Thanks to Idaho School Nutrition Directors and Kitchen Crews, lunchrooms all over Idaho are serving foods grown close to home.
This week, our recipes have two things in common:
- They feature pears from the Pacific Northwest.
- Each recipe is available for K-12 schools in larger quantities which meet requirements for federally reimbursable meal programs.
Just visit this page “Pacific Northwest Canned Pears- Always Ripe, Always Ready”
Pear Breakfast Bread Pudding
Try this “home-sized” recipe which serves 6! For a larger, “school-sized” recipe which serves 40, and follows school dietary guidelines, visit this page and choose “K-12” from the pull-down menu.
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk, low-fat
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups whole grain bread, dry and cut into cubes
- 1 (15-ounce) can Pacific Northwest Canned Pears, halves or slices, drained and coarsely chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup whole grain granola
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8 by 8-inch baking pan and set aside.
- In large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and salt.
- Add the bread cubes and mix well to insure that they’re moistened with the custard.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and arrange the pears on top. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and granola, and bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Moroccan Chicken & Pear Stew
- 1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 cups chicken broth (Low sodium)
- 1 can (15-ounces) beans (low sodium), drained & rinsed
- 1 can (15-ounces) canned pears, halves, in juice, drained and diced
- 1-1/2 cups vegetables (Choose something in season or try from or canned)
- *Optional- Juice of half a lemon
Directions
- Cut each chicken thigh into 3 or 4 pieces and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the browned chicken pieces from the pan and place on a plate then, season with pepper.
- Add onions and carrots to the pan and cook over medium heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and curry powder then add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Stir while cooking until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the browned chicken back to the pan with the beans and pears.
- Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
- Add the veggies and lemon juice and cook 10 minutes more.
- Serve hot with cooked brown rice.
Pear Empanadas
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pacific Northwest Canned Pears, diced in light syrup, drained
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 8 frozen whole grain biscuits (2.25-3 oz.)
- * 1/2 cup warm water
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Dice the drained pears and set aside.
- Place the biscuit rounds on sheet pan lined with parchment paper to come to room temperature.
- In a bowl, combine the pears, cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon, mixing well to evenly coat the pears. Set aside.
- On a floured work surface, dust each biscuit with flour to lightly coat each side.
- Using a rolling pin, roll each biscuit out to a 6” circle and return it to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Spoon 1/4 cup filling onto the bottom half of each circle.
- Lightly brush warm water on outside edges of the biscuit dough before folding over the top to create a turnover. Use a fork to press and seal the edges completely.
- Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown. Remove the pan from oven and allow the empanadas to cool slightly before serving.
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