New Cookbook and Recipe for You!

Now that it's Fall, I'm finding more excuses to be in the kitchen.... and to check out some new cookbooks out there. This is my latest addition:

Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros

I love, love, love the format she chose, the photos, the memories she includes! She's divided the foods not by type (appetizers, soups, etc.) but by color. Many of the pages actually include drawings by her kids, if not beautiful photos. The food is simple and unintimidating, and I can't wait to try more recipes. I tried this one tonight and it was fabulous!

Pear and Berry Crisp

Ingredients: 3 large pears, 1 cup mixed berries (I used blueberries and raspberries), 1/3 cup superfine sugar, 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar, 1/4 lb. plus 3 TBsp butter, softened, and 1 tsp vanilla.

How to: Preheat the oven to 375. Butter a 14x8 1/2x 2 1/2 inch ovenproof dish. Peel, core and slice the pears, laying them in the bottom of the dish. Add in the berries and scatter half the sugar over the fruit.

Mix together the dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar and remaining sugar. Now add the butter and vanilla and rub them in with your fingertips. This mixture will not be smooth- instead it will be much like sand.

Scatter the topping over the fruit to cover it completely. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top nicely golden and some berry juice has oozed up a bit over the crust and darkened it here and there.

Let it cool down and then serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!