Baba's Peach Tree

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Last week we shared a book about a Chinese American who fought for her right to go to school. This week we are sharing a new picture book (released today) about a father and daughter in rural China. It is Baba's Peach Tree by Marie Tang and illustrated by Seo Kim. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Peach Jam

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Remember how I posted we went peach and raspberry picking. Well, I ripened the peaches a bit in a paper bag (Hazel was so excited to pick them, she didn't quite get them ripe) and we made jam today. I have to say I am still mad at myself for not bringing my camera to the farm. It took us literally ten minutes at most to pick a peck of peaches! She was so excited to be picking them. We also saw so many animals there and had such a good time, plus they had various play things for kids. Oh, well. Next time.

Today Hazel and I started making the jam. She washed the peaches. Then I sliced them and peeled them. Then she put them in the food processor and finely chopped them.

We needed 4.5 cups of finely chopped peaches for our pectin box. Then she helped me measure the three cups of sugar. Then you take a quarter cup out of the measured sugar and mix it with the pectin. She did this. Then she wanted to take her apron off and go play which was fine. I squeezed the lemon and started boiling the water in the pan I use as a canner (I don't have one).

Then I poured the boiling water over the lids and let it sit. Then it was time to start cooking the jam. I put the peaches in my large sauce pan and added the lemon juice and the pectin-sugar mix and heated this to a rolling boil (where the bubbles do not go away when stirred). Then you add the rest of the sugar and bring it back to a boil. Boil it for exactly one minute and then start ladling into the jars as quickly as you can.

Then you wipe the edges of the jars and cover them with the prepared lids and the screw tops. Then you put them in your pan of boiling water and make sure they are covered by a couple of inches of water (add more boiling water if necessary) and put the cover on and let them boil for ten minutes. Remove and wait for the tops to pop which means they are sealed. If any do not seal properly eat the jam within a week.

I made seven jars with this recipe. I used low sugar pectin so I wouldn't need as much sugar as in some jams. I hope you enjoy it!

Crazy Week...Swimming, Sleeping Beauty, Peach and Raspberry Picking, Doll Doctoring...

Have you entered the giveaway yet? I am giving away a copy of My Garden by Kevin Henkes and many of the other blogs hosting this month's Summer Virtual Book Club for Kids are giving away some of his other books. Harper Collins is providing us with the books.

Ever have one of those weeks where you feel like you haven't sat down, but also feel like you haven't done anything. That is me this week. Hazel had her last week of the summer swim lessons. They are redoing the YMCA indoor pool for the next three weeks or so and the next session doesn't start until after that. We also signed her up for a dance class to start in a couple of weeks. My goal is not to overbook her this year.

Tuesday we went to our local McDonalds and she met Sleeping Beauty. We took one of Steve's distant cousins with us who is eleven and Steve's mother met us there.The eleven-year-old loves to play with Hazel and Hazel loves playing with her. 

Wednesday we had her last swim lesson and then we went to the yarn store and then to Connors Farm to pick raspberries and peaches. We were there around lunch time, but the only prepared food they had was ice cream so we had frozen yogurt and raspberries for lunch. Oops! We are going to be making peach jam soon!

Today we were suppose to go to the zoo in Boston with a friend, but due to a stroller in the wrong car we didn't. We were tired and kind of wanting a day at home to sit and enjoy. Of course we went out and ran errands. I bought some knitting needles so I can start on Hazel's Three Little Pig dolls. I bought yarn yesterday for them. Tomorrow we are going to see a musical version of the story. Hazel is so excited!

While at Joann's we decided to look at fabric for Hazel's Halloween costume. She has decided she wants to be Rapunzel. I picked up a pattern last weekend when they were on sale for $1 and we decided to go with cotton instead of satin. I'm hoping she will be able to wear the dress for her birthday party as well since she wants it to be princess themed and thinks all of her dress up clothes are itchy. Though I did get a picture of her today dressed up in one. The expression is due to the itchiness.

Then of course I have been playing doll doctor. I'm making some progress. I haven't sewn on Carrie's hair yet, but at least have it ready to be sewn on. I'm still working on Angel's, but this type takes a long time and a lot of patience. Then I got this book from the library. It is by the person who wrote the pattern for Angel. My mother also made several others of her doll patterns which are in this book. There are also animal patterns including an entire Noah's Ark. I can't wait to try some of them. I bought a used copy off of Amazon and cannot wait to get it. 
What have you been up to this week?