Another bento picture. Nothing too special but personally I LOVE sekihan - white rice with azuki beans (far right). The other two types of rice are: plain brown rice (middle) and brown rice with black sesame seeds and egg furikake with nori (seaweed) flakes.

The top layer has from Left: grilled Horse mackerel with daikon oroshi (grated radish), tamagoyaki (rolled omelette - with fish stock and sugar), cut cucumber and carrot, mini sausage and sauted shiitake mushrooms.

This was an incredibly cheap (150Y) but delicious snack. It's not in fact beef (looks like a steak right!) but TUNA! It's the area around the gills which is called kama in Japanese. We baked it in the oven, and then seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon. Sooo good!

It's already November, but I haven't yet started taking garlic daily to build up my immune system, like I did last year. Tsk tsk.
It really worked! I don't know why I don't just do it all year round! (could be that I get sick of carrying around mints with me all the time lol)

What I do is, chop up one or two cloves of garlic into tablet sized portions and take in warm water (with some disolved milk powder to help it go down a bit easier) every morning.
Sounds disgusting? Not the nicest of ways to start the day I admit but if you're like me and suffer from constant colds, fatigue and basically a poor immune system, I really recommend it.

Don't just take my word for it, google the health benefits of raw garlic!! Here is a site I googled with a basic list of health benefits and a few home remedies.

I haven't been posting much lately, but will do my best to keep this blog going! All recipes I post will be ones I have tried and liked. Of course, personal taste differs, but I'm sure you'll enjoy them too!

I am baking cookies for the RBC (regional building committee) on Monday. They are painting our Kingdom Hall. We all 'voted' on the colour, but I have forgotten to ask which colour 'won'. Let's hope it's not the green, which Ash voted for!!
I've been looking through recipezaar for cookie recipes and nearly all them use baking soda. The ones that don't use cake mixes or other ingredients I don't have. So, what's the problem with baking soda you ask? Well, I just can't find it around here. I don't know if it's because of the rural area I live in or if it's generally not used in Japanese baking....?

I'm wondering if I'll have to bite the bullet and order from FBC.

I rarely order things online. I try to make do with what I can get locally. Mainly because I am lazy and I don't like to pay the inflated prices! Next time I go home I am *definately* skipping the souvenirs this time and buying things for ME. Time to stock up!!

I'm also looking for some recipes to use for next weekend. But this time I am looking through Japanese recipe sites because the inlaws are coming (flash of lightning, crack of thunder....lol)
This is a last minute trip so I have no idea what's planned. I guess we'll eat out at night, or Ash will cook. He likes to cook for guests and he's welcome to!! I'm looking up nice things to make for breakfast. I don't think toast and coffee will go down well!! I'll do my best to make delicious Japanese-style breakfasts.
My inlaws are actually nice people, I just don't know them very well since they live so far away and we're lucky if we see them once a year. So having them stay is a bit nerve wracking. It'll be fine though, I'm just a worry wart!

Ok enough rambling. Here is today's recipe:



They are SOOOO easy. I had literally nothing (ok, very little) in my cupboards, but I was home sick and craving something sweet. As always, recipezaar saved me! Ash also loves these. I made another batch this week and they were gone is two days!

Easy mini cupcakes - www.recipezaar.com/89751

Definately can recommend these recipes - YUM!

Sauce - http://www.recipezaar.com/90414

Meatballs - http://www.recipezaar.com/92095