December is National Pear Month: Sweet, juicy pears are among the most popular fruits in the world. We’ve got lots of ideas and recipes to use in December or anytime.
Salads: Add sliced or grated pears to salads.
Grilled Cheese & Pizza: Slice the pears thin and add to a grilled cheese for a sweet kick. Add sliced pears to pizza with a bit of blue cheese
Roasted Vegetables with Pears: If you are roasting winter vegetables, include thickly sliced pears in the mix. The sweetness from the roasted pear is a nice complement to the earthy winter veggie flavors.
Add Chopped Pears to pancakes, muffins, waffles and quick breads.
Enjoy a whole pear for an afternoon snack.
They are and great source of fiber, Vitamin C, and potassium. They contain no saturated fat, sodium, or cholesterol. A medium pear has about 100 calories.
How to Choose: Pears do not ripen on the tree. Pears shipped and sold in grocery stores are fully mature, but not ripe. Look for pears that are firm without bruises or spots.
To Ripen a Pear, place on countertop, in a bowl, or in a paper bag. If placed near apples, pears will ripen more quickly. Test for ripeness by pressing gently near the stem. If it feels soft, it is ready to eat.
Store Ripe Pears in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Overripe Pears are still delicious. Use them in smoothies, sauces or as a tasty thickening agent for soups, broths, or stews.
Firm: Grate, bake, grill, poach, or sauté!
Ripe: Slurp, soup, slice, blend, can!
*Adapted from USA Pears
Here are more links for recipes using pears!
Leave a Reply