October is Farm to School Month

Just visit this page “Pacific Northwest Canned Pears- Always Ripe, Always Ready”

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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

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8 by 8-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. In large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and salt.
3. Add the bread cubes and mix well to insure that they’re moistened with the custard.
4. 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.

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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

1. Cut each chicken thigh into 3 or 4 pieces and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
3. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Remove the browned chicken pieces from the pan and place on a plate then, season with pepper.
5. Add onions and carrots to the pan and cook over medium heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the flour and curry powder then add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
7. Stir while cooking until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the browned chicken back to the pan with the beans and pears.
8. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
9. Add the veggies and lemon juice and cook 10 minutes more.
10. Serve hot with cooked brown rice.

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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

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Dice the drained pears and set aside.
3. Place the biscuit rounds on sheet pan lined with parchment paper to come to room temperature.
4. In a bowl, combine the pears, cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon, mixing well to evenly coat the pears. Set aside.
5. On a floured work surface, dust each biscuit with flour to lightly coat each side.
6. Using a rolling pin, roll each biscuit out to a 6” circle and return it to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Spoon 1/4 cup filling onto the bottom half of each circle.
8. 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.
9. 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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