WHEN THE GRITS HIT THE FAN, book three in the Country Store Mysteries, by Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is another solid addition to a terrific series! Robbie Jordan, owner of Pans ‘N Pancakes, is a believable and likable protagonist. I enjoyed her down-to-earth attitude and her willingness to jump in and get whatever needed to be done, done… be it knocking down walls to remodel her building; or exploring a tunnel even though she’s very claustrophobic; or solving a murder when a good friend is the suspect. The author also makes sure Robbie puts in the time required to running her restaurant, instead of letting her co-chef and friend, Danna, handle it all. This small detail added authenticity to the plot, along with the Indiana rural colloquialisms that are sprinkled throughout the book. My in-laws lived in Illinois, ten miles from the Indiana border, so I’m very familiar with the small towns, shops, and mannerisms of the people living there and Maddie Day nails both the setting and the characters.
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While the story takes place during winter with lots of snow and ice, I always avoided visiting the Midwest during that season. I’m definitely a fair-weather Southern California type of gal but Maddie paints such a vivid picture with her words I could feel the cold and the terror Robbie experiences upon finding a dead body in an ice fishing hole. The murder mystery is well plotted with a sub-plot revolving around items Robbie finds hidden in the walls of her shop as she knocks them down to remodel. The author expertly weaves them together to reach a very suspenseful and exciting conclusion that will have you on the edge of your seat!
Running Pans ‘N Pancakes, Robbie is always cooking up delicious dishes that will have you drooling while reading. Fortunately, the author includes several recipes at the back of the book. Given the cold setting of WHEN THE GRITS HIT THE FAN, I was craving a bowl of soup by the time I finished the book. Maddie has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Sullo Scio, a warm and nourishing bowl of comfort! Hailing from the Pisa region of Italy, this dish is easy to make using simple ingredients but the results are very satisfying. I had trouble finding tagliatelle pasta so I substituted fresh fettuccine noodles and when my husband asked, “Where’s the meat?” I added some shredded rotisserie chicken to his bowl… but I personally didn’t think it was necessary as this soup is filling as written. Sullo Scio will become a regular in our household on cold, chilly days!
Amazon Synopsis
Despite the bitter winter in South Lick, Indiana, business is still hot at Robbie Jordan’s restaurant. But when another murder rattles the small town, can Robbie defrost the motives of a cold-blooded killer?
Before she started hosting dinners for Indiana University’s Sociology Department at Pans ‘N Pancakes, Robbie never imagined scholarly meetings could be so hostile. It’s all due to Professor Charles Stilton, who seems to thrive on heated exchanges with his peers and underlings, and tensions flare one night after he disrespects Robbie’s friend, graduate student Lou. So when Robbie and Lou go snowshoeing the next morning and find the contentious academic frozen under ice, police suspect Lou might have killed him after their public tiff. To prove her friend’s innocence, Robbie is absorbing local gossip about Professor Stilton’s past and developing her own thesis on the homicide—even if that means stirring up terrible danger for herself along the way . . .
A special thanks to Maddie Day, for providing a copy of WHEN THE GRITS HIT THE FAN for one lucky winner! Contest ends Monday, March 27, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST, and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Ingredients
- 4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 large can whole tomatoes, rough chopped in the can
- 1 15-ounce can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 package tagliatelle (if you can't find, substitute fettuccini)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- Parmesan, freshly grated
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, sauté the garlic in the olive oil until soft. Do not brown.
- Add the rosemary, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and chick peas.
- Add the stock and bring to a boil.
- Add the tagliatelle and cook until al dente according to the directions on the package.
- Serve hot with fresh grated Parmesan.
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This sounds really good thanks for the review. I never went snowshoeing! We hardly have snow here
Penney
I haven’t done either. Thanks for the review and sharing the recipe. It looks so good! Thanks for a chance to win. Happy Friday!
This soup sounds delicious! (And the same for the book!)
Karlene
I haven’t done either & I don’t think I ever will. I love these recipes & the book sounds amazing, Thanks for this generous chance.
I have never snowshoed or ice-fished before, though I think that either might be pretty fun ~
I have never snowshoed or ice fished.
Ice fished, yes. Snowshoed, no. We went ice fishing when I was in my early teens. Have not done so since. But. We had the fish we did catch for dinner. Book looks quite interesting. Would very much like to read it. Thanks for the chance to do so. Sooner. Rather than later
I have snowshoed and ice fished. Of course, when one lives in the UP of Michigan, it’s de rigueur!
I haven’t done either activity. Thanks for sharing this recipe and Giveaway!
Connie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
I have done neither. We don’t honestly have enough snow or ice in central Ohio even if I was so inclined hehe (I’m not real sports oriented lol) The soup recipe looks awesome and I would love to win the book!
No. Not a winter girl. Moved to Phoenix 27 years ago so I can be outside all year!!
[email protected]
I have done neither snowshoeing nor ice fishing. I have been fishing, though. This book looks interesting!
I have done neither snowshoeing nor ice fishing. I have been fishing, though. This book looks interesting! lelandandbecky at reagan dot com
Living in Minnesota, it’s probably surprising I have not done either! I see lots of ice houses out on the lake every winter.
I have not done either one. I would rather be in side with a cup of tea and a book!
This is a great series!
Thanks!
i haven’t done either. thanks for chance.
I have never snow shoed or ice fished.
No, I’ve never lived where there is enough snow to snowshoe or ice fish. Of course I don’t fish anyway…. LOL I am looking forward to reading this book since it is a series that I read and enjoy. 🙂
I don’t like fishing…ice or not, but I have snowshoed. It wasn’t because of need, it was just a fun contest friends and I had during a ski vacation. Ya know? How far can you go before you trip? It is not as easy as one would think, but I did ok. Although I opt for snowmobiling as a method to get from point A to point B.
No, I come from a cold climate but my idea of fun winter activity was to sit by the window and read!
I have never snowshoed or ice fished although I did a little bit of cross-country skiing many years ago.
I have neither snowshoed nor ice fished.
I’ve never snowshoed or ice fished but my dad was born in a small village almost to Switzerland where soup was served everyday to help them stay warm and full. It was rice country but after walking to Milan and coming to America he loved pasta.
No, I have never snow shoed or ice fished, I would be willing to try either, but then again my fingers go numb so easily I don’t know if that would be a good idea. Thank you for the recipe, it sounds yummy, I’m writing it down now.
I’m from Minnesota—of course, I’ve tried both. I didn’t like either one—but then there’s not much about winter that I do like.
No, I’ve never done those activities, sounds interesting though.
Where I live, we have grits galore. Snow, not so much. Snowshoeing and ice fishing does not happen in this area.
Nope never done them. I try to stay indoors on cold days. Thank you for the chance to win a signed copy When The Grits Hit The Fan.
I haven’t done either, as I live in Oklahoma, and we never get that much snow. This soup, and this book, sound awesome. Thank you for the chance!
never have snowshoed or ice fished and probably never will..LOL…however I will fix this soup!
No I have never had snowshoes or went ice fishing – not my cup of tea at my age .But I love making soups
No snowmobiled ice skating sledding. I’m in Wisconsin but no to ice fishing and snowshoeing.
I have never been snowshoeing or ice fishing. When there’s that much snow or ice, I rather be inside with a good book.
I’ve tried downhill and XX skiing, but no snow shoes.
I have never snowshoed or ice fished, but I know people who do. The Sullo Scio sounds so good, I will have to try it. I am looking forward to reading When the Grits Hit the Fan, thank-you for the chance to win this.
I have never snow shoed or ice fished. I live in a city so there is no place to do either that I could get to.
I have never tried either one or skiing but I do like sledding.
I live in MI and although we get quite a bit of snow, I have never been ice fishing or snow shoeing! I love all soups, so this recipe for Sullo Scio is fantastic! Thank you for sharing. 🙂 Also, thank you for the opportunity to win this book! It sounds awesome!
I haven’t done either. I’m not a huge fan of the cold…ha ha, since I live in Utah.
That recipe looks absolutely delicious! Thank you.
Have not done either. Though in Wyoming it would be pretty common place for the local population to do so.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
No, I’ve never done either one, altho the ice fishing looks like fun. I bet it’s hard work tho & awfully cold. The Sullo Scio looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I live in Texas so I’ve never done either. I think snow shoeing sounds like fun. The soup looks delicious.
I have never snow shoed or ice fished. We don’t get cold enough temps in Tennessee. The recipe and book sound great. I could Pasta dishes everyday.
I’ve never snowshoed, but did go ice fishing on Whitewater Lake with my dad as a kid. Nice memories, but I enjoyed fishing when it wasn’t so cold better. Thanks for the review, and the recipe is making my mouth water!
I’ve always lived in the South, so I’ve never snowshoes or went ice fishing. The soup sounds tasty and the book sounds great!
No on both counts Kim, but, my hubs has told me many stories involving both activities during his 25 years of living in Alaska.
I have been ice fishing with my grandfather when I was young in Minnesota! never snowshoeing. Looking forward to reading this book!
I haven’t snowshoed or ice fished although when we go to church or into town we watch those who go out on the ice to ice fish. I am amazed at their houses they put on the ice and some of the people carry so much with them when they go out on the ice. It is a small area of water but a lot of people head out and try. We have never stopped to see if they catch anything although in my warm car I do feel for them .Not so sure if it is worth the time although if it relaxes them or it is enjoyment then that is great! Thank you for a recipe for a nice soup I gave it to my hubby to make for us one night . Thank you for offering a print book also!
I have never done either..I would love to try ice fishing sometime.
I grew up in Philadelphia, and I remember quite a few snow storms! Did anyone ever see “The Christmas Story?” If so do you remember the beginning when the mom is dressing “Randy”, the younger brother? Well, that’s how my mom used to dress us up to go to school. Question is, are boots considered snow shoes, lol? We did have a huge hill near our house, and my dad used to take us there to go sledding and snowboarding, but there was definitely no ice fishing.
Thank you for the recipe. Yum! And the giveaway of course.
Oh dear I thought I had entered…well here goes…I love the sound of the book. The recipe looks delicious and so does the book.
Marilyn [email protected]
I have never been ice fishing or snow shoeing. Although I would love to go ice fishingz
Nope never went snow shoeing or ice fishing.
I’ve not had the chance to do either. We live in the south where we get very little winter so snow and ice don’t come around often or stay that long when they do. The recipe sound delicious. You did say you were fixing it for all of us today for lunch didn’t you? 😉 The book sounds like a great read that I’d love to get my hands on. After all, anything with the name GRITS in it to a southern gal has to be AOK. Thanks for a chance to win a copy. 🙂
No but I have fished and skied and ice skated.
I have ice fished on Oneida Lake and I’ve snowshoed up in Potsdam NY. Coming from Syracuse I’ve skiied both downhill and cross country. Glad to live in the South now. Thanks for the chance to win
I don’t recall that I did any ice fishing but did a lot of ice skating where people were fishing. And no snowboarding but lots of sledding and tobogganing in my youth. Thank you. Cynthia B.
I have never snowshoed nor ice fished before. I left the cold over 50 years ago and try to stay away from snow an ice.
I have never been ice fishing. Thanks for the chance. Maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
Never been ice fishing (& don’t want to!) but I have gone snowshoeing ? Can’t wait to try the recipe with veggie stock!
Cheers-
Kelly Braun
Gaelicark(at)yahoo(dot)com
I am so glad you did this soup!
We love soup so I’m always looking for new recipes. I liked the fact that not only was it easy to make, it was quite satisfying too!