Maggie’s Menu: Roasted Pears Salad + New Years Resolutions
Maggie’s Menu: Roasted Pears Salad + New Years Resolutions
Message from Maggie:
We attended a New Year’s Eve dinner at our dear friends Kellis and Colleen’s house. They prepared a beautiful meal of pork tenderloin with roasted brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, and cranberries. I offered to bring along a winter salad and my mother in law recommended an Ina Garten recipe. I made a few modifications to the pears and snapped a photo before we left for the party. I served the pears along side our classic dinner salad rather than the one Ina recommends. I tossed and plated the salad upon arrival.
I got to have brunch with my best friend Mere this morning- and it was such a pleasant start to the new year. She had the most thoughtful resolutions and I was glad to share mine. I figure if you share your resolutions- then there is someone to keep you honest. If I share them here then there are even more people to keep me honest.
This year I’m resolving to attend mass weekly, drink more water, bring my camera more places, and hit my fitbit goals. Dare I say I have a good feeling about 2017?
Also I want to take the opportunity to share my gratitude for reading. Since I launched in 2016, I’ve gotten more confident- finding my inner blogger voice and my inner photographer. It’s certainly a work in progress but thanks for taking the time to stop by every so often. I’ve got more in-store for 2017 and can’t wait to share it with you. I am wishing you the happiest + healthiest new year. xo. M
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe but firm Anjou pears
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
- 3 ounces coarsely crumbled sharp blue cheese
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 1.5 heads of butter lettuce
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic oil
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise into halves. With a small sharp paring knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Trim a small slice away from the rounded sides of each pear half so that they will sit in the baking dish without wobbling. Toss the pears with some lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold the pears snugly.
- Gently toss the crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation.
- In the same small bowl, combine the apple juice and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around the pears.
- Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the juice mixture, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature.
- Just before serving, add olive oil to the lettuce and toss.
- Then add balsamic vinegar and toss.
- Divide the lettuce among 6 plates and serve alongside each pear warm pear half.
Allergens:
- This recipe is gluten free.
- This recipe is soy free.
- This recipe is vegetarian.
Photographs:
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