With so many food bargains currently at the Yakima stores and with the holidays upon us, this is a good time to do some recipe experiments. Below is one recipe that this examiner finds to be especially festive and great for a potluck! It is given with permission from Maria at Everything Goat Milk. Check out her site for more information and recipes.
President's goat cheese, usually $5.99 a package, is now $2.99 at Rosauer's, plus their $1 coupon will get you a package for $1.99. For more savings from Rosauer's specifically tailored for Yakima, click here.
Spiced pears with goat cheese
- •3-4 ripe pears Note: For a shortcut, use canned pear halves, baking only until the pears are thoroughly warmed.
- •1 cup water
- •1/4 cup brown sugar
- •1/2 lemon, or about 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- •1/2 tsp. whole cloves
- •1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
- •1/4 tsp. freshly ground ginger, or 1/8 tsp. dried ginger
- •1/8 tsp. allspice
- •3-4 ounces chevre goat cheese
- •1/4 cup honey
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Prepare a baking dish by coating the bottom with half of the lemon juice.
Combine the water, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a bowl and mix well.
Ripe pears are fairly soft, so you'll want to be extra gentle in handling them during preparation.
Cut the pears in half lengthwise, using a very sharp knife to avoid bruising them. Then, core the pears by scooping out the center and dash a serrated grapefruit spoon works well for this. Finally, peel the pear halves, and place cut side down in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remainder of the lemon juice over the pears.
Add the spice mixture to the baking dish, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake for about 35-40 minutes until the pears are tender, but still hold their shape well.
Remove from the oven, and gently turn the pears over.
Using about 1/2 ounce goat cheese for each pear, press the cheese into a spoon to mold it into an oval shape, then carefully place in the center of each of the baked pears.
Return to the oven, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly warm and soft.
Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon, a spoonful of the spiced syrup, and a drizzle of honey for each pear.
Serving Suggestions
These spiced pears make a delicious and beautiful dessert when served warm, straight from the oven. However, they can also double as a salad or appetizer.
For a salad, chill the cooked pears thoroughly before adding cold goat cheese and honey. Serve on a bed of spring greens, or a leaf of Romaine lettuce.
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