Recipe: Maple-Sauced Pears (crock pot)

MAPLE-SAUCED PEARS

6 pears
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup maple-flavored syrup
1 tablespoon margarine or butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons orange juice

1. Peel pears. Core pears from bottom, leaving stems attached. Place pears upright in 3 1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker.

2. Mix remaining ingredients except cornstarch and orange juice; pour over pears.

3. Cover and cook on high heat setting 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until tender.

4. Remove pears from cooker; place upright in serving dish or individual dessert dishes.

5. Mix cornstarch and orange juice; stir into sauce in cooker. Cover and cook on high heat setting about 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Spoon sauce over pears.

Ingredient Substitution:
For a honey of a pear, use 1/4 cup honey instead of the maple syrup for a sweet change of pace.

Finishing Touch:
For an elegant dessert, place each pear upright on a pretty dessert plate. Spoon the sauce around the pear, and sprinkle with chopped toasted nuts or coconut. Spoon a big dollop of soft whipped cream alongside the pear, and garnish the plate with a twisted orange slice.

Servings: 6

Per Serving: Calories 225 (Calories from Fat 25); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 35mg; Carbohydrate 52g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 1g % Daily Value: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 4%; Iron 4% Diet Exchanges: 3 1/2 Fruit, 1/2 Fat

Source: Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook