It’s pear time!  Pears are normally plentiful in home orchards and backyards.  Harvest time is usually late July through October.  “Fruit from the Gods”, as they are sometimes referred to, are not grown commercially in Louisiana and are spotted at old home sites throughout the state.  A great bulletin from the LSU Ag Center is available online by searching:  “LSU ways with pears”.  According to the LSU bulletin, varieties that grow well in Louisiana are Kieffer and Pineapple.  Both are excellent for making preserves, pickles, relishes, marmalade, mincemeat, chutney and for drying.  I have listed a couple of my favorite pear recipes from Ways with Pears:

Fresh Pear Cake

2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Oil3 Eggs (or Egg Substitute)
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg or Mace
3 Cups Chopped Raw Pears
1 Cup Chopped Pecans

Combine sugar and oil.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well.  Stir in vanilla.  Sift together dry ingredients; add to sugar-egg mixture, mixing well.  Stir in pears and pecans.  Batter will be stiff.  Pour into a well-greased and floured tube pan.  Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 1 hour, or until done.  Cool about 5 minutes and remove from pan.  This cake freezes well.

Serves 16.  Each serving provides 359 calories, 43.3 gm carbohydrates, 19.4 gm fat, 39.8 mg cholesterol.

Hearty Pear Breakfast Muffins

2 Ripe Pears
1 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Egg (or Egg Substitute)
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Old-Fashioned Oatmeal

Peel and chop pears to measure 1 1/2 cups.  Combine pears, sugar, milk, oil, egg and raisins.  In a separate bowl, sift together remaining ingredients, except oats.  Stir in oats; add liquid mixture and stir just until blended.  Spray 16 muffin cups with cooking spray.  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

This recipe makes about 16 muffins.  Each muffin provides 136 calories, 23.3 gm carbohydrate, 4.2 gm fat, 26.8 mg cholesterol.