German Pancake with Caramelized Pears

This large pancake puffs up in the oven but quickly deflates. Anjou pears hold their shape beautifully and add plenty of flavor to this breakfast entrée. Ingredients               4 eggs 1 cup whole milk 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt 3 Anjou (Red or Green) USA Pears, peeled, cored, and sliced, about 3 cups ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup sugar Powdered sugar Directions  Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs then add the milk, flour, vanilla, and salt. Continue whisking until batter is smooth. Melt the butter in a cast iron or ovenproof 10-inch skillet. Add the pears and cinnamon and cook, stirring gently, until the pears begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and cook over medium Continue reading

Pear and Pumpkin Snack Cake

With whole wheat flour, pumpkin puree, and sweet and juicy USA Pears, this snack cake is a unique treat for boxed lunches or weekend gatherings. Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2-½ cups peeled, cored and diced firm, ripe USA Pear, preferably Bosc 2 tablespoons granulated sugar ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour 1 cup brown sugar, packed 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter cut in ½-inch pieces ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ cup pumpkin puree ⅓ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1-½ teaspoons cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon ground allspice ¾ teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Continue reading

Cheddar Pear Scones

These crumbly buttery scones studded with tender pears are a beguiling sweet and savory breakfast treat. Best served immediately or reheated the next day. Ingredients 1 peeled, cored and diced Bartlett or Green Anjou USA Pear, about ¾ cup 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup sugar 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, preferably white 2 tablespoons whole milk 1 large egg Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and blend using a pastry blender or two butter knives. Add the cheese, milk, and egg and stir until the dough begins to come together, then add the pears. Generously flour working surface and place the Continue reading

Pear and Sour Cream Muffins with Coconut-Pecan Streusel

These pear muffins are simply perfect! They’re ultra-tender thanks to the sour cream I’ve added to the batter, and have a crunchy, textured top courtesy of the coconut-pecan streusel they are sprinkled with before baking. This unique combination of flavors and textures makes for a very memorable muffin. Muffins are my favorite baked good for home baking because they keep so well. After we helped ourselves to a few muffins still warm from the oven, we kept these little sweeties tightly wrapped in the refrigerator where we enjoyed them as part of our breakfasts through the rest of the week. This recipe would be lovely as part of a pear-themed brunch for Easter or Mother’s Day. Try it alongside my Chicken Salad with Pears, Bacon, and Avocado as well as my Pear and Maple Breakfast Sausages. Serve a variety of Continue reading

Pear and Maple Breakfast Sausage

If you’ve tried my recipe for Braised Pork with Pears and Sherry Vinegar, you know that pears and pork are truly magical together. Savory-and-sweet is a classic combination any time of day, but I think breakfast is my absolutely favorite meal for combining the two. If you’re anything like me when it comes to breakfast, you waffle (HA!) when deciding whether to go the sweet or savory route. Well, now you can have both delightful tastes with my Pear and Maple Breakfast Sausage. These sausages are extremely simple to make, they freeze well, and they cook up like a dream—crispy edges, tender centers, and a burst of juicy, sweet pear in every bite. Try them alongside French toast on a Sunday or with eggs and fresh pear slices for a simple breakfast. Ingredients 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for Continue reading

Pear and Quinoa Breakfast Custard

The holidays are my favorite time of year for making big family breakfasts. Extra days off means extra time for cozying up with a good book while a satisfying breakfast dish bakes away in the oven. My creamy Pear and Quinoa Custard couldn’t be more perfect for the season. The silky vanilla and orange-scented custard together with the earthy quinoa and soft, ripe pears makes this breakfast both wholesome and satisfying. The sooner you get to cooking, the sooner the aroma of pears, vanilla, and sweet custard will fill your kitchen! Ingredients 2 ounces dried pears (about 5 pear halves) 1 cup dried quinoa (yields 2 ¼ cups cooked quinoa) 1 ½ cups water 1 ¾ cups half and half 3 eggs ⅔ cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons orange zest (from about half an orange) ¼ teaspoons Continue reading

Double Delight Pear Waffles

‪Double Delight Pear Waffles with Warm Marmalade Maple Pears The Bite reader (and pear enthusiast) Merry Graham sent us her recipe for pear waffles, and we knew we had to share it! Not only are these waffles fluffy and crisp and sweet, they’re also beautiful. Impress your next houseguests—or your sleepy family—with this brunch dish. Ingredients 1 ¾ cup unbleached flour 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg 1 ¾ cups buttermilk ½ cup unsalted melted butter ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 large eggs, separated ½ cup chopped peeled pear 3 pears, peeled and sliced ½ cup pure maple syrup ¼ cup orange marmalade Directions Preheat waffle iron on medium high heat. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, soda, Continue reading

Eat a Hearty Breakfast!

Every morning, my husband makes oatmeal for breakfast. When he was growing up, his mother would make a pot of oatmeal on the stove for her children, and my husband continues that tradition today by heating together oats, water, milk, and fruit. Whereas my husband loves oatmeal because it’s a hearty breakfast and he has fond memories, I love it for its fiber content, especially the soluble fiber content. Dietary fiber, which includes both soluble and insoluble fibers, provides many health benefits. Most Americans don’t eat enough fiber, and since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, including more fiber in the diet is a step in the right direction for heart health. In particular, soluble fiber found in foods such as oats, fruits, and vegetables may reduce risk for cardiovascular disease when eaten as Continue reading

Thanksgiving or Misgiving?

Stress, holiday blues, eating too much… I ask myself again this year, how does all of this spell thanksgiving?  If you’re like me, the holidays creep up on you when you’re already stressed and crunched for time, leaving you vulnerable to temptation! I know this is not the time of year to deprive myself, so I need a game plan to limit overindulgence and extra pounds. My strategy for Thanksgiving this year is to grab the family for low-key physical activity and to have one or two food strategies in place before temptation strikes! Here are some ideas. 1. Start by eating a filling, balanced breakfast. This will help maintain blood sugar levels and fend off later splurging. 2. Start a new tradition! Take a walk instead of having brunch. Or, walk off the big meal! 3. Grab the family and play a Continue reading

Fuel Up with Pears

You’ve heard it before, and it’s true! Whether you’re sending the kids off to school or you’re heading out the door for work or play, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. As we sleep, the body regenerates, heals, and refreshes itself; this process uses energy that the body stored throughout the day. Then, as we become active the next morning, our bodies need energy for basic functioning, daily activities, and concentration. So, to eat breakfast means just that – to break the overnight fast by eating food. Studies have found that eating breakfast has several important effects on our lives. People who regularly eat breakfast feel more energetic and may weigh less than those who do not eat breakfast. Likewise, those who don’t eat breakfast tend to eat more foods that are higher in fat and sugar Continue reading