned that vareniki were the vegetarian version of pelmeni. Now it’s time to share with you my favorite filling – mashed potatoes and mushrooms. It’s totally a classic. I love how pillowy these are. Even better sauteed with a little butter (or bacon grease). It’s comfort food at it’s best!
Don’t procrastinate. Make these ASAP!! [And please report back!]
Ingredients (serves 6):
- 1 portion dumpling dough (same as pelmeni, ingredients and step-by-step photos are in the linked post)
- Mashed potatoes with mushrooms (or another filling of your choice) – about 5 potatoes’ worth
- Optional: bacon, sour cream and/or butter for serving (yes, I realize that bacon will no longer qualify this dish as vegetarian. This is an optional topping).
Instructions in photos (the printable version and the pelmeni post provide written details, if required):
Boil for 3-5 minutes in well salted water. Serve as is with a dollop of sour cream or butter. Or pan fry with bacon if you’re a meat eater. I highly recommend this serving suggestion
Bacon OR sour cream? How about BOTH? 
Forget making it pretty. Get unapologetically messy. DIG IN!! It tastes better that way!
1 down. 30 to go…
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These remind me so much of pierogi! And now I kind of want to toss some bacon on top next time I make pierogi.
I love lists too… and it’s definitely a procrastination tactic but also an organization tactic for me.
These are very similar to the Polish pierogi although I always find that name funny because pierogi means something different in Russian. Pirog is sort of a pie and pirojki are hand pies (like these: http://www.russianbites.com/russian-pirojki)
nice autumnal food too – they look wonderful – vkusno – but also I’m sure I wouldn’t have the patience to fold them all over. My fingers don’t perform delicate tasks well.
It really is quite simple. I promise!
[...] cook 25 Russian meals (and blog about them on Russian Bites) – update on 8/28: so far I’ve made beef stroganoff, ponchiki, savory profiteroles, blini, layered jello cake, vareniki. [...]
The vareniki looks AWESOME! Love dough, and especially with that filling
As far as ambition and procrastination…it’s all about the presentation 
Seems like you’re doing an excellent job of turning your procrastination into a seemingly positive quality 
Btw, will need to check out this todoist you mention 
Already found an app for that 
Did you try it yet? I can’t live without it
I think we have similar habits. I definitely have a TERRIBLE habit of procrastinating.
[...] of Russian Bites, please give me some love on my post on vareniki (vegetarian Russian dumplings). Thanks! [...]
These look delicious! I’m a horrible procrastinator too
these look amazing. not sure i’m sold on the bacon + sour cream combo though
You should be.
It’s seriously amazing.
I am such a procrastinator too! It is not good.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE vereniki
yum yum yum! I can never find vegetarian dumplings, and I love the addition of mushrooms!
Hi there! I just discovered your blog on friend’s blog (Mostly Food and Crafts) and am you new subscriber! I am from Georgia in Eastern Europe and Georgian food is my comfort food. On Mondays I blog about Georgia, mostly Georgian recipes. Please visit my blog! Spasibo boljshoe!
http://byebyesoccermom.blogspot.com/
xx
Maya
Welcome to Russian Bites. Looking forward to check out your blog!
I love your humor! My to-do list in long, as well, but so far all I’ve managed to do is the unimportant things like laundry and dishes (IE: things i could will my bf into doing.) However, these things prevent me from starting homework so I am more than willing to do them!
Isn’t it amazing how crafty we become at not doing the one thing we really need to? At least your laundry and dishes are done though
My to do list now includes these vareniki! They look fantastic, definitely with sour cream and bacon!
I hope this one makes it to the top!
Oh wow, these look amazing! I’m also a list person and now I have one more goody to add..
I’m all over lists (usually), but it stresses me out when I don’t cross things off soon enough b/c i’m too busy or life just gets in the way
anyways… as a fan of pierogi’s i’m all over these! maybe i’ll suggest bacon and sour cream topping to my family over the next holiday!
Wow, so glad to find this! I learned to make pirohi (Ukrainian pierogi = pelmeni/vareniki) a few weeks ago at a Ukrainian church in town, so the dough recipe was a bit different (and all done by hand, which is nice because I don’t have a stand mixer and I’m a grad student so I also don’t have money) but I think mine will look much better with your tutorial and I’m psyched to have a recipe. I am of a western Slavic background so these flavors are familiar, and I also lived in Russia 2 years so I am really excited to find this and get these great flavors now that I’m in the US again.
As for procrastinating… I am here, and not reading for torts. I got here from looking for that delicious beet and prune salad. I think I’ll just have to make making these a reward for getting work done.
Спасибо большое за рецепт! Мне очень нравится сметана, а в Москве я покупала майонез для пельменя. It was pink-ish in color and quite tasty.
Yeah, you don’t need a stand mixer at all. And my favorite part is that you can make a gigantic batch and then freeze the rest to enjoy on lazy/busy nights.
That pinkish mayo sounds pretty interesting…
I did check it out. But I realized that no list will help me with keeping up with the things I need to do. The first being…remembering to look at the list
Hehe, it just takes some time to get used to. Well, at least it’s something to keep in mind
Hi Elina!
I came to your blog after reading a magazine article about the blog featuring this recipe. I’m so glad to discover your blog and all the wonderful recipes! I’m originally from Russia and familiar with a lot of Russian dishes but ever cooked only a few of them (mainly borsh and blinsheki). I am definitely going to try some of the recipes you have here. This one in particualy remindes me of my childhood and my grandma so I’m really looking forward to making it.
Cheers,
Ira
Yay, glad you found the blog Irena! Was it referred by an Australian magazine?
Yep. It was in Food & Wine magazine which is a supplement inside The Canberra Times.
Very cool. Thanks!
Hey just wanted to say your blog has inspired me to reconnect with my Russian roots through cooking!
That’s fantastic! What have you made so far? Would love some new recipe suggestions
I made the beet and cabbage salad,blini, and vinegred. Going to give these vareniki and borsch a shot next. Salads?
Great choices