Hazelnut Pear Muffins
Bake @ 400 for 20 min. Makes 20 muffins
1, 7/8 C. flour 2 eggs
1/2 C. sugar 1 C. buttermilk
1 T. baking powder 1 pear chopped
1/4 C. hazelnuts ground
Sift flour, sugar and baking powder. Stir in ground hazelnuts. Combine eggs with buttermilk and beat slightly. Stir in chopped pear. Pour liquid ingredients into center of dry ingredients and stir just enough to moisten flour mixture. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with raw sugar for a sweet, crunchy treat.
Pears Helene
1/3 C. sugar
1/4 C. sweet white wine or orange juice
3 in. cinnamon stick
1 t. vanilla
3/4 C. water
4 medium pears; peeled, halved and cored
In a large skillet bring sugar, wine, cinnamon, vanilla and water to boiling. Add pears. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 10-15 minutes or till tender. Serve pears warm or chilled with vanilla bean ice cream.
Pear Cranberry Crisp
Bake @375 for 35 min. Serves 6
Topping: Filling:
1 C. rolled oats 1, 1/2 C. fr. cranberries
1 C. packed brown sugar 3, 1/2 C. sliced pear
1/2 C. all-purpose flour 3 T. sugar
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/2 C. butter
1/4 C. chopped nuts
1/4 C. coconut
For filling, thaw fruit, if frozen. Do not drain. Place fruit in an 8 x 1, 1/2 in. round baking dish. Stir in sugar.
For topping: in a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in nuts and coconut. Sprinkle over filling.Bake until fruit is tender and topping is golden. Serve warm with ice cream or light cream if desired.
Spicy Fruit Scones
Bake @ 400
1/3 C. butter 1 egg, beaten
1 3/4 C. all purpose flour 1/2 C. diced pear
3 T. sugar 4-6 T. half & half
2 1/2 t. baking powder 1 egg, beaten
1/4 t. salt raw sugar
3/4 t. ground cardamom
1/8 t. ground cloves
Cut butter into flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cardamom and cloves with pastry blender or fork in large bowl until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in 1 egg, pear and just enough half and half so dough leaves side of bowl and forms a ball. Turn dough into lightly floured surface; gently roll in flour to coat. Knead lightly 10 times. Pat or roll, 1/2 in. thick; cut with floured 2, 1/2 in. biscuit cutter or cut and shape into triangle shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with remaining egg and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately romove from cookie sheet. Serve warm. Makes about 15 scones
Roasted Chicken, Pear & Gorgonzola Salad
4 pears; peeled and cored
3/4 lbs. mixed greens
3 medium endives, julienned
1/2 C. coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (see note)
3/4 lb. boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
1/2 C. red wine vinaigrette
1/2 lb. gorgonzola or feta cheese
1 roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced (see note)
Dice 2 of the peeled, cored pears. Place them in a large bowl along with washed greens, endive, walnuts and vinaigrette. Toss to mix. Divide the salad among 4 rimmed serving plates. Slice the remaining 2 pears and arrange on the rim of each plate. Sprinkle the gorgonzola or feta over the salads. Garnish with red pepper strips, if desired, and serve. Note: To toast nuts, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat until they start to brown. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to burn. Note: To roast peppers, place on broiler pan and broil about 5-6 inches from the heat source, turning often, until skin blisters. Place in paper bag about 10 min.
Skin should peel right off.
Apple-Pear Streusel Pie
Bake @375
Topping:
2 T. firmly packed brown sugar
2 T. old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1 T. butter, melted
3 T. all-purpose flour
Filling:
4 Granny Smith apples
2 Bosc pears
2 T. cornstarch
1/3 C. sugar
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
Crust:
2, 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
3/4 C. vegetable shortening
7 T. cold water
2 egg yolks
3 T. water
To make topping: in a small bowl, combine 'topping' ingredients and set aside. To make filling: peel, core and slice apples and pears; place in a large bowl. Mix together the cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon and add to the apples and pears mixing well. To make crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour sugar and salt; cut in shortening and mix by hand until little crumbs are formed. Add cold water, 1 T. at a time and mix until dough is formed. Take a third of the dough and set aside. Roll out remaining dough and place into a 9 inch pie pan. Trim excess dough and pinch edges decoratively. Add scraps to dough that was set aside; roll out and cut with star shaped cookie cutters. Brush shapes with egg yolk and water. Place filling in unbaked pie crust and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, romove foil and sprinkle crumbled topping in the middle of the pie. Arrange egg-washed star pastries on the top and bake another 20 min., uncovered; let cool
Best varieties for baking and cooking
Anjou, Bosc and Bartlet
For storing:
Choose pears with stems, no bruises or cuts. Wrap individually with tissue paper and store within a box in a cool dark place free of moisture.