Poached Pears

I occasionally participate in a local produce co-op. Recently, the co-op participants  received a bag of anjou pears. After lots of snacks, cheese plates, and salads, I still have several pears needing to be eaten. These, unlike other pears I've had in the past, didn't start getting mushy as they got older. They remained firm. That gave me an idea. I should poach them!

I'd never poached pears before so decided to start out with a pretty straight forward recipe. And they turned out so yummy!  It's an elegant dessert that even the kids will like!

This recipe is very very basic. And while there are many ways to poach pears, this is a good place to start.

Poached Pears with Orange and Cinnamon:   
(recipe adapted from Edna Lee's recipe for "Poached Orange Pears" from Allrecipes.com)

4 firm, ripe pears
2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick, about 3 inches
whipped cream and ground cinnamon, as garnish

Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, remove the skin from the pears. Cut the pears in half and remove the core. *tip - you can use a melon baller to scoop out the seeds.*

In a medium saucepan, combine orange juice, brown sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to medium low. 

Carefully add the pears to the liquid. Cover and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the pears are tender but still hold their shape well. (Turn the pears occasionally during the cooking time if the poaching liquid does not complete cover the pears.)

Remove the cinnamon stick  and discard. Remove the pears, with a slotted spoon and transfer to desire serving dishes. Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of the poaching liquid (which should now have a syrup consistency), and a dash of ground cinnamon.

That's it! So simple.

Next on my 'Recipes to Try' list: Red Wine Poached Pears with Marscapone cheese...

Candied Pecans

Watch out! These things are addictive. With the perfect balance of sweet and salty crunch, you'll find it hard to eat just one. Even my two year old loves them! In fact, even people who claim that they don't like nuts have been found munching on these delectable treats!

I like to use these candied pecans on top of sweet potatoes, salads, or ice cream. But, my favorite way to eat them is straight out of the bowl.  They are a fabulous snack, and with no oil or butter, you benefit from the protein without the added fat.

So, every fall when baking goods go on sale, be sure to pick up an extra bag of pecans.

Candied Pecans

1 lb pecan halves
1 egg white
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp table salt
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1 TBSP water


Preheat oven to 250 F. Grease a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until it is foamy. Stir in the water and vanilla extract. Add the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir well.
Gently stir the pecans into the egg white mixture until they are thoroughly coated. Spread the nuts into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes (this is important to keep the pecans from sticking).
Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Maple-Bourbon Pecan Pie

 Dessert is my favorite part of the traditional American Thanksgiving meal. After all the turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, and cranberry relish, nothing hits the spot like a slice (or two) of pie. This pie made it's debut at our Thanksgiving table this year. It was an instant favorite. Unbelievably easy to make, this holiday-worthy dessert is loaded with maple flavor and given complexity with a touch of bourbon.  You've never tasted a pecan pie so good!

Maple-Bourbon Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie crust
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 TBS all purpose flour
1 cup pure grade B maple syrup
3 large eggs
3 TBS melted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 TBS bourbon whiskey
1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, white sugar, and flour. Whisk in maple syrup, eggs, melted butter, vanilla and bourbon.
Spread pecans evenly over the bottom of the unbaked pie crust. Pour liquid mixture over the pecans.
Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the middle is set. Cool completely before serving.
Serve with whipped cream. 
  
(recipe adapted from Harvest Market, Bon Appetit Dec 2000)