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Microwave Pear Sauce

Enjoy this easy-to-make pear sauce as a fruit snack, or as a topping for pancakes or French toast.
Bowl of chunky textured mashed pears topped with spices.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 4 cups
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

8 medium pears, peeled, cored and cut into about 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups) 
1 teaspoon lemon juice 
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 
½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional) 
½ teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse fresh fruits under running water before preparing.
  3. Place pears and lemon juice in a large microwave-safe dish. Cover with a microwave-safe cover.
  4. Cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. Let the dish sit for a few minutes, then remove from oven.
  5. Mash pears with a fork, potato masher or hand-held blender. If you would like a smoother sauce, return bowl to the microwave for another 3 to 5 minutes and mash again.
  6. Stir in remaining ingredients, as desired. Enjoy warm or chilled.
  7. Refrigerate leftovers to use within a week or freeze for longer storage. To freeze, place in airtight containers and label with the date. For best quality, use within 2 months.

Notes

  • Frozen and canned pears are easy to make into a sauce.
  • Try other spices such as nutmeg and cardamom.
  • You can leave the pear peels on the fruit for more fiber.
  • No microwave? You can make the recipe in a saucepan on a stovetop or in an electric skillet. Bring pears and lemon juice to a simmer over medium heat. Stir a few times while cooking until the pears have softened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Mash or blend to the thickness you like and add other ingredients, as desired.

Comments

We had a lot of pears this fall and I wasn't sure what to do with them in a short amount of time. Using the microwave to cook the pears was a perfect solution! We do prefer pears to be blended smooth so I used an immersion blender but you could easily use a regular blender. Our favorite spicing was a bit of ginger and vanilla. We enjoyed the sauce as a healthy dessert and also on pancakes. I froze some to use in muffins and quick bread. Thanks so much for the inspiration.

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