Arugula and Pear Salad #SundayFunday

The spicy bite of Arugula and the sweet crunch of the Pears combine to make this salad a perfect addition to your holiday feasts. 

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are celebrating National Pear Month.....

Orange and Pear Muffins for the 5th Day of Christmas #MuffinMonday

Start the year with a healthier, delicious muffin filled with fiber to keep you full longer.  Your family won't guess that you are concentrating on nutrition in the New Year.

It's Muffin Monday.......

Easy Peasy Christmas Pear Bundt #ChristmasSweetsWeek

The Holidays are very busy but we still want to serve up an elegant and delicious dessert.  This easy, peasy recipe allows that to happen and takes only a few minutes of hands-on time.

We are finishing up Christmas Sweets Week with a bang......

Pecan, Pear, and Blue Cheese Madeleines #CakeSliceBakers

Tender, savory, little cakes studded with pears, pecans, and blue cheese. Perfect as an appetizer on their own or as part of a charcuterie board with a glass of wine or cocktail while awaiting a holiday dinner this season.  

We are nearing the end of our bakes for this year's Cake Slice Bakers selection, Gateau; The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes.  

Slow Cooker Butterscotch Pears #SpringSweetsWeek

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

These pears, made in a slow cooker, make your house smell delicious and free you up for prepping and serving dinner without having to worry about dessert.  When ready to serve place in a bowl and add a scoop of ice cream.  Life doesn't get much easier or more delicious than that.

Welcome to Day 2 of Spring Sweets Week.........

Pears with Chocolate Crumble #NationalCookbookMonth

Seasonal pears topped with a chocolate almond crumble and baked to tender, delicious perfection and topped with fresh whipped cream.  A wonderful finish to a Fall Harvest Feast.

The Festive Foodie Gang are celebrating National Cookbook Month.......

Cinnamon Pear Muffins #MuffinMonday

 Tender crumb chock full of fresh, diced pear, flavored with a touch of cinnamon.  A perfect Fall treat.

It's time for Muffin Monday.......

Poires belle Helene and a book review of The Lost Feast for #LitHappens

Cinnamon poached pears nestled on top of ice cream and drenched in chocolate sauce.  This classic French dessert is elegant to serve and gives your guests the impression that you have been slaving away for them.  No need to burst their bubble and tell them how easy this is.

I was inspired to make this dish after reading The Lost Feast.......

Butterscotch Pear and Cranberry Pecan Bread Pudding #FamilyBakingChallenge

Melissa's Produce is hosting a Family Baking Challenge for the next six weeks.  It is an opportunity for families to bake together and be entered into a drawing with a chance of winning some great prize packages. 

Heather of Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks  arranged for 12 of us to receive fresh produce from Melissa's to use in this challenge.  There was also a bag of King Arthur organic flour in the box.  I have worked with products from both of these sponsors in the past and have always been pleased with the results.  I received no monetary compensation for this post and all writings and opinions are strictly my own.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Paprika Oil #ImprovCookingChallenge

 This delicious and easy soup is a wonderful first course for your Holiday dinners.  The combination of cauliflower and pear is seasonal and delicious.  The paprika oil drizzle adds a splash of color and flavor.

We are making recipes with Cauliflower and Paprika for this month's Improv Cooking Challenge.....

Pear and Sweet Potato Soup #SoupSaturdaySwappers

This soup is not only gorgeous it is delightfully elegant and so very delicious.  A perfect start to your holiday meal.

Soup Saturday Swappers is sharing Celebratory Soups today........

Rustic Pear and Almond Tart #OurFamilyTable

This easy peasy tart comes together in a snap.  It is fun to serve and wonderfully delicious.

The members of the From Our Dinner Group are celebrating Pears today.......

Caramelized Pear and Brie Rolls #ImprovCookingChallenge

Starting with refrigerated crescent rolls, these little packages filled with caramelized pears and melted brie cheese are a perfect appetizer.  They make a delicious, grab and go breakfast as well.

Our Improv Cooking Challenge today required we combine pears and dairy.......

Pear and Cranberry Salad #Cranberry Week

Tender baby spinach topped with pear slices coated in a lemon vinaigrette sprinkled with dried cranberries and shredded parmesan cheese is a great start to all your fall festivities.

This is the first day of Cranberry Week.........

Welcome to #FallFlavors; Pecan Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Pears

I received product from sponsors, Millican Pecan Company and Door County Coffee to assist in the creation of recipes for the Fall Flavors event.  All content, writings and opinions in this blog are strictly my own.

Tender chicken breast meat coated with pecans, sauteed to a golden brown are served up with poached pears in a scrumptious sauce.  This is fall food at it's finest.

Welcome to Flavors of Fall.  We will be sharing great fall recipes and are raffling off some amazing #sponsor gifts.  Come on in.........

Pork and Pears with Hard Cider Sauce #NationalPearDay

Happy National Pear Day!!

I have invited some of my blogging friends to celebrate with me today. I kind of feel sorry for pears.  We spent an entire week posting all of our favorite apple recipes during the last week of September.

We had a lot of fun but now it is time to celebrate the pear and it gets one lousy day......what is that all about!!

On my old farmstead I had pear trees so I was always looking for ways to use up pears. Some of my favorite recipes are this Spiced Pear Bundt Cake  and this Caramelized Pear Upside Down Cake.  I also love them in savory preparations like these Pan Roasted Pork Chop with Pear Chutney or this Salad with Arugula and Pears.

I decided to prepare another savory dish to share with you today.  I love the combination of Pork and Pears so when I saw this recipe for Vanilla Cider Pork with Pears in Cuisine at Home, I knew it was going to be a winner.

It starts with Pork Tenderloin, one of my favorite cuts when I want to get dinner on the table in short order.  Just be careful that you don't overcook it.  You want it to be a perfect medium rare at an internal temperature of 140*.

Quarter up some nice ripe but firm pears in some butter, until they turn a nice golden brown. Then remove them to a plate.

In the same pan, sear the pork that has been seasoned with salt and pepper and lightly dredged in flour.  When browned place on the plate with the pears.

Don't worry, we aren't ignoring the apple.  We are going to use a nice, crisp hard cider in the sauce.  The best thing?  You only need 1 cup which means, of course, that you HAVE TO drink the cider remaining in the bottle.  It would be a crime to waste this lovely beverage.

Deglaze the pan with the cider mixed with chicken broth, cream and flavored with vanilla.  When the sauce is reduced by half, return the pork and pears to the pan and continue to boil until pork reaches desired temperature and sauce has thickened.

Remove Pork and Pears to a serving platter.  Drizzle with the sauce and serve. This is a delightful harvest dinner showcasing all the wonderful flavors of Fall. 

You will find more perfect pear recipes at the bottom of this post.  I can't wait to see what the others are sharing.  I am always excited to get new pear recipes.

Pork and Pears with Hard Cider Sauce

adapted from Cuisine at Home, Issue #47

3 T. butter

3 large, ripe, firm pears, peeled, cored and quartered

1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed and sliced into 1" thick medallions

1/2 c. flour 

salt and pepper, to taste

1 c. chicken broth

1 c. hard apple cider

1/3 c. heavy cream

1 t. vanilla

Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the pears and cook until lightly browned in spots. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Dredge each medallion lightly in the flour.  Place into the butter remaining in the skillet and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Remove to the plate holding the pears.

Whisk together the cider, cream and chicken broth.  Add to the skillet and bring to a boil.  Stir to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add the vanilla and continue to boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Return the pork and the pears to the sauce.  Continue to cook at a gentle boil until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 140*-155* (med rare to med), the pears are tender and the sauce has thickened.  

Remove pork and pears to a platter to rest for 5 minutes leaving the sauce on low heat in the skillet.  When ready to serve drizzle warm sauce over the pork and pears.  Print Recipe

More Pear Recipes to Celebrate National Pear Day

• Individual Pear Galette by Caroline's Cooking  
• Pear Pecan Cardamom Crumble by Cookaholic Wife 
• Pork and Pears with Hard Cider Sauce by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Red Wine-Poached Pears in a Boozy Chocolate Sauce by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Roasted Pear Quiche by Palatable Pastime 
•  Upside Down Pear Gingerbread by The Gingered Whisk

First Monday Favorites

It is time for First Monday Favorites.  Our friend Sidsel of  Sid's Sea Palm Cooking, invited us to meet up with her on the first Monday of each month to share the recipe that is our own personal favorite from the month prior.

When I made these Pork Chops with Pear Chutney I knew they were going to be my choice for today's feature.  

I made these as part of the Crazy Ingredient Challenge that I join on the 20th of each month.  Last month's ingredients were pears and red pepper flakes.  I was so pleased with how quick and easy this recipe was and how absolutely delicious it turned out.  The chops were moist and juicy.  The chutney was sweet with just a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes.  The presentation?....Well, look for yourself.  

I made these just for Frank and I since I was experimenting but I can't wait to serve this to company. I know that my family and friends will love it and I'm pretty sure that your's will as well.

Here are the Links to Everyone's First Monday Favorites

An InLinkz Link-up

Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Pear Chutney #CrazyIngredientChallenge

Folks, let me tell you....I am so happy that I joined in with the Crazy Ingredient Challenge this month. Our challenge was to combine Pears and Red Pepper Flakes.  I never, ever would have created this recipe without being involved in this group and now?  Well, now it is going to be making a regular appearance in this household.  I can't wait to invite friends over to try this meal.  That is how excited I am about this dish.

I used two different kinds of pears, a Bartlett and a Bosc. I felt that this would lend the chutney some texture and interest.

  

This is the easiest chutney recipe ever.  I adapted it from this recipe found at Food Network website. A few minutes in the microwave, set it aside to cool and start on the chops.

I used boneless pork loin chops.  A quick sear on one side, flip them over and finish them off in the oven. 

Since I had the oven on anyway, I put some diced butternut squash in to roast as well.  It was the perfect side for this dish.

Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Easy Pear Chutney

2 pears of your choice

3 scallions, white and light greens, roughly chopped

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. brown sugar

2 t. butter

1/4 t. ginger paste

1/2 t. cinnamon

pinch of kosher salt

pinch of crushed red pepper 

2 boneless, loin chops

2 t. olive oil

Peel, core and dice the pears. Place in a microwave safe bowl along with the scallions, vinegar, brown sugar, butter, ginger, cinnamon, salt and red pepper flakes.  Cover and microwave for 1 minute on high heat.  Stir and return, covered to microwave for another 10 minutes.  Take from oven, remove lid, stir and set aside.

Place the olive oil in an oven safe skillet over high heat.  Season the chops liberally with salt and pepper.  When the oil is shimmering, add the chops and sear for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Flip the chops over and place the pan into a preheated 400* oven for 15-20 minutes until an internal temperature of 145* is reached.  Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.  Plate and top with the Pear Chutney. Print Recipe

More Pear and Red Pepper Creations

An InLinkz Link-up

Spiced Pear Bundt Cake for #BundtBakers

This is the perfect Fall desssert.  Chock full of pieces of pear, spiced with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg then covered with a caramel glaze.  Perfect for your dessert table on Thanksgiving or at your next dinner party during the holiday season.

Welcome to this month's edition of #BundtBakers.  Each month we get together with like-minded bloggers and bring you lovely bundts that were created based on a theme chosen by one of the members.  This month's theme was pears, chosen by our host, Lauren, of Sew You Think You Can Cook.

I was very excited about this theme because I LOVE pears and was the proud owner of two glorious pear trees until we moved last month.  Those pear trees, along with my cherry and peach tree, are one of the things I will miss about my old home.  We will put in some fruit trees here in the Spring but it will take a few years to reap the benefits of our labor.

Each year I would have such an abundance of pears that we couldn't possibly eat them all.  So I would preserve them making jams, and pear halves in syrup and pear butter.  I had one quart of pear butter left in my pantry, so I pulled it out to use in this wonderful cake.

My pear butter is spiced with wonderful Fall flavors.  If you are not lucky enough to have pear butter in your cupboard simply puree a couple ripe pears with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. You will have more than you need for this recipe but you can enjoy it on your toast for breakfast during the week.

I would average about 4 sink loads of pears every other year and 2 sink loads on opposite years.

That is a lot of pear butter!!!

I adapted this recipe from Betty Crocker for this month's event.  I used my pear butter instead of pureed pears and pumpkin pie spice.  I served it up for dessert at an engagement party that I hosted.

It was a huge success and is it any wonder? Look at those lovely chunks of pear enfolded by that beautifully spiced cake and topped with a creamy, decadent caramel.  Who could resist?

Spiced Pear Bundt Cake

adapted from Betty Crocker

3 c. flour

1 1/4 t. baking soda

pinch of salt

1/2 c. pear butter

2 lg. ripe pears, cored, peeled and diced

3/4 c. canola oil

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

dash of salt

1/3 c. heavy cream

1 c. powdered sugar

In large bowl of stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the pear butter, canola oil and sugar at medium speed until combined.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Beat in vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the bowl and mix on low speed until moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat until combined.  Return the speed to low and stir in diced pear.

Pour the batter into a bundt pan that has been treated with baking spray.  The batter will be thick, spread evenly in the pan.  Place bundt in a preheated 350* oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center removes cleanly.  Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.  Allow cake to cool completely.

Combine butter, brown sugar, dash of salt and heavy cream in a medium sauce pan.  Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes before whisking in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Pour over cooled cake immediately before it hardens.  Print Recipe

More Wonderful Bundts with Pears

Almond Pear Bread Pudding from Food Lust People Love

Bundt Cake de Pera y Almendras from La Mejor Manera de Hacer

Fresh Pear Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze from The Queen of Scones

Honey and Walnut Pear Bundt Cake from Sew You Think You Can Cook

London Fog & Pear Bundt Cake from All That's Left Are The Crumbs

Orange Pear Bundt Cake from Basic N Delicious

Pear and Date Bundt Cake with Caramel Mascarpone Sauce from kidsandchic

Pear and Hazelnut Bundt from Jane's Adventures in Dinner

Pear and Port Bundt Cake from Palatable Pasttime

"Pear"fect Rum Raisin Cake from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Pear Pecan Coffee Bundt Cake from Patty's Cake

Pear Spiced Bundt Cake from I Love Bundt Cakes

Pear Streusel Crunch Cake from Noshing with the Nolands

Pumpkin Pear Bundt Cake from Making Miracles

Roasted Pear & Walnut Spice Cake Bundt from Brooklyn Homemaker

Salted Caramel Pear Bundt Cake from Tartacadabra

Spiced Pear Bundt from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Fall Harvest Muffins #MuffinMonday

The last Monday of each month I join my friend, Stacy of Food Lust People Love, and other like minded bloggers to celebrate Muffin Monday.  I try to join in each month because muffins are a great thing.  They can be savory or sweet.  They freeze well, so last until the next month when it is time to make another batch.  They are portable so you can grab one as you run out the door or hand one to your family as they run out the door, feeling good that they are starting the day with a (somewhat) healthy breakfast.

The muffins I am sharing today contain a good amount of sugar but they are also chock full of fruit, veggies and nuts so are better than a bowl of sugary cereal.  They taste better than cereal too so your kids won't balk about eating breakfast.  They also make a great afternoon snack to stave of the hangries before dinner.  You know the hangries...that anger people get when they allow their blood sugar to drop because they haven't eaten in 4 or 5 hours.

I adapted this recipe from one found on the Land o Lakes website.  I substituted a pear for one of the apples, zucchini for the carrots, pepitas for the nuts and dried cranberries for the dried cherries. I pretty much made it my own but I did get the original idea from this recipe. 

Muffins are so quick and easy to put together that you can squeeze in making them between showering and leaving for work, or between television programs or before you do the dishes so they can bake while you clean.  You get the idea.  Anywhere you find a free half an hour.

Simply combine your dry ingredients.

Stir in your add ins.

Add the wet ingredients.

Stir just until moistened.

Scoop into tins lined with papers or treated with baking spray.

Pop them into the oven for 18-20 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Fall Harvest Muffins

inspired by Land O Lakes

1 1/2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. old fashioned oats

1 T. cinnamon

2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 med. apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4" dice

1 med. pear, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4" dice

1 1/2 c. grated zucchini

3/4 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

3 eggs

1/2 c. butter, melted

1/2 c. applesauce

2 t. vanilla

Combine flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, soda and salt in a large bowl.  Add apple, pear, zucchini, cranberries and pepitas to flour mixture.  In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, applesauce and vanilla.  Pour over dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Place 1/4 c. batter into each of 18 muffin tins that have been lined with paper or treated with baking spray.  Bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of  a muffin removes cleanly. Print Recipe

More Monday Muffins

• Cheese and Garlic Muffins from Making Miracles
• Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Fall Harvest Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Purple Sweet Potato Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Spicy Chicken Salad Muffins from Food Lust People Love

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.