fall fest Archives - Taste With The Eyes

Thanksgiving Cranberry Jelly Sashimi

Thanksgiving Cranberry Jelly Sashimi

What if the old cranberry jelly appeared on the buffet as ahi tuna?

Let’s add a bit of whimsy to the Thanksgiving buffet this year! You can still serve your fabulous homemade cranberry orange relish. But perhaps you also have some guests who love the cranberry sauce that comes from a can. Not that they don’t have sophisticated taste buds, they just like the tradition, comfort, and memories from the celebrations of yesteryear. So why not make them happy too? The cost is just a few minutes of your time plus one can of Jellied Cranberry Sauce and a couple tablespoons of cream cheese (with a drop of food coloring to stand in for wasabi)…or take the friendly hoax to another level by adding fresh lemon, shiso leaves, and a pickled ginger rosette.

How To Make Thanksgiving Cranberry Jelly Sashimi

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A Twist on Carrots and Quinoa

A Twist on Carrots and Quinoa

Spiraled Carrots, Black Quinoa
Pine Nuts, Currants, Parsley, Mint, Chives
Lemon Juice, Olive Oil

Here’s a healthy side dish, perfect for the Autumn Holidays. Black quinoa and orange spiralized carrot make a striking presentation. Toasted pine nuts and plumped currants plus lots of fresh herbs all tossed with lemon juice olive oil simply seasoned with salt and pepper – it’s earthy, nutty, sweet, bright, colorful, fresh, and herbal. Serve it along side the creamy mashed potatoes and buttery stuffing as a vegan, whole grain, gluten-free, high fiber, guilt-free counter-balance to the holiday favorites.

A Twist on Carrots and Quinoa Recipe

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Brussels, Bacon, Balsamic

Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Bacon Shards, 18-Year Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

Thinking about my upcoming Thanksgiving menu, wondering if my nephews would try the Brussels sprouts this time around. Can Aunt GeeGee sell one of America’s most-disliked vegetables to 11 & 13-year-old boys?

Hmmm…maybe bacon would help, but not some puny bacon bits. This would have to be real bacon, the thick smoky meaty kind from my butcher, not the pre-packaged grocery store variety. And it would have to be substantial. Bacon shards. And I will drizzle it with the most heavenly vinegar, a vinegar older than both of them…rich and creamy, sweet and subtly sour, aged 18 years!

Stone at 6-years-old — Stone at 6-Years-Old

Who am I kidding? I know what their plates will look like…turkey, their grandma’s mashed potatoes, gravy, and shards of bacon (no Brussels sprouts in sight). Maybe I can get them to try my pumpkin risotto, it’s full of cheese after all.

Brussels, Bacon, Balsamic Recipe

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Pumpkin Risotto with Burrata, Fried Sage

Smoky Pumpkin Risotto with Burrata
Crumbled Fried Sage

Happy Halloween! The culinary SORCERESS has a real TREAT to share in the SPIRIT of the holiday…a SMOKY creamy pumpkin risotto in which she BURIES a MONSTROUS wedge of burrata. This TRICK she learned from gastronomic WIZARD two-star Michelin chef Julian Serrano. He SUBMERGES burrata under his BLOOD-RED Risotto Al Vino Rosso at restaurant Lago in Las Vegas.

BEWARE, this dish is only for those with a GHOULISH ATTRACTION to fresh mozzarella cheese stuffed with heavy cream, aka burrata. Topped with crumbled fried sage, it is a BEWITCHING seasonal risotto and so FRIGHTFULLY good.

Smoky Pumpkin Risotto Recipe

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Autumn Squash Salad, Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Autumn Squash Salad

Acorn Squash, Korean Pear, Mixed Lettuces
Farro, Smoky Spicy Pumpkin Seeds, Gorgonzola
Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Looking for a salad that just screams Fall? Look no further. Crisp, juicy, sweet Korean pear contrasts the tender roasted acorn squash while farro adds a chewiness and nutty earthy notes. Crumbly, salty bleu-veined gorgonzola and smoky spicy pumpkin seeds add amplitude. It is all harmonized by the dressing, a deep ruby-hued tart vinaigrette. Color, texture, flavor, a feeling of abundance – it’s all right here in this stunning seasonal salad.

How to Choose, Cut, and Cook an Acorn Squash

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