Sous Vide Eye of Round

This is a great way to cook a tender, juicy eye of round. Eaten as a roast with gravy or on sandwiches, it tastes better and is less expensive than roast beef from most grocery stores. You can season it with whatever you like.  I bagged this eye of round with a packet of French Onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and a little soy sauce. Vacuum-sealed with my FoodSaver. Placed it in the freezer for when I wanted to use it. 

Peasreads: Strong as a Lion by Karla Sy with Felishia Henditirto (Illustrator)

Strong as a Lion

by Karla Sy
with Felishia Henditirto (Illustrator)

Heartwarming book about a little girl who is determined to help her Yeye (grandfather) by bringing him luck. She shows compassion for her grandfather. She demonstrates determination, resourcefulness, creativity, and a sweet spirit by including her younger brother.

The illustrations are beautiful. The story was engaging and fun. Fun to read out loud or for kids to read on their own. 

There is a craft and explanation of Lion Dance symbolism in the back which is really neat.

Description

Mia's mission to bring good luck to her Yeye's store makes a great read-aloud for Lunar New Year.

"Good luck is coming Yeye's way!"

Mia loves spending time at her grandfather's store. When she finds out that the store is on the brink of closure, she embarks on a mission to bring Yeye as much luck as she can. With Lunar New Year approaching, Mia knows that lion dancing brings good luck, and the one who wears the head gets to control the luck. But when the lion head is too heavy for Mia to carry, how will she turn her family's luck around?

Imaginative and detailed, Strong as a Lion immerses readers into Mia's story, reminding them that although they may not feel strong enough, they possess the strength to impact their communities. Backmatter includes an author's note about lion dancing, as well as instructions on how to create your very own lion head.

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Thank you NetGalley and Beaming Books for the egalley I was under no investigation to leave a review

Peasreads: Ithaca (Songs of Penelope #1)

 

Ithaca is the first in this trilogy by Claire North. This is one of the books that got me into Greek mythology reimaginings. Claire North has a gift for writting. Her world is descriptive. Her characters are multi-faceted. The descriptions of the unique personalities, their life choices, and how those choices affected them makes the reader connect with each of them easily. The author has a great grasp of how to convey the background and personality of each character. North has done her research, and it shines in her storytelling.

This book is a must-read with strong female characters.

Peasreads: The Twelve Loves of Christmas An Advent Romance Collection

 The Twelve Loves of Christmas

An Advent Romance Collection

by Alexandria Bellefleur; Elise Bryant; Olivia Dade; Alexis Daria; Sarah Hogle; Zakiya N. Jamal; Rebecca Jenshak; Jessica Joyce; Susan Lee; Joss Richard; M. A. Wardell; Rebekah Weatherspoon

What a fun countdown of short stories. Some made me tear up. Heartwarming, funny, romantic, with a diverse cast of characters.  It was a fun sampling of authors I've never read before. Definitely gives me a new list of authors to follow. Perfect for the holiday season for a quick read in-between all the holiday hustle and bustle.

Peasreads: Break Wide The Sea by Sara Holland

WOW. Just wow. I thought I'd just like this book;  in the end. I loved it. Annie is an orphaned heiress to a whaling company. She is not only young but a woman, so it is hard for her to be seen and heard as the head of the company. She has a fiancé who loves her for who she is and knows everything about her, including the fact that she has a curse that has plagued her family for generations. She sets out to find a cure. Out on the open seas she learns more about herself and the people around her. She is faced with the decision to stop whaling altogether or to continue and face the consequences from the sea people.

All around, a great book. The pacing was good, the world was interesting. The conflict and how it was described was a hard one for the MC. There is a love triangle; Annie, being 18 struggled with this triangle as that's what one does. 

Description

Peasreads: The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo

The Brides of High Hill

by Nghi Vo

I went into this book with no real clue what genre it was. The Brides of High Hill is a standalone gothic mystery, which I so rarely choose to read in this genre. I picked it up because I saw the cover, saw foxes and something about brides. I happen to like Gumiho, nine-tailed foxes, so why not. I even read the description when I requested the book but must have forgotten. I thought I was going to be reading some kind of folktale, romantasy. Jokes on me, but it doesn't matter. I couldn't put this down once I got started. It was such an interesting story. I was surprised in the end. The story reminded me of Lao and other SE Asian ghost stories we used to tell each other, and they were so scary as kids. This, of course, isn't a kids' story, but the scary Asian ghost story vibe is there. Because this is a short story, it was a quick read, but the pacing did not feel rushed. What an excellent story it is, too. 

I want to read the rest of he books in this series. I also requested a novel from this author I liked this story so much.

Peasreads: Tideborn by Eliza Chan

Even better than the first. Oh, I missed Kai and wasn't sure how this book would be without him. I still missed him. Turns out Nami and Mira grew, and their characters gained more depth. After Kai's sacrifice, the city is torn. Between those born with gills and those who had gills bestowed on them, whether they liked it or not. With fanatics on both sides tearing the city apart, to the Titan Sea god on his way to avenge his beloved, Tiankawi might not survive. Nami and Mira split up, working towards the same goal. Unity and safety. What a great adventure.

Mushroom Gravy

This gravy is so easy to make. It is perfect over potatoes and roast beef. It also makes a great Salisbury steak sauce. Quick, easy, and flavorful. If I have mushrooms that are going to go bad, I will cook them and freeze them. When I am ready to make this gravy, it's easy to thaw the mushrooms and stir them into the pot.

Freezer tip: The gravy itself freezes well also. Perfect to make ahead. Thaw and heat it up in a pan before serving.