Blue Cheese Stuffed Pear

Slice several Comice pears in half (stem to bottom), remove the pit and scoop out a tablespoon (or two) of pear and stuff crumbled Blue Cheese in the cavity. Put pear together to make whole. Chill for 1/2 hour, then slice in 1/2 inch thick slices. The sweetness of the pear and savory blue cheese are a perfect match. Allow to become room temperature for full flavor. Serve with Sherry. Good with Merlot as well.

Pears with Prosciutto

Although prosciutto is often served with melon as an appetizer, it is equally delicious thinly sliced and wrapped around pear slices also. Comice or Bartlett pears work best for this. For an appetizer with more bite, try wrapping the pears in thinly sliced capicola instead of prosciutto.

Easy Microwaved Poached Pears

Halve and core three cooking pears(Bartlett or Bosc), 1 cup of ginger ale. Leave skin on but score skin. Place half side down in dish and pour ginger ale over pears. Cook on high for 5 minutes, then baste pears with the ginger ale it is cooking in. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, test with tooth pick or fork. Pear should be tender enough to cut with fork. Remove dish from microwave, baste pears again then cover tightly with foil. Let stand for 45 minutes. Serve at room temperature. You can also refrigerate to serve cold or serve warm with ice cream. This dish nicely finishes a meal that has been hot or spicy.

What to Look for When Buying Pears

• Comice Pear: Large sweet and juicy
  
• Red or Yellow Bartlett Pears: juicy, great for cooking, canning and snacking
  
• Bosc Pears: not the best if you are looking for juicy, but great for baking and cooking
  
• Green or Red Anjou Pears: sweet and juicy
  
• Seckel pears: small, colorful (dark green and purple) and sweet. Ideal to bring to an office event or for children's lunch box
  

Recommended:
So what can you do when you have too many pears or any fruit or vegetable? Why preserve it of course. I think there is nothing prettier than a shelf full of fruit or veggies in sparkling glass jars. The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has all of the information you need to become proficient in putting up your own fruits and vegetables. Available from Amazon.