APPLE PEAR CRISP

I think I have mentioned our pear tree in earlier posts.  The tree is only 4 years old, but it outdid itself this year.  In previous years I could easily count the number of pears it produced (last year especially since it produced 0).  It produced so many this year I quit trying to count. I have really enjoyed searching for, finding some, and then trying some new recipes.  I didn't realize there were so many different recipes out there.  

Here is a picture we took of a bunch we picked over a month ago. We couldn't remember the variety but remembered that the pears wouldn't ripen on the tree.  I needed to pick them green and then wrap individually in newspaper until they ripened.  (We since have discovered they are Keiffer pears thanks to our friend Jim.) 

Anyway, I followed the directions I remembered and as soon as they started feeling a little soft, I cooked with them. (The directions didn't describe what "ripe" meant.)





We had a trip planned for the end of September to go to Myrtle Beach, NC for a week with plans to then go by and visit family on the way back home.  So a day or two before we were to leave, my husband picked the rest of the pears from the tree and I wrapped them.  I hoped they would still be okay when we got back.

Well, this is what they looked like when we got back. (These are different pears...I cooked the other ones.  All of them didn't have a blush...we just put them on top to make a pretty picture.)  I was so surprised when I unwrapped them.  I didn't know they would turn yellow when they were fully ripe.  They are also really sweet and delicious to eat.  (I thought they were a "cooking pear".)









This recipe for Apple Pear Crisp is one my friend Carol made with two pears I gave her -- the first (green) ones.  After we got back from our trip, I made the recipe with some yellow ripe ones.  Since Carol's recipe just said the number of apples and pears and not how much, I measured how much the two apples made (about 3 cups) and then made sure that the 2 pears also made about 3 cups.  They didn't so I added one more small one.  You can just use 2 of each or do as I did and make the amounts equal.  I also decided to reduce the brown sugar in the topping in my recipe as the topping was very sweet. 

  

APPLE PEAR CRISP

2       apples, cored, peeled, and cut into bite size pieces 
2       pears, cored, peeled, and cut into bite size pieces
1/2    cup dried cranberries
1       tablespoon brown sugar blend
1       tablespoon flour
2       tablespoons honey
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Topping:
1/2    cup flour
1/2    cup brown sugar or 1/4 cup brown sugar blend
1/2    cup quick oats
1/2    cup walnut pieces
1/2    cup softened butter (1 stick)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (350 degrees F if using a glass baking dish).  Spray a 9 - inch baking dish (or a similar size-I used an 8 x 11 - inch glass baking dish)

Combine equal amounts of chopped apples and pears (I had about 3 cups of each) and cranberries in a large bowl.  Stir together the brown sugar blend, flour, honey, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss the fruit with the mixture.  Spread in prepared pan.

In another bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.  

Drop small dollops on top of the fruit mixture using a small spoon to evenly cover the fruit.

Bake for 45 minutes until brown or crisp on top.

Can serve warm alone or with ice cream. (It was actually cold in this picture, but tastes great warm.)

Can also let it completely cool and cut in squares and serve. 









I love the recipe.  The combination of apples, pears, dried cranberries, and nuts are fabulous.  Thanks Carol for sharing this one with me.