Today I made . . .

4 1/2 pints of apricot jam




My 2nd attempt @ an pan. This time with homemade an.




Raspberry ice cream-raspberry from the farmers market.




And working to finish up a burping blanket before baby Gingersnap arrives.

The things you can accomplish when you have some free time. Only if all my weekends were like this.

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Manju

Just heard this story on NPR about an manju shop in seattle that inspired this post. 
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/07/07/156204377/manju-a-taste-of-home-for-seattles-japanese-community


This is slowly becoming an obsession of mine. Like jam, I'll probably start making batch after batch of manju or mochi till I get it right. That's why I got the bread making machine from a friend of mine to try and make mochi with it. Still have make some up maybe in a week or two. 


Here's a giant pan of chi chi dango that made up for girl's day. Still not just right. Shared it with people from work. Not everyone like the gooey texture. They just don't know what they are missing. Yum!

Update on My Superhero Powers

arggggghh! I still have them but not as frequent. I mostly have night sweats that wake me up multiple times at night [at least twice on a good night]. But haven't had that every hour flash for a while [image how cranky I was on those days]. With the help of our in-room air conditioner, I've been surviving this very hot summer. I have set low--but not too low. WG is already all wrapped up in the summer blanket with a long sleeved t-shirt wrapped around his head. It is quite the sight. 


I've been trying to do more walking--at lunch around the office parking lot or after work when the sun is setting--to help with ease them. I've read that this works--hmmmm. If anything, it helps with the anxiety that comes the restaurant. And gets me outside and in fresh air. 


Speaking of getting out for some fresh air, I've been out daily in my back yard to tend to my garden-my critter eaten, mosquito haven garden. Trying to be positive but my daikon tops and zinnas are partically gone. Whoever is eaten my garden keep eating just enough to keep the plants alive to generate new growth, that's probably it. My chili peppers and parsley are doing good but once the daikon and zinnas are gone will they be next. 


And on top of that, I get bitten every time I'm out there no matter what time it is, even when I use repellent--5 bites yesterday. I understand why my Dad wears rubber boots, long pants and long sleeve shirt out in his garden. 


Well that's it for me today. I'm off to check my baking then starting to chopping my fruit for this week's jam. Will make yellow peach jam tomorrow. 

The Shoyu Bottle

Or Soy Sauce bottle for those on the mainland.


Just another random fact that I thought was interesting to share. My bottle is next to my stove but not filled with Kikkoman.