The Friday Five and Lovely Spring Days
May. 29th, 2022 07:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
supernutjapanI started this post on Wednesday but now it's Saturday. I am including the Friday Five and posting!
1. Do you buy and use canned food?
Yes. I buy a lot of canned tuna, salmon and sardines for salads and tuna melts; canned tomato sauce, diced tomatoes for chili/meat sauce and stew. Canned beans are too expensive here so I use the dried variety. I recently bought some Campbell soup, but I don't do that very often.
2. What is your favourite canned food?
British spelling - must be from the Commonwealth. I am not particularly crazy about canned food. Tuna is quite useful.
3. Do you like some canned food better than the fresh or dried version of it?
No. They just have different uses. I mean, how can you make tuna melts with fresh tuna? And canned tomatoes are much more mellow and flavorful than fresh tomatoes and better for meat sauces. But they are not better. Just used for different things. Raw tuna is yummy, as are tomatoes.
4. Do you have a can that just sits at the back of the cupboard? has anything weird happened to it? or do you still plan on using it in the future?
I use up the canned goods I buy pretty quickly, but the minestrone has been there for a while. Of course I plan on using it but maybe later in the year when it gets cold again. I just went to the cupboard and found a couple of cans of "yakitori" that my husband bought and I have no use for. It's canned skewered chicken with a sauce similar to teriyaki. I think he bought it to eat with his liquor and never felt like eating it. He also buys canned mackerel, which I don't like particularly but he likes to use instead of tuna sometimes. It is cheaper and is supposed to be very healthy with DHAs. It has a distinctive smell though and is not a very good substitute. OK, I take back my answer for number 3. I think I really prefer mackerel fresh or half dried like the Japanese do. Not that canned mackerel doesn't have it's uses. It's just better fresh.
5. What is the weirdest thing you have seen canned?
Bread! It is probably not the weirdest out there, but I just can't think of anything else now. And, I just remembered I have some canned bread stashed away that I got from our water guy. They are for emergency use so I have it stashed for such an occasion. That might have been a better choice for number 4 too, since I don't know if I will ever use it before the due date. I did taste one and it tasted fine, though.
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The weather is perfect right now. I just wish it would stay this way all summer: hot and dry during the day, cool at night, like summer in Vancouver.
The grass at the park has been mowed like the shaved head of a Japanese high school baseball player. Unfortunate that the clovers, which were blooming all over, are mowed down as well but, at least we won't get bit by mysterious bugs. Hana roams around the park on her long lead while I can sit down for a while on the lawn and start this post.
Workwise, two kids are quitting: one with social issues whom I would have been relieved to see the back of last year but was doing so much better this year, it is unfortunate; and one girl who just doesn't want to continue any of her naraigoto (afterschool lessons) and her parents are leaving the decision up to her, which I cannot understand. It's just not the same as sports or music. I wish they would just keep her in class until JH, when she starts studying at school in earnest. She is in fourth grade and will most likely forget most of what we studied by the time she enters JH. Such a waste of many years of study.
Walking through the park with Hana, we came across some JH students whom Hana decided to say hello to. The boys were trying to pet her from above, and she wouldn't let them, as usual, so I told them to go from below and they got a few scratches in and exclaimed as to her cuteness. Then Hana continued down the stairs on the way out of the park when her lead got stuck and I needed to go back and pull it free. The end of the (30m) lead has a metal ring, which was hooked on a tiny bit of concrete stickigg up from the edge of the path! I looked down the stairs at Hana and saw a JH girl trying to avoid her by going around the stairs to the side. I felt apologetic - it was obvious this girl didn't like dogs - even though Hana wouldn't do anything to frighten her. As I went down toward Hana, the lead got stuck again! on the edge of the stairs! The girl, meanwhile, had made her way to the top of the stairs, and most probably hearing me exclaim, loosened the lead for me. Arigato gozaimasu! Sweet kids❤️
I made a new dessert today - lemon bars. I bought some ripe lemons on a discount and was waiting for an opportunity to use them. The bars turned out pretty well, except the tapioka flour was not evenly distributed so the curd was lumpy, and the whites were not completely mixed in so I had some white spots. I think the problem was that the curd was not made on the stove but baked directly onto the bars. I might try it on the stove next time, then bake it after it has hardened a bit if that works better, or at least sieve it to get the lumps out.
I am watching Mentalists. I had watched some of it long ago but never had the urge to watch it again, to the end. It's mostly hilarious with it's sarcastic humor, but also thrilling and scary in places when the serial killer almost gets to them. I love it. I am almost at the end, watching Season 6. Two fifth grade girls were on their way out the door after a class as I watched the last bit of an episode where finally two of the characters got together. It was an excellent scene and I was laughing at a remark when the girls came over to see what I was laughing about . I had my earphones on of course. I told them about the kiss and they said they wanted to see it - I was surprised but I guess they are on the mature side for their age. I showed them the scene and they told me the couple looked like they were eating eachother's lips LOL It reminded me that my daughter had said the same thing once. I was amused.
Well, I guess that's about it. Some pics under cut.
The hydrangias are starting to bloom. Rainy season here we come :(((
Hana in the field of clovers before they were mowed down <3
My favorite apartment block's roses are in bloom again. I love the combination of the roses and the lattices <3
1. Do you buy and use canned food?
Yes. I buy a lot of canned tuna, salmon and sardines for salads and tuna melts; canned tomato sauce, diced tomatoes for chili/meat sauce and stew. Canned beans are too expensive here so I use the dried variety. I recently bought some Campbell soup, but I don't do that very often.
2. What is your favourite canned food?
British spelling - must be from the Commonwealth. I am not particularly crazy about canned food. Tuna is quite useful.
3. Do you like some canned food better than the fresh or dried version of it?
No. They just have different uses. I mean, how can you make tuna melts with fresh tuna? And canned tomatoes are much more mellow and flavorful than fresh tomatoes and better for meat sauces. But they are not better. Just used for different things. Raw tuna is yummy, as are tomatoes.
4. Do you have a can that just sits at the back of the cupboard? has anything weird happened to it? or do you still plan on using it in the future?
I use up the canned goods I buy pretty quickly, but the minestrone has been there for a while. Of course I plan on using it but maybe later in the year when it gets cold again. I just went to the cupboard and found a couple of cans of "yakitori" that my husband bought and I have no use for. It's canned skewered chicken with a sauce similar to teriyaki. I think he bought it to eat with his liquor and never felt like eating it. He also buys canned mackerel, which I don't like particularly but he likes to use instead of tuna sometimes. It is cheaper and is supposed to be very healthy with DHAs. It has a distinctive smell though and is not a very good substitute. OK, I take back my answer for number 3. I think I really prefer mackerel fresh or half dried like the Japanese do. Not that canned mackerel doesn't have it's uses. It's just better fresh.
5. What is the weirdest thing you have seen canned?
Bread! It is probably not the weirdest out there, but I just can't think of anything else now. And, I just remembered I have some canned bread stashed away that I got from our water guy. They are for emergency use so I have it stashed for such an occasion. That might have been a better choice for number 4 too, since I don't know if I will ever use it before the due date. I did taste one and it tasted fine, though.
:::::::::::::::::
The weather is perfect right now. I just wish it would stay this way all summer: hot and dry during the day, cool at night, like summer in Vancouver.
The grass at the park has been mowed like the shaved head of a Japanese high school baseball player. Unfortunate that the clovers, which were blooming all over, are mowed down as well but, at least we won't get bit by mysterious bugs. Hana roams around the park on her long lead while I can sit down for a while on the lawn and start this post.
Workwise, two kids are quitting: one with social issues whom I would have been relieved to see the back of last year but was doing so much better this year, it is unfortunate; and one girl who just doesn't want to continue any of her naraigoto (afterschool lessons) and her parents are leaving the decision up to her, which I cannot understand. It's just not the same as sports or music. I wish they would just keep her in class until JH, when she starts studying at school in earnest. She is in fourth grade and will most likely forget most of what we studied by the time she enters JH. Such a waste of many years of study.
Walking through the park with Hana, we came across some JH students whom Hana decided to say hello to. The boys were trying to pet her from above, and she wouldn't let them, as usual, so I told them to go from below and they got a few scratches in and exclaimed as to her cuteness. Then Hana continued down the stairs on the way out of the park when her lead got stuck and I needed to go back and pull it free. The end of the (30m) lead has a metal ring, which was hooked on a tiny bit of concrete stickigg up from the edge of the path! I looked down the stairs at Hana and saw a JH girl trying to avoid her by going around the stairs to the side. I felt apologetic - it was obvious this girl didn't like dogs - even though Hana wouldn't do anything to frighten her. As I went down toward Hana, the lead got stuck again! on the edge of the stairs! The girl, meanwhile, had made her way to the top of the stairs, and most probably hearing me exclaim, loosened the lead for me. Arigato gozaimasu! Sweet kids❤️
I made a new dessert today - lemon bars. I bought some ripe lemons on a discount and was waiting for an opportunity to use them. The bars turned out pretty well, except the tapioka flour was not evenly distributed so the curd was lumpy, and the whites were not completely mixed in so I had some white spots. I think the problem was that the curd was not made on the stove but baked directly onto the bars. I might try it on the stove next time, then bake it after it has hardened a bit if that works better, or at least sieve it to get the lumps out.
I am watching Mentalists. I had watched some of it long ago but never had the urge to watch it again, to the end. It's mostly hilarious with it's sarcastic humor, but also thrilling and scary in places when the serial killer almost gets to them. I love it. I am almost at the end, watching Season 6. Two fifth grade girls were on their way out the door after a class as I watched the last bit of an episode where finally two of the characters got together. It was an excellent scene and I was laughing at a remark when the girls came over to see what I was laughing about . I had my earphones on of course. I told them about the kiss and they said they wanted to see it - I was surprised but I guess they are on the mature side for their age. I showed them the scene and they told me the couple looked like they were eating eachother's lips LOL It reminded me that my daughter had said the same thing once. I was amused.
Well, I guess that's about it. Some pics under cut.
The hydrangias are starting to bloom. Rainy season here we come :(((
Hana in the field of clovers before they were mowed down <3
My favorite apartment block's roses are in bloom again. I love the combination of the roses and the lattices <3
no subject
Date: 2022-05-29 07:49 am (UTC)The grass at the park has been mowed like the shaved head of a Japanese high school baseball player. I hope you don't mind, this is going in my quote book.
Lemon bars <3. Obviously, I wasn't there, but not making the curd separately on the stove does sound like the issue from your description.
Hana looks so happy.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-29 11:17 am (UTC)I'm happy you enjoyed it 🥰 I was wondering if anyone would understand the reference.
These are pretty good. I will definitely try it again.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-30 09:00 am (UTC)^_^
Okay, I am going to have to try those next time I can get coconut flour. They look delicious.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-29 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-30 05:10 am (UTC)Better than soda crackers in an emergency situation :)
no subject
Date: 2022-05-30 04:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 12:31 am (UTC)I will let you know how it goes. Not allergic, but I mostly cut out gluten a year ago when I started a program to lose weight, and I think digestion has greatly improved as a result. So I now look for recipes that are gluten free and paleo. I am happy without and don't feel any urge to go back. I'm sure these bars would be just as good with a regular shortbread layer, though. I have a couple of recipies if interested. The almond crust does get rather soggy if left out at room temp.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 12:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 04:19 am (UTC)Here is my granny's shortbread recipe. You may want to halve the recipe as a base for the bars. Or just make half into shortbread bars.
I have another recipe using brown sugar instead of white for cutouts. I think the amounts were the same except it was four cups flour. (1 cup sugar, 2 cups butter and 4 cups flour)I've used that one every Christmas for cutouts, as well as for cream pie crusts.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 04:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 04:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 05:04 am (UTC)