
During the holidays, it seems I just go from one rich, multi-course family meal to another, so the day after
Thanksgiving, I wanted a light but satisfying lunch that would impress even the harshest of family critics.
This salad was just the thing. The pears, grapes and dried cherries added a natural sweetness to the salad that contrasted well with the aged balsamic vinegar and pecorino cheese.

If you're in search of a new
chicken recipe and you love
pears, then this
slow-cooked meal is for you.
Dried pears, in combination with pear nectar, truly bring the fruit's nutty, fragrant flavor forward. Add in mildly sweet, herbaceous
fennel, and you've got a timeless recipe.

Just because it's cooler doesn't mean you have to stop having hearty salads for dinner. Fall's fabulous flavors, like pears, dark greens, and nuts, are excellent ingredients in dinner salads.
In this recipe, the cinnamon-spiced pears are roasted in a bath of orange juice.

Wow your family midweek with this delicious chicken dinner. Flavorful chicken thighs are topped off with a scrumptious leek and pear pan-sauce. Currant jelly is the secret ingredient that gives the quick sauce a smooth texture and rich taste.

It's only Tuesday, but I'm already looking forward to the multitude of festivals this weekend.
There are so many in the Bay Area alone that I can't decide whether to hit up the
Santana Row Pear Festival, the
Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, or the
Monterey Wine Festival. I suppose I might just rock them all!

On Friday, I caught a quick glimpse of
Nigella Lawson on the Today show. She featured a
Fall fruit
fondue recipe so delicious looking I had to try it! Seasonal fruit (apples and pears) served with a delectable caramel fondue make for a simple but stunning dessert.

We're well into pear season, and if it wasn't obvious to you already,
pears — much like
apples — come in many different shapes and colors. Can you tell one from the other? I'll walk you through the different varieties of pears and their differences in taste, texture, and flavor.

A great thing about Fall fruits, specifically pears, is that they can be used as an ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes. In this case, the pears are a crisp addition to a scrumptious salad. The classic pairing is pork and apples, but pears complement the peppered protein as nicely as their crunchy counterpart.

Lately, I've been stocking up on all the great-looking Fall produce that's at the
farmer's market, but sometimes I run out of creative ideas for cooking with it. This entrée is just the solution to my quandary, as it incorporates a flavorful topping with in-season fruits. It's also perfect if you have
chicken thighs on hand.