Quick Ideas

• Country Breakfast Muffins Or Crumpets
  Saute fresh Bartlett pear slices with precooked crumbled sausage. Arrange on toasted English muffins or crumpets. Sprinkle with cheese, heat, and serve.
• Baked Breakfast Pears
  Core whole fresh Bartlett pears or pear halves, leaving stems intact; drizzle with honey or maple syrup and bake until tender. Serve warm or chilled with milk or cream.
• Spicy Poached Pear Filling
  Combine 1/2 cup each water and apple or cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 3-inch stick of cinnamon, 2 whole cloves, 1/8 inch thick slice of fresh ginger root, and 1/2 unpeeled orange, sliced. Heat to boiling. Add 4 medium fresh Bartlett pears sliced, and simmer until fruit is tender. Arrange pears on prebaked pastry shells. Reduce sauce to syrup; drizzle over pears. Top with whipped cream.
• Pear Nutty Toast Topper
  Serve hot toasted wheat bread spread with peanut butter and topped with fresh Bartlett pear slices.
• Pear and Nut Pizzas
  Fill prebaked pizza crusts with chopped fresh Bartlett pears mixed with chopped nuts, brown sugar and nutmeg. Bake at 350 degrees F until heated through, about 15 minutes.
• Citrus-Glazed Pears
  Melt 2 tablespoons margarine or butter with 1/3 cup sugar in saucepan. Add 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon each orange and lemon zest. Bring to boil and reduce liquid. Lower heat and add 4 cups fresh Bartlett pear slices. Heat through. Spoon pears into prebaked pastry shells and garnish with whipped cream.
• Ham and Pear Pockets
  Layer puff pastry squares with sliced ham, Jack, Swiss, or Cheddar cheese and fresh sliced California Bartlett pears. Fold over and bake according to package directions.
• Fruit-Nut Spread
  Combine 1 fresh Bartlett pear, chopped; 1 chopped apple; 1 sliced banana; 1/4 cup chopped walnuts; 2 tablespoons orange marmalade; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Serve chilled with muffins, matzo, bagels, toast or crackers.
• Pear-Berry Breakfast Shake
  Combine 1 large Bartlett pear and one 8-ounce container of raspberry or boysenberry flavored lowfat yogurt; 2 tablespoons wheat germ; 1/2 cup skim milk; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; egg substitute equivalent to 2 eggs and a dash of salt in blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into two 12-ounce glasses.

• Fruity Salsa
  Add chopped ripe Bartlett pears and finely chopped cantaloupe to salsa. These flavors are especially great with seafood.
• Summer Palate Cooler
  Accompany spicy dishes, such as gazpacho, chili or curry, with fresh Bartlett pear wedges for quick palate cool downs.
• Classy Pear Salad
  Top cored Bartlett pear halves with crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts. Spoon a light vinegarette over all.
• Fruited Carrots
  Stir-fry 1 pound julienne carrots in 2 tablespoons margarine until crisp tender. Combine 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch with 1/2 cup orange juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir into carrots and cook, uncovered, until sauce is thickened. Add 1 cup sliced or chopped fresh Bartlett pears; toss gently. Serve warm.
• Wrapped Pears
  Wrap fresh Bartlett pear wedges with slices of cheese and salami or luncheon meats for a tasty treat.
• Chicken-Pear Sandwich
  Blend chopped ripe olives with mayonnaise and spread on thin wheat bread slices. Top with fresh Bartlett pear wedges and sliced chicken, turkey, or ham for a "change of pace" sandwich filling.
• Nutty Pear and Cheese Sandwich
  Mix 3 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot or zucchini; 2 teaspoons honey; 1 small fresh Bartlett pear, cored and coarsely chopped; and 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or pecans. Spread 1/4 cup of mixture on whole wheat bread. Top with crisp lettuce leaf and another slice of bread. Serve fresh Bartlett pear slices dipped in lemon juice for garnish.
• Spinach-Pear Salad
  Slice fresh Bartlett pears into spinach salad and toss with hot bacon dressing.
• Pear and Avocado Salad
  Arrange fresh Bartlett pear and avocado wedges on lettuce-lined plates; mound orange segments in center and serve with light vinaigrette dressing.
• Pears and Pork
  Bake fresh Bartlett pear halves with ham or pork during last 15 minutes of cooking. Baste once or twice with pan drippings. Top each pear half with a sprig of parsley. Serve as accompaniment to sliced meat.
• Oriental Peanut Pear Salad
  Blend 1/3 cup thawed frozen pineapple juice concentrate and 2 tablespoons peanut butter. Gradually add 1/3 cup salad oil while blending. Chill. Arrange sliced fresh California Bartlett pears and shredded, cooked chicken on bed of shredded lettuce and spoon on dressing. Sprinkle with sliced green onion.

• Baked Pears
  Fill center of cored fresh Bartlett pear halves with a mixture of blue cheese, cream cheese and chopped nuts. Bake at 350 degrees F until fruit is tender when pierced with a fork.
• Quick Pear Cake
  Top thin slices of angel food, sponge or pound cake with fresh Bartlett pear slices. Top with prepared custard or vanilla pudding. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles and mint leaves.
• Carrot Cake Plus
  Combine 1 cup pineapple juice with 3 tablespoons cornstarch and cook until thick. Stir in 1 cup well-drained crushed pineapple and 1 cup diced fresh Bartlett pears. Spread between layers of carrot cake and frost with cream cheese.
• Pear A L'Orange
  Whisk orange marmalade, fresh orange juice, vanilla and dash of balsamic vinegar together. Stir in sliced fresh Bartlett pears and let marinate at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Chill and serve over sliced pound cake.
• Pear Sauce
  In medium saucepan combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Add 1/2 cup water, a piece of lemon peel, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir over moderately high heat until thickened. Gently stir in diced fresh Bartlett pears. Remove from heat. Serve at room temperature over cheesecake or fresh fruits.
• Pear and Nut Pockets
  Fill puff pastry squares with chopped or sliced fresh Bartlett pears, chopped nuts, brown sugar and nutmeg. Bake as directed on package.
• Quick Pear Snacks
  Cut unpeeled fresh Bartlett pears into wedges, dip one end in honey and dip in chopped toasted nuts, roasted sunflower seeds, coconut or chocolate sprinkles.
• Peppermint Pears
  Cook whole, cored fresh Bartlett pears in light syrup, flavored with fresh mint sprigs or mint extract until tender. Chill. Serve with remaining syrup spooned over pears. Garnish with dollop of sour cream and grated chocolate or chocolate syrup and whipped cream.