Where the Crawdads Sings

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Where the Crawdad Sings; Delia Owens

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“I wasn’t aware that words could hold so much. I didn’t know a sentence could be so full”

Corey’s Book Review: This was one of my favorite books I read in 2019. Our main character, Kya Clark, is abandoned at a young age in the marsh land of North Carolina and learns to fend for herself. We follow her life and try to crack the case in a murder mystery. The character development is superb. I became so invested in Kya and her life. There were sad parts and also triumphant ones. Overall, I thought it was great.

Rating: 5/5

Nicholette’s Book Review: Kya Clark is abandoned as a child, learns to fish, cook grits and draw. Don’t mess with her! Part coming-of-age story, part murder mystery. It is a story of resiliency, survival, hope, love, loss, loneliness, desperation, prejudice, determination and strength. The story was ultimately predictable, but the writing gorgeous. A lyrical ode to the natural world. For me, this was a good book that I would recommend, but probably not rave about.

Rating: 4/5

Menu: We knew we had to incorporate grits into our menu since Kya ate them almost everyday. They are a southern staple and when paired with shrimp and bacon they become a hearty meal. We followed a recipe from Bobby Flay and made his cheesy, bacon, lemon grits. YUM. Recipe is below.

Corey: Delicious! I love shrimp and grits and this did not disappoint. Grits are actually one of my favorite sides for breakfast so I was excited to try this southern staple. The bacon and cheddar cheese added something special.
Rating: 5/5

Nicholette: There are different kinds of grits, so adjust your cooking time accordingly. Stone ground grits are delicious, but quick cooking grits are just fine in my book as well! This comes together very quickly which makes it an easy weeknight meal. I loved it!

Rating: 5/5

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Ingredients:

1lb large shrimp peeled and deveined

6 slices of bacon chopped

4tsp lemon juice

2tbs chopped parsley

1 cup thinly sliced scallions

1 large clove of garlic minced

Grits Ingredients

4 cups water

1 cup stone ground grits

3tbs butter

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Method:

  1. Bring water to boil add salt and pepper add grits and cook until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese. Cooking time can vary depending on the grits you use.

  2. Fy bacon until crisp. Drain well

  3. Pour grease out of pan add shrimp and cook until the shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice, bacon, parsley scallions and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes

  4. Spoon grits into a serving bowl add shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve and enjoy!