By Staff
It's pear picking time. How do I know because Pauline Rogers, my neighbor told me so. Pauline says her trees are so full of pears that the limbs are hanging low to the ground.
Pears are an excellent and economical fruit and this year they are pretty plentiful. If you don't see your favorite recipe below, just call us; we'll be glad to repeat it to you over the phone, mail it and even fax it to you.
Our telephone number is (251) 867-7760. We also have pear booklet available called “Uses of Pears”
It's full of delicious pear recipes. We will be glad to put it in the mail to you – just call and request it.
Here are some of the popular pear recipes folks have asked for lately: Be sure to clip them out and enjoy!
Pear Preserves
6 medium-size pears
1 lemon
1-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups sugar
Use hard, ripe pears. Wash pears and peel them. Cut them in halves or quarters and remove cores. Wash lemon and cut it into thin slices. Combine 1-1/2 cups sugar and water in a large, thick-bottom saucepan. Heat over high heat and boil 2 minutes. Add pears, reduce heat, and boil gently for 15 minutes. Add 1-1/2 cups sugar and lemon slices. Stir until sugar dissolves. Then, increase heat and boil rapidly until pears are clear, about 25 minutes.
Remove pan from heat, cover it, and let pears sit for 12 to 24 hours in a cool place. Then, heat pears and syrup to boiling.
Fill hot jars immediately with pears, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Add boiling syrup to cover pears, leaving a one-quarter-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids.
Process in a boiling water-bath canner. For half-pints, process for five minutes.
Fall Pear Cake
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/ 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
fresh Barlett pears, peeled, diced (4 cups)
2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup cooking sherry
Beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift dry ingredients together and mix well with creamed butter.
Fold in remaining ingredients. Turn into buttered and floured 9-inch-by-13-inch oven proof baking dish. Bake 350 degrees oven 35 to 45 minutes.
When fresh pears are not in season I use canned or frozen pears for this recipe.
You can also substitute orange or pear juice for the cooking sherry.
Pears in Caramel Cream
6 firm pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 pint whipping cream
Place pears in a buttered shallow baking dish; sprinkle with sugar, and dot with butter.
Bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes or until sugar turns brown; baste several times. Pour cream over pears, stirring gently. Bake 2 additional minutes. Serve hot.
This recipe makes enough to serve six people.
We are here to help you with any of your household questions or problems. We have many publications that may be able to help you out of some sticky situations.
Don't forget to contact us if we can be of any assistance. Our office is located on U.S. 31 South, just behind Southern Pine Electric cooperative.