It can be said that a mom rules over her home like a queen over her kingdom. This Mother’s Day, give mom the royal treatment with walnuts, (yeah, I said walnuts!) the nut once deemed “Jupiter’s Royal Nut” (juglans regia) by the Romans, in a delicious meal topped with a SMART Walnut Dusted Baked Apples & Pears dessert. As part of the SMART Menus Program, Walnut Dusted Baked Apples & Pears is a tasty treat that will show mom you care about her and her health!

Walnuts, once thought to be the nut of an ancient Roman god, are the perfect ingredient to show how much you care – jam-packed with great flavor and nutrients. The Walnuts Dusted Baked Apples & Pears recipe is simple, fun to make and, if sprinkled with some walnuts and a little love, can be the crowning dish this Mother’s day.

Before spring fruit arrives in the market we rely on apples and pears for great fresh flavor. The honey and vanilla combines with the lemon juice to create a delicious sauce. Use all apples or all pears if necessary… it’s more important to choose ripe fruit and cook until tender rather than relying on cooking time alone.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds ripe apples; peeled, cored and quartered
• 1 1/2 pounds ripe pears; peeled, cored and quartered
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350′. Lightly butter a 9-inch (8-cup capacity) oval gratin baking dish. Add the apples, pears, cranberries, lemon juice, honey, and vanilla; mix well. Bake until the fruit is tender, can be 30 minutes or up to one hour. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6

This recipe was created on behalf of the Smart Menu campaign, which aims to change the way America eats while providing individuals with the knowledge to make smart food choices.

Recipe Courtesy of Tina Salter

I was given some delicious red pears the other day and it was the first time I had ever since such a pretty pear.  In fact, I didn’t even know there were red ones because I’ve only seen green.  This led me to research more about this juicy fruit!

Did you know that Pears are rich in Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, E1, copper, potassium and are 100% free from bad cholesterol. Pear juice is also known to be the first juice introduced to infants because of its hypoallergenic properties. Good to eat and good for you!

There are over 3,000 known pear varieties grown around the world, but you can only find the best in the Northwestern part of the good ol’ USA!

Check the Neck for Ripeness!

Pears ripen best off the tree (pears that ripen on the tree will be gritty). The other reason you might rarely find ripe pears in the store is that ripe pears are fragile, so it’s better to have them ripen at your home rather than in the store. I mean, how many times have you brought home ripe pears and found them with gashes all through them? Tons of times for me!

Getting your Pears Ripe!

If you have a bunch of hard pears, follow this easy 1, 2, 3 process to get your pears to their ripe and juicy perfection.

1. Place hard pears in a paper bag or a covered fruit bowl, leave at room temperature.
2. Every day, “Check the Neck for Ripeness”. To do this, apply gentle pressure to the stem end of the pear with your thumb. When it yields to the pressure, it’s ready to eat (this process usually takes a few days).
3. Enjoy your ripe, juicy pears now, or store them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. The fridge will slow down the ripening process, but won’t stop it. Ready to eat pears will stay fresh in the fridge for between 3-5 days.

Make a Pie!

Red Anjou Pie

4 firm ripe Northwest Red Anjou pears, cored and coarsely diced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Pastry dough for double crust pie
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Gently toss diced pears with lemon juice. Mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon, apricots and pecans. Gently mix together pears and dry ingredients. Pour into prepared bottom pie crust. Dot top of pear mixture with butter pieces. Top either with a full crust, or cut top crust into lattice. Crimp crust edges. If using a top crust, cut several slits to vent the pie. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on rack.