from NY, US

Yield: 8 servings

6 to 8 large ripe (not too soft but sweet) pears- use a few varieties for flavor and texture
1/2 cup sugar ( white or brown )
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each cloves and nutmeg
1 Tbs butter
double crust pastry for 9 inch pie
sugar and a bit of nutmeg to sprinkle over crust


Pear pies are very subtle and delicate in flavor with a texture like apple pie. Either served warm or well chilled along with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, it surprises people how wonderful pears can be in pie. The recipe is a adaptation of several which I tailored to my liking and won me a prize at a local pie contest.

Peel pare, core, pears and slice thickly in wedges as one would do if using apples In a bowl mix flour, sugar, spices and blend well
Sprinkle on lemon juice onto pears and mix in the flour-sugar with pears Line a 9 inch pan with favorite pastry, add pears, and dot with the butter Add top crust and slash deeply here and there
Sprinkle with a bit of sugar and grated nutmeg or cinnamon.

Bake 400F for 10 minute and then lower heat to 350F and bake 50 minutes more until juices bubble through crust and pears tender.

Cool completely.

Either serve warm or well-chilled.

Whipped cream or ice cream really go well with this pie.

Use some vanilla and omit the lemon!

from NY, US

1 stick butter or margarine
3 1/2 cups bread flour and as needed
3/4 cup warm water
2/3 cup honey
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tart green apples ( Granny Smith ) peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

From Martha Stewart Living magazine : an egg bread sweetened with honey and apples!!
Perfect for the Jewish Holidays or any time!

Melt 4 Tbs butter in sauce pan and cool. Combine 2 Tbs melted butter, the flour, water, 1/3 cup honey, eggs, yolks, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Mix till a dough forms.

Knead on a floured surface till smooth and elastic about 10 minutes
Transfer to a butter bowl, brush with 1 Tbs melted butter, cover with plastic. Let rise in a warm place till almost double, about 1 1/2 hours.

Turn dough onto floured surface. Pat into an 8 1/2 inch by 14 inch rectangle. Top with apples, knead to incorporate apples. Transfer to buttered bowl, brush with 1 Tbs melted butter, cover and let rise double again.

Roll dough into a rope ( about 24 inches ) on floured surface. Coil into a circle, place on buttered 9 inch round cake pan. Cover
Let rise again till almost double. Heat remaining 4 Tbs butter and 1//3 cup honey till butter melts. Brush dough with 1/2 of butter-honey mixture. Bake in a 375F oven till golden and done, about 35 minutes. Brush bread again with remaining honey butter.
Let cool on rack 30 minutes. Turn out of pan and let cool completely.

from NY, US

Yield: 8 servings

3 cups cooked quinoa ( see instructions below )
5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems
3 medium garlic cloves
2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 big pinches salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup heavy cream
Optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil (optional)**, see below, sliced avocado
crumbled feta or goat cheese

This is a vegetarian delight and esp. if one enjoys broccoli plus quinoa! I decorated my salad with avocadoes, nasturtium flowers, basil leaves and goat cheese. I omitted the chili oil.

From 101 cookbooks

Heat the quinoa and set aside , see details below.

Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside.

To make the broccoli pesto puree two cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, 1/2 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth. Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the broccoli pesto.

Taste and adjust if needed, you might want to add more of the pest a bit at a time, or you might want a bit more salt or an added squeeze of lemon juice.

Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds, a drizzle of the chile oil, and some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings.

*To cook quinoa: rinse one cup of quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer.
In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa, two cups of water (or broth if you like), and a few big pinches of salt until boiling.
Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlicue in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

**To make the red chile oil:
You'll need 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes. If you can, make the chile oil a day or so ahead of time by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan for a couple minutes - until it is about as hot as you would need it to sauté some onions, but not so hot that it smokes or smells acrid or burned. Turn off the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside and let cool, then store in refrigerator.
Bring to room temp again before using ( this tastes better that way! )

from NY, US

Yield: 18

1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup baking cocoa ( regular or Dutched )
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond
1 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 cup nuts chopped

Topping: ( frosting )
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
6 tbs baking cocoa ( regular or , Dutch processed )
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped nuts

I ordered one of those new brownie baking pans from the T.V. and made some brownies in it with a sticky glaze. They came out great! Easy to remove, did not stick to the pan and consistent pieces. Use any favorite brownie recipe you wish. My family loves this cherry and nut version. Of course the recipe can be baked in any 9x13 oblong pan.

Melt butter in a saucepan, set aside. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir cocoa into butter and then blend in sugar and extracts, add eggs one at a time and blend well. Stir into flour mixture to blend well. Stir in nuts and cherries.

Spray the pan and insert with cooking spray. Add batter and smooth in pan. Place in the insert into pan.

Bake brownies in a 350F until tested done ( about 30 to 35 minutes )
Remove to a rack to cool.

Make glaze ingredients by blending everything smooth. Carefully place a heaped spoonful of icing into each of 18 inserts to cover hot brownies.

It will melt! Sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Cool completely!

Chill pan in the refrigerator. Carefully remove insert from pan to release 18 perfect brownies. Use the brownie rack to remove sides of the pan so the bottom of cake pan then remains holding the brownies