The Ultimate Pear Crisp

Ingredients

• FILLING:
• 6 cups peeled, cored, and sliced ripe pears (about 6 large ones)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped candied ginger
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon flour

• TOPPING:
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 F. Butter a shallow 9- by 13-inch glass or ceramic casserole and set it aside.

2. Combine the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss them well. Spread the fruit evenly in the casserole and bake it for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, cinnamon, and salt in the mixing bowl and toss them well. Add the butter, then use your fingers to rub the ingredients together until everything is well blended.

4. Remove the casserole from the oven and spread the topping evenly over the fruit. Return the casserole to the oven and bake the crisp until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes. Then let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

   
   

   Nutritional Information:
   Per serving (about 1 cup):
   Calories 391
   Carbohydrates 72g (24% DV)
   Total Fat 11.7g (18% DV)
   Saturated Fat 8g (40% DV)
   Cholesterol 30mg (10% DV)
   Sodium 84mg (3% DV)
   Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Fruit Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

1 roll of sugar cookie dough

1 8 oz brick of cream cheese

1 vanilla pudding cup

1 very vanilla yogurt (yoplait)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Bake your cookie dough in a shallow sheet (pie or cookie) and Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes

Mix (beat) 4 lower ingredients and top the cookie

top with your favorite slices of fruit

Chunky Dried Fruit Cake

Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 1-1/4 hours
Cool: 15 minutes

ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup butter-flavored shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1-1/4 cups Brazil nuts, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup blanched whole almonds
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup dried apricots, halved (7 oz.)
• 1 cup dried cherries (6 oz.)
• 3/4 cup dried blueberries
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup pitted whole dates, halved (4 oz.)
• Brandy or orange juice

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In extra-large bowl beat butter and shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract. Alternately beat in flour and orange juice, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Stir in nuts and fruits until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

2. Bake for 1-1/4 hours, or until a wooden skewer inserted in cake comes out clean. To prevent over-browning, cover cake with foil during last 1 5o 20 minutes of baking. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack.

3. Wrap cake in cheesecloth soaked in brandy or orange juice. Wrap cloth-wrapped cake in foil; refrigerate overnight. Store in refrigerator up to month, moistening cheesecloth with additional brandy or juice once a week. Makes 20 servings.

nutrition facts

• Calories396,
• Total Fat (g)21,
• Saturated Fat (g)6,
• Monounsaturated Fat (g)9,
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g)5,
• Cholesterol (mg)55,
• Sodium (mg)124,
• Carbohydrate (g)45,
• Total Sugar (g)27,
• Fiber (g)5,
• Protein (g)6,
• Vitamin C (DV%)4,
• Calcium (DV%)7,
• Iron (DV%)14,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Groovie Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 small bananas, broken into chunks
• 1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
• 1 (8 ounce) container vanilla low-fat yogurt
• 3/4 cup milk