pears

A crisp is a deep-dish fruit dessert that's topped with a crumbly oat, butter, and flour mixture. It's a fabulously easy and versatile finish to any home-cooked meal. Once you know the basic topping ingredients, you can use whatever fruit is in season. Apple crisp is my dad's favorite, but when I made this, I decided to use pears. As the crisp bakes, the topping browns and the fruit caramelizes. Crisps are best enjoyed warm out of the oven and are especially wonderful when paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This old-fashioned and comforting dessert is always a crowd pleaser, so learn how to make it and read more

Jump-start your Thanksgiving with a bold, flavorful cocktail like this appropriately named pear and rum concoction, spice. It's a mixture of dark spiced rum and pear and lime juices. Freshly grated nutmeg is a special garnish that makes it particularly festive.

For the rest of the meal, stock up on sparkling wine, dry rosé, and a light, fruity red like Pinot Noir. Don't forget to set pitchers of water on table as well. Flavor them with orange slices, mint, or cucumber.

To look at the cocktail recipe, read more

Apples are in season in the Autumn, but pears are too. The soft, sweet, buttery flesh of the pear makes this Fall fruit one of my favorites. Plus there are so many varieties to choose from — Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou — that they each seem like a different fruit. These juicy gems are pretty healthy for you, too.

1. Pears are high in fiber. One medium-sized pear contains six grams, so snacking on a pear can help you meet your daily requirement of 25 to 30 grams. They're a delicious way to keep you regular too, which can help prevent colon cancer. A diet high in fiber can also keep your cholesterol levels down, which is good news for your ticker. Getting your fill of fiber from fruit is also linked to a lower risk for breast cancer.
2. Pears contain a fair amount of vitamins A, C, K, B2, B3, and B6. For expecting or nursing moms, they also contain folate. Pears aren't too shabby in the mineral department either, containing calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Vitamin C and copper are antioxidant nutrients, so eating pears is good for your immune system, and may help prevent cancer.
3. Pears also contain boron, which our bodies need in order to retain calcium, so this fruit can also be linked to osteoporosis prevention.

For the other health benefits, read more

Not only is my annual pumpkin carving party about creating cool pumpkins, it's also about celebrating the flavors of Fall.

To get people in the mood to party, I'll be pouring a potent punch made from pear nectar and sparkling apple cider. It's fruity, bubbly, and refreshing — what more could you ask for in a punch?

In case people want to imbibe something other than hard alcohol, I've asked my guests to bring an assortment of seasonal ales and sparkling sodas. To check out the easy punch recipe, which would be welcome at any large event, read more

A harvest party is an event that celebrates grape-picking, so I'm creating a menu that consists of dishes made with wine.

One of my favorite desserts to order when dining out is pears poached in wine. Although the technique is relatively simple, I've never poached pears at home.

That's why I plan to experiment with this recipe for pears simmered in pink Champagne. It's elegant and fruity, but not too rich or sweet. Oh and it can be made up to a week in advance! To look at the easy recipe, read more

Every aspect of my Fall lunch features a quintessential ingredient that screams Autumn — including the specialty cocktail I'll be serving guests as they arrive.

Instead of making mimosas with fresh-squeezed orange juice, this refreshing recipe employs pear nectar. A splash of lime juice brings a delicious tartness to the concoction.

With the rich, cheesy butternut squash lasagna, I'll pour a dry rosé and sparkling water. To look at the pear mimosa recipe, read more