Peachy Pear Dream Bars

I'm excited to introduce Loy from Grandma Loy's Kitchen as we start another week of guest posts here at Morsels of Life. I first "met" Grandma Loy when linking up my Five Friday Finds. Grandma Loy's always got some sweet treats picked out - things you'd expect to come out of grandma's kitchen. :) Let's all give Grandma Loy a warm welcome as she shares her Peachy Pear Dream Bars!

---

First, I want to thank CJ for allowing me to post on her wonderful blog. We "meet" most weeks over at Finding Joy in Your Kitchen when we link up to Friday Favorite Finds. I am always anxious to see CJ's picks for the week. If you are popping over from my blog, Grandma Loy's Kitchen, stick around awhile and check out CJ's great recipes.

Peaches, pears, coconut, and nuts atop a shortbread crust. Transport yourself to the midst of summer anytime by eating these cookies/dessert bars!

Cardamom Pears

Warm pears flavored with cardamom and vanilla, then garnished with candied ginger. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Pear Brie Quesadillas

Combine pear and Brie cheese with a bit of rosemary for a more "elegant" quesadilla, perfect as an appetizer, snack, dessert, or anytime!

Baked Pears with Ginger Crumble

Pears topped with a warm, gingery oatmeal crumble, then baked to perfection - a simple and flavorful alternative to the traditional apple crumble.

Red Wine Poached Pears

It’s said that variety is the spice of life, and of course, the selection of a novel entrée is no different. I find myself focusing on every other permutation of main dish, side dish, and salad but often lose sight of the desserts. Maybe it was the way I was raised, but I rarely make desserts, which is not to say that I don’t enjoy eating them. Lately, we've been getting a lot of pears, so I decided to roll up my sleeves and look for a sweeter treat. That's when I found this recipe on The Charm of Home and decided to give it a try. This super easy recipe is sure to make pears that much more delightful. And then, after you've had the pears, you can further thicken the sauce into a wine jelly! Don't you love it when a recipe makes two things in one? I know I do!



 
Red Wine Poached Pears by Morsels of Life
A sweet juice-laden pear infused with a red wine sauce, then coated with a slightly tangy reduction.

Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 21 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

Materials:

• 2 pears


• 1.5 cups red wine


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 2 tablespoons lemon juice


• 1 tablespoon cinnamon, powder

Methods:

1. Combine all materials except pears, then heat and stir until sugar dissolved.


2. Add the pears and bring to a boil, then decrease heat and simmer until pears soft.


3. Remove pears, but continue to reduce the sauce. Once sauce reaches desired consistency, pour over pears and serve.


4. If desired, the leftover sauce can be reduced even more to form a wine jelly. James used it for PB&J, but I'm sure you can be more creative.

 

Pin It

Tweet it

 
Linked to: These Chicks Cooked, Tuesdays at the Table, Tuesday Talent Show, Tasty Tuesday Party

Pear with Toasted Walnuts

It's been a while since I've made dessert using fruit, so when I saw this recipe from Summer Tomato a while back, I thought I would give it a try. The pears I needed to use up also helped. :) I didn't have the Bosc pears she called for, so I used D'Anjou instead. This recipe is really quite simple and straightforward. The only thing to be aware of when making this dessert is not to put your face directly over the reducing balsamic vinegar - or you'll get a nice dose of acetic acid. That, and don't burn your walnuts. This recipe will create a savory dessert that perfectly combines sweet flavors from the pear (fruity sweet), balsamic vinegar (tangy sweet), and cinnamon (spicy sweet) with the nutty flavor of toasted walnuts. (Does that even make sense?) Each aspect brings a different type of sweetness to the table, an combined together, the complexity of flavors forms a dessert you're just got to experience for yourself! This is a quick dessert that only seems like it took a long time to make. Serve it at parties and wow your guests! (Use the oven instead of the stove for quick scale-up.) This dessert was good enough to eat on its own, but you could also try it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! I know this recipe doesn't call for any additional sugar, but trust me, you don't need it. I was initially skeptical too - would it taste good as a dessert without any added sugar? It does, I promise.


Pear with Toasted Walnuts (printable version)
A savory dessert contrasting aromatic, sweet pears with fragrant, tangy balsamic vinegar, topped with the smoky and nutty flavor of toasted walnuts

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 1-2 servings

Materials:

• 1 pear, cored
• cinnamon, powdered
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon butter (optional)

Methods:

1. Reduce balsamic vinegar by gently heating and swirling. When it's ready, it should coat the back of a spoon and taste pleasant.
2. While reducing, cut pear into about 8-10 slices.
3. Toast walnuts.
4. Cook pears about 3-5 minutes on each side, until desired level of tenderness reached.
5. Place pears on a plate, sprinkle on chopped walnuts, drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction, and top with a few dashes of cinnamon.
6. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Leave a comment telling us about your favorite fruity dessert!