Dessert Thursday March 1, 2018

Simple Maple Vanilla Baked Pears

Here is a healthy dessert to try. It is not always easy to get healthy desserts.

 

Ingredients:

• 4 D’Anjou pears (aka Anjou pears)
• 1/2 cup (120ml) pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• optional toppings: maple pecan granola, Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). I don’t line my baking sheet when I make these, but you absolutely can with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
2. Cut pears in half, then cut a small sliver off the underside so the pears sit flat when placed upright on the baking sheet. See video above for visual. Using a large or medium cookie scoop or melon baller (or even a teaspoon), core out the seeds. Arrange pears, facing up, on the baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon– feel free to add more cinnamon if you’d like.
3. Whisk the maple syrup and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle most of it all over the pears, reserving about 2 Tablespoons for after the pears are finished baking.
4. Bake pears for about 25 minutes until soft and lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with remaining maple syrup mixture. Serve warm with granola and yogurt. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
5. Make ahead tip: Pears are best baked right before they are served, but you could bake them completely and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Then, warm back up in the oven for 10 minutes and top with remaining maple syrup mixture, granola, and yogurt right before serving.

This recipe is by: Sally

Find out more at: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2016/01/28/simple-maple-vanilla-baked-pears/

Fruit of the Week: Pear pt. 4

Prep and Serving:
– Wash under running cold water before use
– Trim both ends and cut into two equal halves, take out small seeds, slice the pear into cubes or pieces
– Pear slices will turn brown on exposure to air (this is because of iron converting to ferric oxide due to the oxygen), if serving peras sliced, rinse the slices in water added with a few drops of lemon juice
– Pear juice can be fermented to make perry or pear cider
– Can be eaten fresh, canned, as juice, dried, made into jellies or jams, made into pie or fruit salad

Pear and Celery Soup

Pear and Celery Soup
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter
5 cups (1.25 L) finely chopped celery
4 onions, sliced
1/4 cup (60 mL) minced fresh chives
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable stock
3 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup (125 mL) 10% cream

Directions:
1. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Cook celery, onions, chives, thyme, salt and pepper, covered and stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until softened and translucent.
3. Pour in stock; bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until celery is very tender.
5. Add pears; cook for 5 minutes or until pears are tender.
6. In batches, purée in blender.
7. Return to saucepan; pour in cream and heat through without boiling.
8. Enjoy!

Fruit of the Week: Pear pt. 3

Selection and Storage:
– Choose fresh, bright, and firm pears
– Pears can be stored at room temperature until ripe
– Pears will ripen quicker if placed next to bananas
– Ripening will slow when placed in a fridge
– You will know a pear is ripe when the fruit around the stem gives to gentle pressure
– When ripe, pears are best stored in the fridge and can last 2-3 days

Pear Bread Pudding

Pear Bread Pudding
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
5 slices soft whole-wheat bread, each cut in half
2 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound thinly sliced cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. Butter a 9-inch square pan.
3. In a saucepan, heat the milk, sugar, butter, and salt until small bubbles form.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, then add the warm milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly.
5. Layer the square pan with the bread.
6. Top with the pears.
7. Pour the milk-egg mixture into the baking pan and sprinkle with the cinnamon.
8. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes.
9. Top with the cheddar, if desired, and bake until the cheese is melted, 5 to 10 minutes.
10. Serve warm and enjoy!

Fruit of the Week: Pear pt. 2

Health Benefits:
– Good source of dietary fiber (reduces appetite, regulates blood sugar, lowers “bad” cholesterol, alleviates constipation, may reduce risk of colorectal cancer)
– Good source of vitamin C (essential nutrient!)
– Less allergenic than many fruits and is often used as the first juice introduced to infants
– Mostly insoluble fiber which makes pears a good laxative
– Low in calories

Pear and Bacon Grilled Cheese

Pear and Bacon Grilled Cheese
Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons currant or fig jam (or another jam of your choice!)
2 slices of bread of your choice
2 slices cheddar cheese (again, or another cheese of your choice!)
2 slices cooked bacon
1/4 small pear, thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Spread the jam on 1 slice of the bread and form a sandwich with the cheese, bacon, and pear.
3. Cook the sandwich, covered, until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Enjoy!

Fruit of the Week: Pear

– Pears are related to apples, the main difference is that the flesh of pears are gritty
– Pears are native from western Europe to north Africa to Asia
– Pear trees range from 30-60 feet tall
– Some pears are edible while some are just ornamental
– There are over 3000 known varities of pear!
– The specific variety of pear we sell is the Beurre Bosc (AKA Bosc) pear which is a variety of the European Pear
– Bosc pears have a long tapering neck and russet skin
– Bosc pear flesh is dense, crisp, and smooth
– Bosc pears are called the “aristocrat of pears”

Pear Bread

Pear Bread
Makes 2 8×5 inch loaves

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 cups peeled, shredded pears
1 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the bowl.
3. In a separate bowl combine the oil, eggs, sugar, grated pears, pecans, and vanilla.
4. Blend well.
5. Add to well of dry ingredients.
6. Stir until just moistened.
7. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x5x3 inch loaf pans.
8. Bake in oven for one hour and 15 minutes.
9. Cool on wire rack before removing from the loaf pans.
10. Enjoy!