NuM NuM

Lobster and I had dinner with my two favorite peeps and I made this pear crisp for dessert. Since I'm on a healthy eating kick, this recipe comes from the Cooking Light website and is lower in calories then most crisp recipes. Trust me, if no one told you this recipe was "light" you would never know. All the extra butter and sugar was not missed and it just makes me realize how much more added fat all the other recipes have. From now on I'll definitely be using this recipe and substituting it with different fruit. The crisp topping had the perfect balance of crunch and sweetness and was the perfect contrast to the soft pears. This combo was great eaten with vanilla ice cream. The piping hot pear crisp and the cold slightly melted ice cream made for the perfect ending to a fabulous meal. Light dessert or not, everyone cleaned their bowls.


Pear Crisp
Recipe and photo from Cooking Light
8 servings = 285 calories per servings


Ingredients

* 6 cups Anjou or Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 3 pounds)
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
* 1/3 cup regular oats
* 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine pears and lemon juice in a 2-quart baking dish; toss gently to coat. Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pear mixture; toss well to coat.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add chilled butter; pulse 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. (I did not use a food processor and and broke up the butter with my hands and mixed it with the sugar) Add oats and walnuts; pulse 2 times. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over pear mixture.

Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until pears are tender and topping is golden brown. Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack; serve warm or at room temperature.