It’s November, and if you are anything like me you are simultaneously overjoyed at and terrified of all the amazing holiday food that is just around the corner. Holiday food is incredibly delicious and, ahem, hearty to say the least. There is really no secret as to why once the holidays are over there is a big push for health and wellness in January; however, it does not have to be this way. While we should certainly enjoy some of those amazing goodies over the next few weeks we can also enjoy those same warm flavors without all of the decadence.

Enter poached fruit, specifically poached pears. In just a few minutes you can enjoy a beautiful and flavorful fruit dessert and not feel even the slightest bit of guilt. How crazy is that? It is a well-kept secret, and one that I think we should be willing to share over and over and over again. These ginger poached pears take some of the warmest and most comforting holiday flavors and combine them all into a gorgeous dessert you will be proud to share.

 

 

A few notes before we get started:

• I like to use Bosc pears for this dessert. You will want a firm green pear so that it does not fall apart in the cooking process.
• This recipe calls for a good amount of ginger; trust me, it is not a misprint. You want all of the warmth and spice that ginger provides to be infused into these pears, which means a lot of ginger is necessary.
• You can certainly add other delicious whole spices – allspice, cloves, nutmeg, etc – but make sure they are whole and not in their ground state.
• I like to quarter my pears for faster and more even cooking; however, if you want you can also halve the pears and use a melon baller to scoop out the seeds. Just increase the cooking time by a few minutes and test for doneness before serving.
• A great accompaniment to this dessert is a drizzle of caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, but these pears also make a great accompaniment to tarts, cakes and cookies as well!
• The original recipe recommends cutting a circle of parchment paper and placing it over the pears; I have found many times that a coffee filter with a circle cut in the middle does the exact same thing in a fraction of the time.

 

 

Based on David Lebowitz’s Poached Pear recipe (http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/11/how-to-make-poached-pears/)

 

 

MY MOM’S MINESTRONE SOUP ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF COOL NIGHTS. WE LOVED SERVING OURS WITH CORNBREAD AND A FRUIT SALAD!

 

THAT’S A HARD ONE! I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT I’M CONSISTENTLY IN LOVE WITH ITALIAN FOOD, AND MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH DREAM OF EATING OUR WAY THROUGH ITALY ONE DAY. I LOVE THAT IT’S BOTH FRESH AND DECADENT, AND ALWAYS MADE WITH LOVE.

 WE ALWAYS HAVE YOGURT, MILK AND STRING CHEESE! 

What is your go-to ingredients that you use time and time again?
WE’RE A GARLIC-LOVING FAMILY THROUGH AND THROUGH; I USE IT IN ALMOST EVERYTHING!

 

 I ALWAYS LOVE CHEESECAKE, BUT A GREAT PIECE OF MEAT THAT’S BEEN PERFECTLY COOKED IS PRETTY FANTASTIC TOO.

 SINCE I’M A FOOD BLOGGER I SPEND A LOT OF TIME MAKING UP MY OWN RECIPES, AND AS SUCH DON’T READ A LOT OF COOKBOOKS. BUT I LOVE MY AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN COOKBOOK THAT I GOT AS A WEDDING GIFT; EVERY RECIPE IS A WINNER AND THEY ALL LEAVE ROOM TO BUILD NEW FLAVORS INTO TRADITIONAL DISHES.

 I REALLY LOVE MY STAND MIXER AND MY BLENDER, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THE MOST USED THINGS ARE MY FAVORITE CUTTING BOARD AND A SHARP KNIFE. AND MY HANDS!
 
What is your favorite food meal to cook at home? 

 IF I HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD I REALLY LOVE COOKING OLD-FASHIONED ITALIAN FOOD WITH SLOW-COOKED TOMATO SAUCE AND FRESH INGREDIENTS. I LOVE THE IDEA OF SLOWING DOWN THE PACE OF COOKING AND REALLY BRINGING OUR CHILDREN INTO THE PROCESS. 

 

 MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALWAYS HEAT YOUR PAN PROPERLY – IF IT’S TOO COLD (UNLESS IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE THAT WAY) THEN THE FLAVORS AND TEXTURES DON’T DEVELOP THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD!

 

 I LOVE GETTING OUTSIDE AND HIKING, PLAYING IN OUR GARDEN, PAINTING, READING, AND CLEANING! ALTHOUGH IF WE LIVED CLOSER TO WATER I’D SAY FIRST AND FOREMOST SWIMMING AND PADDLEBOARDING!

 I’M FIRST AND FOREMOST A DAUGHTER OF CHRIST, WIFE AND MOTHER BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. MY FAMILY IS WHAT INSPIRES ME TO CREATE!

 

Heather Disarro is a food-centric lifestyle blogger who is passionate about embracing the beauty that surrounds us with in our everyday lives. She is a Texan living the expat life in central Arkansas with her husband, son and two massive dogs. Heather writes her blog, Heather’s Dish, from an office filled with dust, dog fur, toys and plenty of love, grace and music.  She specializes in creating delicious and creatively nourishing recipes.  Cooking seasonally and with as many local ingredients as possible is an important component to Heather’s style of food, and she revels in the opportunity to bring the love of cooking to the world as a way to love others well!