Friday, January 22, 2021
Late January A Great Time to Escape to Palm Beach! #ThePerfect10 #NetGalley
Thursday, January 21, 2021
The Midnight Library Book Review and a Chicken Noodle Soup Game Changer! #BookClubBook
Recently the grocery store had a big sale on Chicken Fryers, and that means one day we had Roasted Chicken, and the next day I made my signature Mama's Soup. Usually, I use frozen Reames Noodles, but they were $3.99 a bag and that was $1.49 more than I wanted to pay.
I decided instead to make my own noodles. I found a recipe that I like at The Spruce Eats and tried it out. Nestled in this recipe is the best tip for making homemade noodles. The recipe says you can use a knife to cut the dough into noodles or you can use--a PIZZA CUTTER! Gamechanger! Genius! I'm so glad that someone thought of doing this! A pizza cutter works approximately 40x better for me than using a knife.
Just a few days left to enter my Giveaway, just click on the MLK Day Giveaway Button on the right side of my blog to read and comment!
Today's book review is for The Midnight Library this book is the January selection for a book club I belong to where we will be Zooming to discuss what we thought of the book on the last day of January.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I started reading this book, at first, I thought I would hate it. I even put it down for a few hours. Then I picked it back up for two reasons: 1. I'm reading it for a book club and 2. The title promised me a Midnight Library and I wanted to see what that library was all about.
Once I got inside The Midnight Library, I found out there is a Book of Regrets. A Book of Regrets! That was the hook the reached inside and grabbed me. Now I was all in! I needed to know where this was going to end for Nora.
I have a soft spot in my heart for multiverses, libraries, and Henry David Thoreau. I love what if's and the idea that there are different versions of me out there living different lives having taken different paths and having made different choices. The tale of Nora Seed unfolded in expected and unexpected ways, much like any of our lives would under similar circumstances.
I devoured this book over a weekend, stopping at times to share quotes from the book. Now that the story is over, I think I might read it again someday very soon--and for that reason, it's a 5-star book for me.
I'd like to think there really is a Midnight Library for each of us.
View all my reviews
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Breakfast For Dinner Vegetarian Edition and A #Romance Review
Sunday, January 17, 2021
MLK Day Giveaway Blog Hop - Enter to Win The Sound of Stars!
The MLK Giveaway hop hosted by The Caffeinated Reviewer and Mocha Girls Read is from January 18 through the 25th. The purpose is to celebrate Black Authors and shine a light on Black Authors you may not already know.
Description
"Can a girl who risks her life for books and an alien who loves pop music work together to save humanity? A beautiful and thrilling debut novel for fans of Marie Lu and Veronica Roth.Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the deaths of one-third of the world's population.Today, seventeen-year-old Ellie Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. With humans deemed dangerously volatile because of their initial reaction to the invasion, emotional expression can be grounds for execution. Music, art, and books are illegal, but Ellie still keeps a secret library.When young Ilori commander M0Rr1S finds Ellie's library, he's duty-bound to deliver her for execution. The trouble is, he finds himself drawn to human music and in desperate need of more.Humanity's fate rests in the hands of an alien Ellie should fear, but M0Rr1S has a potential solution--thousands of miles away. The two embark on a wild and dangerous journey with a bag of books and their favorite albums, all the while creating a story and a song of their own that just might save them both."You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enterWill You Be Having a Three Day Weekend This Week? The Sunday Post is here -
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme
Over the last week, no only did I finish up taking down the Christmas decorations, it was also warm enough one day that I managed to repot my plants. I am hoping that the plants I repotted enjoy their new spacious digs. I am a newbie to keeping house plants alive, if you have any recommendations on plant foods and such please comment below!
Tomorrow is Martin Lurther King, Jr. Day! This year I am not working for the first time in many years. Because I love to share great books, I am participating in Mocha Girls Read and The Caffeinated Reader's MLK Giveaway Hop. Tomorrow you can enter to win The Sound of Stars here as well as hop over to other participating blogs to find out about books from Black Authors and enter giveaways. There are so many fantastic mysteries, romance, fantasy, YA, etc, etc that have been published over the last few years and more coming out this year from Black authors!
How are things in your neck of the woods? Read any good books or seen any good movies lately? Have any special plans for the Inauguration on Wednesday? I will be trying a new meal from Blue Apron!
Hoping you have a great week-
Friday, January 15, 2021
Downward Death - A New Cozy Mystery and I Try A New Recipe! #COYERCHALLENGE2021
As you can see here I overcooked the crescents by about 2 minutes.
Kraft food sends me recipes all the time and many of them involved crescent rolls which I think I could easily eat a whole batch by myself! They are so light and flaky! Ham and Pineapple Crescent Rolls I followed the directions on this recipe. I will say if I were to make this in the future I would dice the ham and mix all the ingredients into one spread and spread that on the crescent rolls and then roll them up. Overall it was a good way to use up leftover crushed pineapple!
I received an ARC of Downward Death by Stella Bixby, below is my review and as always the opinions are mine!
Ellie Vanderwick is a bit of a loner. She was raised in foster homes and has lived off and on in her converted VW Bus since she was 17. Her dream is to help people to be pain-free and more flexible through yoga. This story begins with Ellie being bequeathed a farm in Iowa courtesy of the grandmother she never knew. So far so good right? Ellie will be the outsider coming to a new town. We've all read that before right?
But wait! Ellie has a secret, her hair is a mood ring. Yes, it changes color and texture based on her mood and feelings. I thought this was a unique and fun way to add a little magic to a fairly standard cozy. She also has a pet pig as her cozy companion!
At the beginning of the book, there is some major corn confusion that made me say out loud-- "Is anyone going to tell her?" I don't know if I got it because I am a Midwesterner or if it's common knowledge. (you'll have to read to know what I am talking about, I don't want to spoil you).
Within the first three chapters of this book, I was already invested in Ellie V's life. I wanted good things for her and her Penelope, and I was ready to fight a couple people in the town on her behalf and hug others. Stella Bixby has done a wonderful job in this book of really pulling the reader into the story. The mysteries of Ellie's hair, who her parents were, and how will Ellie support herself were enough to keep me turning the pages, even before the murder occurred.
I read the second half of Downward Death in one sitting, The mystery keeps you guessing and you aren't sure which of these characters is terrible enough to be a killer. As I have said before, I prefer it when a cozy mystery killer is just an awful person motivated by...well I better not say this killer's motivation- that might help you guess who done it!
When the book ends, some of the mystery of Ellie's background is solved, but much of who she is is left as an overarching mystery for future books. I really enjoyed this series and can't wait to read the next book. I am hoping that Ellie's mother is alive and well and will show up in a future book! I also hope Katie & Earl's daughter features in a future story!
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Website for Cheap Audiobooks and A New #2021AudioBookChallenge Book Review!
If you have an Audible Plus subscription this wonderful novella is included in your membership! Bonus!
I listen to this book to kick off my participation in the #2021AudiobookChallenge I've set a lofty goal for the year! If you like to listen to books or want to start listening to books join the challenge, you don't need to use Audible. You can borrow audiobooks from your local public library and listen via an app on your phone (called Libby or Overdrive). There is also a website called Chirp Books where you can buy books at a very reasonable cost. I have a discount link here you can use to get $5.00 toward Chirp Books. Since they have options for $2.99, $3.99, etc. The $5 goes farther than you would think!
Below is my review, but before I leave you to that, a quick note on Monday 1/18/2021 I'll be participating in the MLK Giveaway Hop. You can see a button for it on the right-hand side of this page. I am going to be giving away a copy of The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow to one lucky commenter. You'll be able to enter to win books by Black Authors on a bunch of other blogs as well.
Here is my latest review!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you enjoy Agatha Christie you’ll love this modern tale of a vacation gone wrong. It’s novella-length so you can listen to it over the course of a couple workouts or while cleaning the house. Margot Hunt gives everyone involved plausible motives and in the end, we are left to decide if the killer will get off or not. I think they won’t get away with it. What I loved about this story is that the killer thinks they have avoided becoming a cliche, when in fact by killing the victim, they have become a completely pathetic cliche. It's delightful! A very satisfying listen!
View all my reviews
Monday, January 11, 2021
Farewell Christmas Decorations and A quirky and enjoyable book #NetGalley #ConfessionsofaCuriousBooksellerANovel
I don't know about you but this month seems to be trucking along. It's helpful that so far we are enjoying mild winter temperature and even saw the sun a couple times over the last 10 days. Over the weekend, I finished taking down our Christmas decorations and have transitioned to Winter and Valentine's Day. We spend most of our time at home, and therefore I like to change our decor with the seasons.
Here is a picture of my beloved coffee station updated for the remainder of winter.
In the picture frame is a Valentine's Day card the Hubs picked up a the local Dollar Tree. I cut it up and added a red starburst decoration to a sliver frame I got on clearance at Michael's and Wah-La, festive Valentine's Day decor!
I'm pleased with how things turned out. The Hubs also brought home three planters so I can repot some plants from the 3-inch containers they have been stuck in since arriving at our house over the last few months. I hope I don't kill them- on is a mum that I got for my birthday and right now it's lived longer than any mum I've had in my possession!Below is my latest book review!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I began reading this book, I became hooked because I wanted to know if Fawn would break up with the fellow she was dating. Then I was wondering about the cosplay pen-pal relationship. Then I began to see the heaps and heaps of dishonesty in all of her correspondence. Her dramatic flair was amusing and kept me reading as she became shadier and shadier--and developed quite the habit of emailing while drunk (never a good idea!) I almost wrote her off as a 50-something antihero who was unwilling to change for the better.
A quote from an email from Fawn to her sister at the beginning of the book that I found was funny: "Can you believe it's been three months? Just last week, he took me out to dinner and paid for it himself! If this doesn't smell like commitment, then I don't know what does!"
What kept me going was: 1. I needed to know how the Mark Twain situation panned out and 2. the emails from Jane. I could see a glimmer of a better person lurking under all the dross* that was covering Fawn.
As a reader you really think you know where this is going to go in the beginning, it sounds as if there might be some sort of romance in that "The Shop Around The Corner" style, and it's not--at all--which is great.
If you get annoyed reading about Fawn during the first half of the book, please keep going, or you are going to miss something lovely.
*I chose to use the word dross to describe all the crap Fawn heaps on herself during this book because I'm confident she would enjoy that wording.
I got a copy of this book thru #Netgalley
#ConfessionsofaCuriousBooksellerANovel #NetGalley
View all my reviews
Sunday, January 10, 2021
Sunday Already? #TheSundayPost : Week 2 of 2021!
Friday, January 8, 2021
In Which I Embrace the Bath Lifestyle and #JaneinStPete #NetGalley- A Mystery/Romance!
Did you know today, January 8th, is #NationalBubbleBathDay? If not, now you know!
Sometime during November, I decided to take a bath every now and again. Once I had taken a bath or two, I realized I needed a nice fuzzy robe, a quality bubble bath, a wrap for my hair, and a bath pillow. Shortly thereafter, I made my Christmas list and asked for everything I needed to embrace the bath lifestyle.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Recently, I was able to download a copy of Jane in St. Pete by Cynthia Harrison to read and review. The main character of the book, Jane, is a recently widowed fifty-five-year-old who has left Detriot and moved to a gated condo community in St. Pete, Florida. The book opens with Jane attending a coffee hour at her community center. We get a real sense of Jane right off the bat, based on her internal monologue and we get introduced to people around her via the coffee hour small talk. I thought this was a clever way to start off the book and give us a sense of who's who. Like me, Jane has given up dying her hair, a detail I really liked! Unlike me, she is quickly involved in a murder investigation.
I thought it was very clever of Cynthia Harrison to use Jane's background as an art history teacher as a reason for her to assist in the investigation. In addition to the murder, there may also be mobsters looking for someone in the community! Plus Jane has unresolved issues with the sudden death of her husband, issues with her adult daughter, and then there is the handsome detective. All of these situations are navigated and come to a very satisfying conclusion.
When the book was nearly half over, the narration moves from Jane to another character, I will say that threw me off as I was reading. The second point of view is used off and on for a few chapters and then we finish the book in Jane's head.
This is the sort of book that is a nice beach read, or to have on hand if you are a train commuter for work, or if you like to have a book to read during a lunch break or medical appointment. The book has a fairly small cast of characters to keep track of and most of the action occurs in just a few places, so it is easy to pick back up if you are reading it here and there.
#JaneinStPete #NetGalley
View all my reviews
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Thankfully This Recipe Was Easy and The Hubs liked it! Plus a #COYER Challenge and #2021AudioBookChallenge
Substitutions that I made were- I used ground turkey instead of ground pork, I used a can of garbanzo beans instead of the second can of Great Northern Beans because I only had one can of Great Northern.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I bought the audio version of this graphic novel because it was on sale in an email I received at some point last year. Then I got distracted and didn't listen to it for a good six months. Today, I finally decided to give it a listen. I didn't realize that the audiobook I purchased was a graphic novel until after I finished listening to the story!
The audio of this book has a full cast of actors and the story really comes to life. I also didn't realize I had purchased book 1 of a trilogy, and now that I know it's a trilogy, I'm going to have to get the other two books, which are not on sale- HA! To be fair, this is a nice stand-alone story and you aren't left on the precipice of a cliffhanger.
The book starts off with an MC who wakes up in a cemetery with no memory. All she knows is that the reason she is in the cemetery is someone tried to kill her. What a great story hook! How can you not read this? I imagine it is a great looking graphic novel, the audio does not disappoint!
View all my reviews
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
First Book Read in 2021! #SconesandScofflaws #NetGalley
One book down, 99 to go! Oh, the places I will go in 2021--while being in the comfort of my own home!
As I mentioned last week, I have activated my NetGalley account, and that allows me to read and review books from various publishers- in all my favorite genres.
My first pick was a new Cozy Mystery. This book takes place in Cape May, NJ--which is a real town and is now officially added to TBV (To Be Visited) list!
This book is available on Kindle and in Paperback from Blue Eagle Press. If you read it--let me know- tag me in your review or comment below with your feedback!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I requested this book from #Netgalley because I like the name. What can I say, I enjoy alliteration!
My impression of this book was that it focuses more on the mystery than on the cozy town itself. We do hear about the beach and meet some townfolk, but we stick with Anna who is focused on finding whodunit and why.
I thought that the method of murder was clever and unique. I appreciated how the clues connected to Anna's life experiences and to her dealings with the town, in other words, scenes were not wasted, everything meant something.
I didn't figure out who the killer was before Anna; but, that person was my #1 suspect so I was glad I was right! I appreciated that Jane Gorman chose to have a villain who was just a terrible person and didn't rely on saying the killer was 'crazy'. Additionally, Ms. Groman doesn't rely on killing additional people to raise the stakes for our sleuth, which makes it a more plausible story overall.
This is a plot-driven book and at times I felt like I would like to get to know Anna better, I hope that in the next book there might be more time to get to know her via maybe some light comedy scenes with her and Sammy or Luke.
Throughout the book, Anna reminds herself that she isn't a damsel in distress which is nice to read. I enjoyed reading about her background in anthropology. I am left wondering about her cousin Eoin (a modern-day Harriet the Spy). I'd like to know more about how Eoin came to be with her for months, I hope we find out more about that in the next book.
Overall this book is a solid mystery that comes together nicely. The title of the book comes into play in the actual story which is a nice bonus!
View all my reviews
Monday, January 4, 2021
Clean Out Your E- Reader #COYER Seasons Challenge 2021
Over the past year, I have added many, many free ebooks or ebooks that cost under $5 to my kindle. I don't even actually know how many books I have sitting in my virtual TBR pile. How fortunate for me and my teetering pile of books that I learned about the COYER Book Community and the challenges. Now I have peers to read with and reading goals. This is my idea of fun! This also means that I will get around to reading some of the lovely books that have been waiting for me for months and months.
If you would like to join me you can learn more and join here
When you see me use the hashtag #COYER this winter you'll know I'm cleaning out one of the books on my e-reader!
The first book I am reading for the challenge is Confessions of a Curious Bookseller. So far I can tell you that the main character is super quirky!
Hope you are having a great day and are able to take some time to do what you love!
Sunday, January 3, 2021
The First Sunday of 2021 is Here!
I am kicking off the new year by participating in The Sunday Post:
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme
To recap, I have a lovely pile of new books to start my new year-
Friday, January 1, 2021
Welcome New Year! Be Better Than the Last Two PLEASE!
I have decided that approaching the new year with cautious optimism is my only choice.
The new year is here, and the days are getting longer!
****
Today's book review:

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The first book in what is--thankfully-- a long series! Nalini Singh creates a world where Archangels are at the top of the pyramid followed by 'regular angels' then vampires, then humans. Humans who want immortality can petition to be 'made' Angels into vampires. It's interesting how Nalina Singh takes angels and makes them into a mafia.
Elena is a vampire hunter, she doesn't kill them Buffy style, she's more like a skip tracer. New Vampires are indentured for a hundred years to their makers and some of them try to run in. Elena is born with hunting skills and she is the best hunter around. Just this plotline and Nalini Singh mix of modern life and myths in the world-building was enough for me to devour this book, but then you add in the archangel Raphael, Elena's past, the Cadre of Ten and now we have the beginning of an epic tale with just the right amount of romance.
If you like reading Ilona Andrews & Patricia Briggs, you'll love this series
View all my reviews
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Turns out I've had a NetGalley Account Since 2013!
NetGalley is a website that gets books into the hands of reviewers who then spread the word on Goodreads, Amazon, and social media. Apparently way back when in 2013, I set up an account and then never did anything with it.
All that has changed now! I've got my profile completed, my Goodreads account, and this blog connected to it and I'm reading the first book I requested. I'm planning to see if I can finish the book and get my first review up before the calendar turns to the New Year. We will see. I'm looking forward to sharing the book with you as so far it's a very solid read.
Monday, December 28, 2020
When are the 12 days of Christmas? And #Romance #bookreview
During my Holiday shopping adventures from time to time, I ordered a little something for myself. I mean, the deals! One of the items I bought was a 12 days of Christmas Godiva Chocolate box.
The hubs and the kids tried to say I needed to save it (haha) until next Advent. "Ho, ho, no no family," I said, "The 12 days of Christmas isn't December 1st to December 12th, it's the time between Christmas and Epiphany."
Unsurprisingly, they didn't believe me and so instead of trusting my wisdom, they turned to Google. A-Ha! Vindication!
If you have some downtime from work and you are looking for something to read I have begun reading an author who is new to me. Here is a review of one of their books.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Someone on Twitter recommended this author as a writer who writes paranormal romance books that have satisfying conclusions and I'm glad I saw their tweet.
I was able to borrow this book electronically from my library. This book has many of the tropes that I like in paranormal romance- like strong female characters and men who are smart enough to fall for them. I enjoy how the Psy are like the vampires of this world and Nalini Singh's creation of the Psy-Net is fun to read.
There are lots of little details in this book that add to the reading experience like Tammy's kids and the boots, so cute. Even though I had every reason to hope that Sascha would survive and find her HEA, Nalina Singh kept the tension going throughout the book as we worry about Sascha and a potential war between the Changelings and the Psy.
As I read, I wondered which of the side characters might get their own book, this is one of the reasons I enjoy romance series, when you meet side characters and fall in love with them, chances are you'll get to see them star in their own book.
If you like Ilona Andrews, you will enjoy these books!
View all my reviews
Saturday, December 26, 2020
The Thing About a Cookie Fail is the Cookies Still Taste Good!
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
A Couple of Burritos or is it Cookie Dough?
Cookie dough for sure! Yes, I am still baking Christmas cookies. The thing is that I bought a cookie making kit and then The hubs bought a whole bunch of cookie making supplies (i.e. semisweet chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, peanut butter chips, coconut, etc.) I am still working my way through everything. My thought at this point is, to stop baking cookies. By that I mean, I am going to make the dough, shape it into cookies, and then freeze it to bake next year. This way we can have fresh cookies on-demand as we forge through the rest of winter.
Where did I get such a great idea? A cozy mystery! In The Diva Runs Out of Thyme, the main character Sophie keeps frozen chocolate cookie dough on hand so she can throw a sheet of cookies into the oven whenever there is a cookie emergency. Genius idea.
Speaking of cozy mysteries, I just finished listening to Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert. You can read my review below

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm ready to book a vacation for me and the Hubs to Chapters! If you are a lover of mystery books, you really need to add this to your TBR pile. Charlotte is the new owner of a Bed & Breakfast she has inherited from her aunt. In a break from many murder mysteries, the murder doesn't take place in the first chapter. In this story you the reader get a chance to meet the characters and then someone dies, which allows you the fun of guessing who is going to get the ax and why.
In addition to the murder, there is a subplot about Charlotte's aunt and her potentially shady past that we get to delve into as the past and present connect.
Great news for those of you that don't need or want a romance in your cozy mystery. This book doesn't have a romance subplot. The reveal of the killer and their motivation takes place with all the suspects in a room together which fits very well with a mystery taking place at a book-themed B&B.
I enjoyed the setting, a book-themed B & B in coastal North Carolina, Charlotte is a retired teacher who is able to take all the patience she has developed from those years of teaching and put it to use managing the guests at her B& B and now solving a mystery. I look forward to seeing what other mysteries will take place in this series.
This book would make a really nice gift for anyone who likes to read mysteries. I listened to the audiobook which I borrowed from my local library. The reader for the book is Suzie Althens whose work I enjoy.
View all my reviews
Monday, December 21, 2020
Why Did I Buy Pie Crust? And Why You Should Read Mrs. Claus & The Santaland Slayings!
Sometime in late October, I thought 2020 would be the year I made a pie from scratch, or rather the year I would buy premade crusts and then make the rest of a pie from scratch. I was thinking of pumpkin or sweet potato or apple. I never got around to it, in part because I don't even like those pies that much.
Fast forward to now and I have pie crust that is going to expire in January and no desire to make any pie. I asked my Facebook group, Let's talk about food, beverages, books and more and a few members suggested quiche. I didn't feel like doing a whole quiche so I looked around until I found an easy mini quiche recipe. What is nice about Add a Pinch's recipe is that it included instructions on how to start with a premade crust or you can use her recipe if you want make your own crust. Here is the recipe
What I did was make 6 mini quiches with 3 eggs, 1/2 a cup of almond milk, and 1/2 a cup of mozzarella cheese for The Hubs who doesn't like much dairy. Then I made 6 with 3 eggs 1/2 a cup of heavy cream and 3/4 cup of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese. In the almond milk quiches, I added bacon bits (fake bacon) and all the quiches have diced mushrooms, onion, and celery. Here is one of my mini quiches served with a serving of shaved Brussel sprouts & spinach salad. The salad is tossed with olive oil/freshly squeezed lemon, salt, and pepper. Using the premade pie crust is a very handy shortcut and if you prefer you can make the quiches crustless. A nice weekend breakfast or lunch or brunch without spending a ton of time in the kitchen.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I hope that Liz Ireland had as much fun writing this cozy mystery as I did reading it. Ms. Ireland takes the stories of Rudolph, Frosty, Santa so many of us grew up with and creates Santaland. April is the fish out of water, having married Santa himself just three months and is not used to the cold, or the expectations of being a Claus. Add to that the bizarre murder of an Elf, and the whisper campaign that Santa is the killer, and we are off on a wild ride.
Sometimes in the first cozy in a series, readers can be overwhelmed by the size of the cast of characters. Liz Ireland avoids that problem here, and I don't know how she manages to do it, but she gives each of the side characters enough time on the page that they are fully fleshed-out characters.
And for foodie fans, there is a wonderful Croquembouche scene. Good stuff!
If you like Christmas movies or Cozy Mysteries, you have to read this book!
View all my reviews
Saturday, December 19, 2020
What to do with the ham bone? #leftovers
I don't like split pea soup. The hubs likes it--a lot. So because I am a nice person, I tried to find a recipe that didn't involve having to soak peas overnight and was also a recipe I would be willing to try. After some searching, I stumbled across this recipe and decided it was the one!
Changes that I made: I added two extra cloves of garlic. I added some Mrs. Dash seasoning. I didn't add bay leaf and parsley. I added thyme. I used about 6 cups of water and 2 cups of vegetable broth. The ham hock was a ham bone from a spiral sliced ham.
The hubs liked it and even I liked it! This is a hearty recipe with good flavor especially lovely to have as a meal on a cold winter afternoon.
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Do You Listen To Books? Try the Audiobook Challenge 2021!
Two weeks until the New Year. Are you planning to set goals? do resolutions? start a new eating plan?
As a fan of planning in general, even though during the last two years most of my goals and plans have taken GIGANTIC detours, I'm still making plans and setting goals. What can I say setting goals and making a plan to work on those goals makes me happy.
If you are like me and you enjoy goals and plans to do things or try new things, you should consider joining me for the Audio Challenge by Caffeinated Reader & That's What I'm Talking About. It's just for fun, and you might learn some new things or at least will have some adventures between your ears.
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Want to Get Away? Escape This Christmas
Is it just me or is this month going rather quickly? We are almost down to single digits on the advent calendar and there are only 16 days left of the year.
I don't know about you, but I hope next year brings back the ability to safely be around other people. I miss live music, and free library programs, and sitting with friends at a restaurant.
Thankfully we have our escapes, for me, that is reading and running and to a much lesser extent-- writing. What I am working on right now is ramping up to the New Year by starting the day with an hour of writing Monday through Friday. I am hoping this low bar of writing will allow me to start the day off on a good foot and make progress in my stories. This should also help me to blog consistently as well by using morning time to work on blog posts.
If you are bummed because you won't be traveling this Christmas, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. You'll feel like you got to go to a cozy cabin in Park City, UT with a family as entertaining as The Griswolds.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A perfect holiday romance. This book has the right amount of snow and shenanigans. Chestnuts roasting by the fireplace and tension building under the Christmas tree. I was so happy that for a change the parents of the main characters were not only alive but also in good health. Not only that, but the characters have conversations and explain things.
Also even though the romance takes place over a short period of time, the characters involved have known each other for years so it is not far-fetched.
I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book.
Maelyn finds what she is looking for and it's so much more than a holiday romance.
If you are looking for a Christmas getaway, read this book!!
View all my reviews