18 February 2010
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18 February 2010
Ingredients
3 bunches of broccoli crowns, washed
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained, cut in half
½ cup golden raisins
3 scallions, sliced on the bias
½ cup toasted pecans
½ lb bacon, chopped
¾ cup Champagne Pear Vinaigrette A new and easy twist to the regular side salad. Fry bacon in a small skillet until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towel. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven. Keeping a close watch so they do not burn, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from oven and put pecans on a plate. Once cooled enough to handle, roughly chop. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces and put in a bowl. Add mandarin oranges, golden raisins, scallions and pecans. Toss with Champagne Pear Vinaigrette and garnish with bacon. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
19 February 2010
Ingredients
6 slices pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons Pear Balsamic Vinegar
1 bunch, about 10 ounces flat-leaf spinach
Salt and pepper In a skillet over medium high heat and add the pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits, about 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Reduce heat to medium. Add oil and shallots to the pan and let the shallots sauté 2 minutes. Add sugar and cook sugar with shallots 1 minute. Add Pear Balsamic Vinegar to the pan, scraping up pan drippings. Add spinach to the dressing and turn to wilt and coat it evenly in sweet vinaigrette. Add crisp pancetta to the salad, toss and remove from heat. Place salad on a platter for service. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
22 February 2010
Ingredients
1 whole trout, scaled, filleted and deboned
Citrus Soy Marinade
1 half each Red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
2 tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
Oil for frying Marinate fish in Citrus Soy Marinade for at least 1 hour. Remove and pat dry. Heat oil a frying pan over medium high heat. Add fish, fillet side down. Cook until meat starts to flake with a fork, about 6 minutes. At the same time add the bell pepper strips. Remove both fish and bell pepper strips, and pat off excess oil. Drain oil from hot pan and add ½ cup of Citrus Soy Marinade to pan, placing it back over the heat. Add fish back to pan for another 3 minutes. Remove and place on a plate. Garnish with cooked bell pepper strips. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
23 February 2010
Dressing Ingredients
¾ cup Ginger Pear Salad Dressing
½ tsp salt
½ tsp coarse grind black pepper
¼ tsp crushed red peppers Slaw Ingredients:
4 cups white or Napa Cabbage or a combination of both, finely shredded
2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half
3 cups ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and diced small
¼ cup chives or green onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp pickled ginger, finely chopped (optional)
Combine slaw ingredients in medium bowl Combine dressing ingredients in small bowl and mix well. Add to dressing to slaw ingredients and toss well. Serves 10 - 12 Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
23 February 2010
Ingredients
2 boneless duck breasts (rinsed)
1 bottle Citrus Soy Marinade
¼ cup hoisin sauce (found in grocery with Asian products)
Green onions, sliced thinly
Flour Tortillas Place duck breasts in ziploc plastic bag . Pour in Citrus Soy Marinade and seal bag. Refrigerate up to 2 days turning occasionally. Drain duck breasts well. Reserve marinade for brushing. Place duck on grill over indirect medium heat for approximately 10 minutes per side occasionally brushing on reserved marinade. Transfer duck to plate and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thin on an angle. Arrange -
Spread Hoisin Sauce on tortilla, add duck slices and slivered green onions. Roll up and serve with salad. Serves 4 Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
23 February 2010
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1 cup finely chopped onions
½ cup finely chopped red bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¾ to 1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Ginger Pear Marinade They'll gather around the table for this meatloaf. Serve with scallion mashed potatoes and green beans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, pork, onion, bell pepper, garlic, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and Ginger Pear Marinade, stir with a wooden spoon to blend thoroughly. Divide the mixture into 2 pieces and shape into a 9 by 4-inch loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
23 February 2010
Ingredients
1 lb ground hamburger meat
½ cup Ginger Pear Marinade
Hamburger buns
Vegetables
Cheese (optional) In a mixing bowl, add hamburger and ¼ cup Ginger Pear Marinade. Mix well. Form into patties and grill to your liking. Spread Ginger Pear Marinade on hamburger buns. Top with vegetables, cheese and hamburger. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
23 February 2010
Ingredients
1 12oz bottle Roasted Pepper Pear Vinaigrette
1 lb pasta
Fresh ground black pepper
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Fresh basil, thinly sliced For a quick meal in minutes. Cook pasta according to package instructions. In a sauce pan heat Roasted Pepper Pear Vinaigrette until hot. Pour over cooked pasta and gently blend until completely covered. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese, basil and serve immediately. Serves 4 Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
23 February 2010
Ingredients
3 lbs cleaned crab, fresh or canned
1 red bell pepper, diced
¾ cup diced scallions
1 egg
Salt and pepper
Panko crumbs
Flour
Oil for frying
Roasted Pepper Pear Vinaigrette In two different bowls, put flour in one and panko crumbs in the other. In a large bowl, mix crab meat, bell pepper, scallions, egg and salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil, just enough to cover bottom of pan. Form crab mixture into patties. Lightly dust with flour then with panko crumbs. Place in heated oil and fry on each side for about 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. On a plate, cover the bottom with Roasted Pepper Pear Vinaigrette and place crab cake on top. Serve. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
23 February 2010
Ingredients
Bread of your liking
Assortment of meats and cheeses
Assortment of vegetables
Roasted Pepper Pear Vinaigrette Spread Roasted Pepper Pear Vinaigrette on bread. Layer with meats, cheeses and vegetables. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
23 February 2010
Drizzle over fresh Strawberries and serve with whipped cream. A comforting side dish from days gone by.
Ingredients: 6 slices pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons Pear Balsamic Vinegar
1 bunch, about 10 ounces flat-leaf spinach
Salt and pepper
Directions: In a skillet over medium high heat and add the pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits, about 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Reduce heat to medium. Add oil and shallots to the pan and let the shallots sauté 2 minutes. Add sugar and cook sugar with shallots 1 minute. Add Pear Balsamic Vinegar to the pan, scraping up pan drippings. Add spinach to the dressing and turn to wilt and coat it evenly in sweet vinaigrette. Add crisp pancetta to the salad, toss and remove from heat. Place salad on a platter for service. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
24 February 2010
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup water, ice cold 4 Bartlett pears
1 large egg
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
Cinnamon Pear Jelly Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into flour and salt with your fingers. Add water to make a dough. Form into a ball with your hands. Roll out the pastry evenly and line a pie dish or tart pan. Prebake pie crust for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Whisk the egg and sugar together in a bowl. Add the heavy cream slowly. Whisk together. Pour the cream mixture into the crust. Bake for 20 minutes, just until slightly set. Quarter and core the pears and cut into thin slices. Neatly arrange the pears on the filling. Return to oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until pears are tender. Slightly warm Cinnamon Pear Jelly and spoon over the top. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
24 February 2010
Ingredients
1 box Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry mini cups
1 jar Cinnamon Pear Jelly
1 5" wheel of Brie (skin can be removed if preferred)
¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 egg white Preheat oven to 350°F. Allow pastry to thaw, move dough to a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until dough has raised and slightly golden in color. Using a circle cookie cutter, cut out wheels of brie the same size as the puff pastry cups. Place the brie in the dough. Brush the puff pastry with the egg white and place back into oven until golden brown and brie is slightly melted. Remove from oven and place on a serving dish. Spoon Cinnamon Pear Jelly on the top of the brie and sprinkle with walnuts. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
2 March 2010
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2 March 2010
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2 March 2010
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2 March 2010
Ingredients
1 box white cake mix
3 cups sweetend flaked coconut
White Chocolate Pear Chardonnay Sauce Prepare cake mix, following directions on box. Add one cup of coconut to batter. Once cake is done and cooled, slice into three layers. Frost each layer with White Chocolate Pear Chardonnay Sauce and sprinkle with coconut. Reassemble cake as you frost each layer. Frost whole cake and sprinkle with more coconut. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
2 March 2010
Ingredients
6 firm Bartlett pears
1 bottle white wine (preferably Chardonnay)
1 vanilla bean, whole
1/2 cup sugar
White Chocolate Pear Chardonnay Sauce Peel pears and leave stem intact. In a large saucepan, bring wine and an equal amount of cold water to a simmer. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and add to wine and water mixture. Add sugar, to taste. Add pears to liquid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Test for doneness by inserting a sharp knife in the base; there should be little resistance when fully cooked. When ready to serve, place pears on individual dishes. Heat White Chocolate Pear Chardonnay Sauce until warm. Drizzle sauce over room temperature pears. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
2 March 2010
Ingredients
2 (8-ounce) pork rib chops
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tsp salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp vegetable oil
¼ cup each finely chopped onion and celery
½ cup crumbled cornbread
½ cup finely diced Anjou pear
2 tbsp golden raisins
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp bourbon
½ cup Tomato Pear Chutney Finger licking good pork chops stuffed with cornbread, pears and golden raisins with a luscious bourbon-Tomato Pear Chutney sauce. Preheat oven to 350 F. Turn chops on side, and using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in each chop. Combine sage, salt and pepper, and pat it into chops. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and celery and cook over medium-high until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in cornbread, pear and golden raisins. Divide stuffing between chops. Bake in oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, reduce stock to 1/2 cup. When chops are done, remove from oven and place on warm plate. Pour bourbon into skillet and reduce by half. Stir in stock and Tomato Pear Chutney. Bring to a boil and stir to heat through. Spoon over chops and serve. Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
2 March 2010
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2 June 2011
Summer time grilling is a nice way to get people you haven’t seen in a while to come over to your house. Often my roommate doesn’t want to spend money on parties, but I get her to chip in after I’ve purchased the ingredients. I wanted to try some new stuff and I tried the internet to get some fun ideas. My aunt told me about JLHUFFORD’s gourmet foods. Even though my roommate didn’t go in on this one, she did buy the chicken this time. Memorial day we asked some friends over that we hadn’t seen in a while, and made chicken and corn on the cob on the grill. I used “A Perfect Pear Ginger Pear Marinade” for the chicken and soaked it overnight. We soaked the corn for about 20 minutes in water and put that on the grill for about a hour. About 30 minutes before we wanted to eat, I put the marinaded chicken on the rack, flipped it a couple times. The chicken came out with a fruity chipotle flavor, and very moist. Everyone loved it and even the little kids enjoyed the food. We served cole slaw and apple pie as well. Thank you JLHUFFORD!
14 June 2011
If you are looking for a really great site to purchase food gift items from, try JLHUFFORD’s gourmet geek site. My most recent purchase was the “A Perfect Pear” Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil combo. The little bottles were very attractive and I purchased them for a housewarming gift. My friend made a garden salad, and used the products to anoint the ENDIVE, CUCUMBERS, CHERRY TOMATOES, and ARUGULA. This was a very pretty salad. I was curious to try the flavors of the product in a more pure form, so I grabbed a chunk of bread and dipped the bread into the olive oil first. I was delighted at how flavorful and delicate the aroma of the oil was. I then tried the vinegar and was amazed at how thick and pungent this was. What a great combo of flavors for either a gourmet salad or as an appetizer with bread slices.
18 July 2011
 I was never really close with many people from my high school, but we all decided to pick a day to go to the park and have a cookout. I was worried for weeks about what I should take. I finally settled on meatballs, but I was torn between several different recipes. I decided to try the Superbowl Meatballs recipe from A Perfect Pear. They were a hit! Everyone loved them asked how I made them, when they learned how simple it was, they were shocked! They could not believe that the sauce was a ginger pear marinade. I said, "Who knew that meatballs could be perfectly paired with a ginger pear marinade?" Superbowl Meatballs Ingredients2 lbs Italian-style meatballs (thaw first, if frozen) 1 bottle Ginger Pear Marinade Place meatballs in a large stock pot or crock pot. Pour in the entire bottle of Ginger Pear Marinade and toss gently to coat the meat balls. Cover and cook over low heat for about 1 hour, or until meatballs are soft and warm throughout and the marinade has thickened. Serve hot.
Recipe Courtesy of A Perfect Pear®
1 August 2011
 I am a pretty plain and simple person. I have the same thing for breakfast every morning; toast with butter a grape jelly. I decided to try a different jelly. I picked up a jar of A Perfect Pear Cinnamon Pear Jelly and tried it out. It was a perfect combo. I have now decided to switch out the jelly on my toast every day, one day grape the next cinnamon pear. I had heard about using the cinnamon pear jelly in some recipes and did some searching at A Perfect Pears website and came across the Baked Brie with Cinnamon Pear Jelly. I am going to make these later in the week with my cousins and I can only imagine how delicious they are going to taste!
16 August 2011
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 pounds boneless pork tenderloin A Jar Perfect Pear Cinnamon Pear Jelly Place balsamic vinegar, oil, rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic and pork in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours to marinate.
Grill pork over medium heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Let rest for 5 minutes then cut into 1/4-inch thick diagonal slices. Pour A Perfect Pear Cinnamon Pear Jell on a platter and top with sliced pork. Garnish with additional fresh rosemary and grilled plum slices, if desired.
25 August 2011
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26 August 2011
Sundried Tomato Tapenade Palmiers · 1 package frozen Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, defrosted · ¼ cup A Perfect Pear Sundried Tomato Tapenade · ¼ cup prepared pesto, store-bought or homemade · ½ cup crumbled goat cheese ¼ cup toasted pine nuts1 egg · Kosher salt 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Lightly flour a board and carefully unfold one sheet of puff pastry. Roll the pastry lightly with a rolling pin until it’s 9.5 x 11.5 inches. Spread half the pesto on the pastry sheet, then sprinkle half the goat cheese, half the tapenade, and half the pine nuts. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. 3. Working from the short ends, fold each end halfway to the center. Then fold each side again toward the center until the folded edges almost touch. Fold one side over the other and press lightly. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat for the second sheet of puff pastry using the remaining ingredients. Cover both rolls with plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes. 4. Cut the prepared rolls into ¼-inch-thick slices and place them face-up, 2 inches apart, on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Whisk egg and lightly brush over palmiers.
30 August 2011
I happen to be one of those weird people that only eat fresh spinach and only if it is used for salad. I recently picked up one of the Perfect Pears Balsamic Vinegar. I always like the Perfect Pear recipes so, I decided to give their spinach salad recipe a whirl. This recipe was just like all of the other Perfect Pear recipes that I have tried. They are always delicious! You start with heating six slices of pancetta that you have chopped over medium high heat for about two to three minutes. Once he pancetta has cooked to your liking, then you will transfer them to a paper towel to drain off the excess grease. You will then add two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the pan along with a small shallot that you finely chopped. You will sauté those together for two minutes. After your two minutes is up, you will add in two teaspoons of sugar. You will sauté that mixture together for one minute. You are probably wondering when do you add the balsamic vinegar, you are finally going to add two tablespoons of it in now making sure that you scrape up the pan drippings. Now add one bunch of flat-leaf spinach to the dressing and let it wilt and coat it evenly in the vinaigrette you just created. You will finally take the salad off of the heat and put it into a serving bowl and top it off with the pancetta. I paired my salad with a steak dinner and a baked potato. It was the perfect dinner.
12 October 2011
Ingredients ü 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more, for greasing ü 2 (14-ounce) cans pear halves, in juice ü 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ü 1/4 cup cocoa ü 1 1/4 cups sugar ü 1 teaspoon baking powder ü 1/4 teaspoon baking soda ü 2 eggs ü 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ü 1 Jar of Chocolate Pear Cabernet Sauce Directions  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease an 8 1/2-inch square ovenproof dish with butter.
Drain the pears and arrange them on the base of the prepared dish. Put all the remaining ingredients in a processor and blitz until you have a batter with a soft dropping consistency. Spread the brown batter over the pears, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 or 10 minutes and then cut into slabs - I cut 2 down and 2 across to make nine slices - and serve with Chocolate Pear Cabernet Sauce .
14 October 2011
 Do you have some picky eaters in your family? Then you should try A Perfect Pear's Broccoli Salad recipe. It will help hide the flavors of plain broccoli that they tend to dislike. Plus with a basic recipe like this, you can always substitute for other items that you happen to enjoy, if mandarin oranges are not your thing. I paired this recipe with some grilled pork chops and it was absolutely amazing and is extremely healthy.
Ingredients
3 bunches of broccoli crowns, washed
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained, cut in half
½ cup golden raisins
3 scallions, sliced on the bias
½ cup toasted pecans
½ lb bacon, chopped
¾ cup Champagne Pear Vinaigrette A new and easy twist to the regular side salad. Fry bacon in a small skillet until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towel. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a 350?F oven. Keeping a close watch so they do not burn, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from oven and put pecans on a plate. Once cooled enough to handle, roughly chop. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces and put in a bowl. Add mandarin oranges, golden raisins, scallions and pecans. Toss with Champagne Pear Vinaigrette and garnish with bacon.
18 October 2011
I was looking for a knock out salad to bring a pitch that I had with my 20 something’s group. I found on the JL Hufford website very fancy Balsamic vinegar and decided to find a recipe around this ingredient. I came across this recipe and knew it was the one to bring. Crab and mango are dressed with a balsamic mango vinaigrette and drizzled with a tarragon mustard sauce. Serve on a bed of your favorite mixed greens. Ingredients: - 1 mango, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 shallot, peeled, separated, and coarsely chopped
- 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
- 5 fresh basil leaves
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
27 October 2011
 I happen to love to cook and always am up for trying new recipes. This week, I tried A Perfect Pear's Citrus Soy Marinade and their Citrus Soy Duck Wrap recipe. As you know from many of my blogs, I love to put my own twist on recipes. Since I am not a huge fan of duck, I substituted the duck for chicken. It was absolutely delicious and I will make this recipe again. I paired this with a classic spinach salad. Ingredients - 2 boneless chicken breasts (rinsed)
- 1 bottle Citrus Soy Marinade
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (found in grocery with Asian products)
- Green onions, sliced thinly
- Flour Tortillas
Place the chicken breasts in a ziploc plastic bag Pour in the Citrus Soy Marinade and seal the bag. Refrigerate up to 2 days turning occasionally. Drain chicken breasts well. reserve marinade for brushing. Place chicken on grill over indirect medium heat for approximately 10 minutes per side occasionally brushing on reserved marinade. Transfer the chicken to plate and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice thin on an angle. Arrage - Spread Hoisin Sauce on tortilla, add chicken slices and slivered green onions. Roll up and serve with salad. Serves 4. Recipe from A Perfect Pear
8 November 2011
I was taken to dinner at a very nice steak house last weekend. The steak was great but the pre dinner salad that they offered is oddly what I remember the most. It was a very simple salad but it was outstanding. I asked the server what the sauces was because the salad only consisted of lettuce and some sort of vinaigrette. She went to the back and retrieved a bottle of the dressing they used and gave it to me. It was made by a company called A Perfect Pear. I had never heard of this brand of vinaigrette but knew that I had to get some to share with my friends. This was so simple and fresh that I think even those who traditionally do not like salads would enjoy this ¼ head  of Ice Berg Lettuce Champagne Pear Vinaigrette
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