Ginger Tea

Have you ever bought one of those knobby roots of raw ginger to use a bit for a recipe, but then despaired of ever being able to finish it?  The ugly root usually sits in the back of my produce drawer for a few weeks before I give up and toss it in the trash. Just a couple weeks ago, I learned a recipe from a new friend here in Japan.  It’s a great way … Continue Reading →

Comfort Food

This week I’ve had a cold and just felt sort of “blah.”  That’s why today for lunch, I decided I was in the mood for some comfort food.  Normally, back home, I opt for Macaroni & Cheese with Tomatoes and Ground Beef.  I don’t know if there’s a catchy name for that, but it’s delish! Macaroni and cheese is one thing we simply have not found here in Japan, so I opted to try the … Continue Reading →

As Simple as PBJ

This month,  I’ve been singing the song “Peanut… Peanut Butter… and JELLY” with my 6th grade students. So, on Monday  we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches  together. The kids did great spreading the peanut butter. And of course the jelly was no problem. But when I asked the kids to put the two slices together… They were totally grossed out! Isn’t it funny how we take certain food combinations for granted? Anyone for a fermented bean and seaweed riceball? … Continue Reading →

Celebrating Christmas

THE LAST OF THE BIG PARTIES This afternoon, our house was filled with the sounds of kid’s laughter, and the smell of melted marshmallows.  Mike and I had my fourth grade students over for a Christmas party, and we kept them busy from start to finish.  We played “Pin-the-Star-on-the-Christmas-Tree,” sang about 5 different versions of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to Mike’s excellent guitar accompaniment, watched a short animated Christmas video, had a snacktime, and made … Continue Reading →

Harvest Blessings…. and More Blessings….

When you picture a harvest cornucopia, what’s inside? Apples, grapes, bananas, pumpkins, corn, wheat?  That’s what I used to think too — until experiencing harvest in Funehiki! This year, we’ve been blessed with an abundance of… You guessed it — cabbages.  Big foot-long cabbages. And radishes.  Big two foot long, four-inch diameter radishes. These crops are here in abundance.  Our friends and neighbors think we love cabbages and radishes.  They give them as gifts here.  … Continue Reading →

Creamed Spinach — Yummm!

Guess what holiday yesterday was?!  It was actually “Health and Fitness Day” here in Japan.  It was also “Thanksgiving” in Canada (as Cristy, our Canadian teammate here in Japan so aptly taught us).  Mike and I celebrated both holidays with gusto yesterday.  We celebrated the first holiday by climbing the local mountain here (Mount Katazone) for the first time.  It took us a little over an hour to get to the summit, and a little under an hour to … Continue Reading →

Saltine Toffee

Hi all! Last week, I tried out a recipe from the CPC church cookbook called “Saltine Candy”, and it was a big hit with everyone.  It uses ingredients that are readily available both in America and in Japan, so it’s a versatile and very easy snack/dessert.  I promised everyone I’d post the recipe online, so here goes… Melt 2 or 3 “Ghana” or “Hershey’s” dark chocolate candy bars in microwave or double boiler, being careful that the … Continue Reading →