Where the Crawdads Sings

Where the Crawdad Sings; Delia Owens

“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

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!

Educated

“Whomever you become, whatever you make yourself into, that is who you always were”

Corey’s Review: This was one of the first books I read in 2019. I received it in our Christmas Eve book swap and it easily makes the list of top books of 2019, maybe ever. Again, I am not usually a big fan of memoirs, but this book moved me. I could not stop talking about it. I recommended it to everyone I spoke to. I think it had such an impact on me because at it’s core it is a story about resilience. Tara Westover writes about her time growing up in the mountains of Idaho and her quest to find herself. She didn’t attend school until she was 17, she never saw a doctor and she really didn’t have many friends. It was inspiring to see her triumphs despite everything she had gone through and I was cheering for her page after page. When I finished the book I realized how privileged I have been and there really are no excuses if you want to accomplish something.

Rating: 5/5

Nicholette’s Review: Memoir of growing up in Idaho as a member of an off-the-grid survivalist family. The author’s parents rejected formal education, but put no effort into home schooling either. How on earth this young woman realized there was another world beyond this is pretty remarkable. I found it difficult to read, yet impossible to put down. The world is full of crazy people, and apparently she was born to two of them. As a mother, I cannot fathom this kind of neglect. This really struck a chord with me, the heartbreak of having to choose between your family and your own choices about how you want to live your life. I think of Tara Westover often, and look forward to reading things from her in the future.

Rating: 5/5

Menu: Sheperd’s Pie/ Cottage Pie/ Chinese Pie- Depending on where you grew up

As we were thinking about a menu that speaks to this book we both agreed that it had to be something hearty and full of potatoes, because Idaho! So we landed on Shepherd’s Pie. It’s a hearty and soul warming combination of meat, vegetables and mashed potatoes. We got our inspiration from Danny Boome and wow! Cook this up on a Sunday and enjoy leftovers the rest of the week.

Corey’s Review: I don’t know why anyone would not enjoy Shepard’s pie. It is a classic one pan meal. The fresh herbs really make this seem fancier than it is. Another plus is this freezes well so you can double the recipe and freeze one for later. This was a 5/5 for me!

Nicholette’s Review: Strictly speaking, I think shepherds pie is supposed to be lamb, but beef is more widely available. Given the versatility, its no surprise that many cultures have their own version. I will admit though, I had never encountered the term “Chinese Pie” before moving to Maine. the first time I heard the phrase I had no idea what it was! Turns out, French Canadians call their version of this dish Pate’ Chinois because the Quebecois fed this to the Chinese railway workers in the 19th century. It was an economical way to feed the workers, and I guess the name just stuck. Its kid friendly, can help to clean out your veggie drawer, and can be made ahead which are all nice attributes in a busy house!

Rating: 4/5

Ingredients:

1 Tbs Butter

1Tbs Olive Oil

1 Onion Diced

2 Carrots Diced

2 Stalks Celery Diced

2 Cloves Garlic Crushed

1 Tbs Tomato Paste

2 Lbs Ground Beef or Lamb (we used beef because we couldn’t find lamb)

2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 Cup Beef Stock

1 1/2 cups Peas

Mashed Potatoes (Recipe Below)

Mashed Potatoes

4 Lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes. Peeled, Quartered

4 Tbs butter

1/4 C Heavy Cream

1 C White Cheddar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Add butter to skillet. Saute onions, carrots celery, garlic until tender. Add tomato paste. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Simmer for another 10 min. Mix in peas. Transfer mixture to oven proof baking dish. Place potatoes on top of ground beef mixture and spread evenly. Place dish in oven and bake for 20 minutes

Mashed Potatoes

1. Fill large pot with cold water and add salt. Add Potatoes and bring to a boil. Let potatoes cook until sift (20 min). Drain potatoes and place back in pot for mashing. Add butter and cream and begin mashing. Once at desired texture add cheese and mix well.