Caramelized Onion, Pear and Gorgonzola Flatbread

Ingredients

Sponge
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105-115)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Flatbread dough
1/2 cup skim milk
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 pears, cored and thinly sliced (unpeeled)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
3 tablespoons gorgonzola crumbles

Directions

In a 1-cup measure, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Let stand a few minutes until the yeast looks wet. Stir in 1/4 cup flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 40 minutes.

Stir the milk into the sponge in a large mixing bowl. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and salt; add flour mixture to sponge and stir to blend well.

Lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour. Turn out the dough and knead 5 to 6 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Spray a medium bowl with nonstick spray coating and place dough in the bowl

Cover loosely with plastic wrap an allow dough to rise in a warm, draft-free area until double in volume, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add onions and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add brown sugar and vinegar and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until onions are soft and caramelized; set aside.

Add pear slices to skillet and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pears are soft and begin to dry out. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Roll dough into a rectangle, about 10 by 13 inches. Place dough on parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with rosemary. Spread onions over dough and layer pears over onions. Sprinkle with gorgonzola crumbles. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until browned and bubbly. Cut into squares.

Other Info

Yield: 16 appetizer servings

Nutrition Information per serving: 98 cal (19 percent from fat), 2 g total fat, (1 g saturated), 3 mg chol, 17 g crbo, 3 g protein, 77 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber

Recipe by Jill Wendholt Silva

Bartlett Pear Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour 
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
3 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 cup milk 
1 egg, beaten 
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled 
Zest of 1 lemon 
1 cup diced, Northwest Bartlett Pear (about 2 medium pears) 
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, F. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat together milk, beaten egg, butter and lemon zest. Mix pears and nuts into flour mixture. Gently stir milk mixture into dry ingredients. Batter should be lumpy, not smooth. Do not over mix. 

Spray muffin pans with nonstick spray. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until tops are browned. Remove from pan immediately, and serve warm. 

Other Info

Tip: Bake in mini muffin pans and bake 425 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Bosc Pear Bread and Maple Walnut Butter

Ingredients

2 eggs 
3/4 cup canola oil 
1 cup sugar 
1 tsp. vanilla 
1 Bosc pear, cored and grated 
2 cups all purpose flour 
1 tsp. soda 
1 tsp. baking powder 
1/2 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. cinnamon 
1/2 cup walnuts chopped plus 1/2 cup walnuts chopped for garnish 
1 Bosc pear, cored and sliced for top garnish 
1/4 cup honey for glaze, if desired

Maple Walnut Butter
1 cup maple syrup
1 cinnamon stick 
1-1/2 sticks butter, melted 
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" metal loaf pan. Beat together until light and fluffy: eggs, oil and sugar. Add vanilla and grated pear. In a second bowl blend the dry ingredients: flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and walnuts. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring to just moisten. Spoon into the prepared pan. Arrange pear slices on top and sprinkle with 1/4 cup walnuts. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean. Cool 15 minutes before removing from pan. Brush with honey, if desired. Serve with Maple Walnut Butter 

Maple Walnut Butter
 In a small saucepan boil syrup with whole cinnamon stick 8-10 minutes until the syrup has reached soft ball stage. Remove from heat and remove the cinnamon. Whisk in butter until opaque and thickened. Stir in walnuts. Chill to firm.

Other Info

Makes approximately 1-1/2 cups.

Pear Hawaiian French Toast

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine 
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 
1/2 cup pineapple juice 
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 
2 Anjou pears, cored and thinly sliced 
French Toast (see below) 
Chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

Directions

Melt butter in skillet; add sugar and stir until melted. Stir in pineapple juice and ginger; boil until slightly syrupy. Add pears; turn to coat; boil until slightly syrupy. Cook on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or just until pears are tender. Serve over prepared French Toast, garinsh with macadamia nuts. 

French Toast: Combine 1/2 cup milk, 2 eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, beat well. Dip 6 thick slices of egg bread or French bread into egg mixture, cook in buttered skillet or griddle until golden brown on both sides.