Grabbing the Gusto

Deirdre Reid – Freelance Writer & Home Cook

Speckled sea trout (I think) on a wooden cutting board - inspiration for menu ideas and recipes for chicken, mushrooms, greens, cabbage, cauliflower, speckled sea trout, and striped bass

Menu ideas and recipes for chicken, mushrooms, greens, cabbage, cauliflower, speckled sea trout, and striped bass Chicken Marsala and mushroom casserole Last Sunday, I made a chicken Marsala and mushroom casserole, a recipe that’s evolved over the years. 8 ounces (or more) elbow macaroni (regular or wheat) 3 tablespoons butter and/or olive oil 1 to …

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Ribbonfish head - Menu ideas and recipes for shad roe, chicken thighs, sourdough, kale, greens, red cabbage, ribbonfish, black sea bass, and sweet potatoes

Menu ideas and recipes for shad roe, chicken thighs, sourdough, kale, greens, red cabbage, ribbonfish, black sea bass, and sweet potatoes An early springtime celebration In North Carolina, it’s shad roe season for the next week or two. Last year, I waited too long and missed out, so I bought a set last week for …

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Oysters -- Menu ideas for chicken, prosciutto, sage, striped bass, kale, sweet potatoes, shrimp, pizza, and oysters

Menu ideas for chicken, prosciutto, sage, striped bass, kale, sweet potatoes, shrimp, pizza, and oysters Chicken saltimbocca I haven’t had chicken saltimbocca in I don’t know how long, so I bought some prosciutto and provolone, picked some sage, and followed a recipe from Leite’s Culinaria. I didn’t have semolina, so I used flour instead, and …

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Menu ideas and recipes for chicken, rice, sea bass, flounder, broccoli, flank steak, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, duck fat and potatoes

Menu ideas and recipes for chicken, rice, sea bass, flounder, broccoli, flank steak, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, duck fat and potatoes One-pot fish dinner When I saw this one-pot gingery chicken and rice with peanut sauce recipe, I thought, hmm, I’ll do it with fish instead. I was going to add fillets of black sea …

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Menu ideas and recipes for jalapeños, cilantro, black drum, chicken, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and cabbage

Menu ideas and recipes for jalapeños, cilantro, black drum, chicken, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and cabbage Green goodness for black drum fillets I love finding a new sauce for fish. Although this one might be meant for tacos, we loved it on baked black drum fillets: creamy jalapeño sauce. I used Vietnamese coriander instead of …

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Menu ideas and recipes for chicken, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, polenta, mushrooms, greens, chickpeas, yellowfin tuna and black drum

Menu ideas and recipes for chicken, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, polenta, mushrooms, greens, chickpeas, yellowfin tuna and black drum Embrace the cozy—and cranberries When it gets cold, I start thinking about cranberries—childhood conditioning, I guess. The star of our Sunday dinner was cranberry chicken parmesan. It may sound weird but it’s really good. While eating the …

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pork chop with tomato gravy

Recipes and menu ideas for dogfish, red (vermillion) snapper, yellowfin tuna, mackerel, salmon, collards, okra, bacon jam, corn, kale, eggplant, chicken, pork chops with tomato gravy, pancakes, pickled eggs and boiled peanuts. ~~~ Phew, it’s been a wild few weeks. We spent a week hiking in northern Arizona and then came home to Hurricane Florence. …

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Recipes and menu ideas: eggplant caponata, summer southern succotash, charred shishito peppers, summer squash gratin, peach glazed chicken thighs, roasted mackerel with garlic and paprika, and southwestern striped mullet.

Recipes and menu ideas: eggplant caponata, southern summer succotash, charred shishito peppers, summer squash gratin, peach glazed chicken thighs, roasted mackerel with garlic and paprika, and southwestern striped mullet. ~~~ Eggplant Caponata About a month ago, eggplants of all kinds and shapes appeared at the farmers market. When I first saw a display of them, …

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You’ll want to eat this sauce right from the pan—an easy weeknight chicken dinner perfect for blueberry season, or whenever blueberries are in your freezer. ~~~ I’m a big fan of dishes that combine sweet and savory with a touch of salty or spicy, like poultry or pork with fruit. In the winter, I love …

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