BAKED PEARS WITH FETA, HONEY, AND CRANBERRIES

Win “Best Guest”

Bringing a dish to someone’s Thanksgiving meal can be intimidating. You could stick with a traditional favorite, but maybe mixing up something new is more your culinary speed. We discovered this delicious option that will definitely score you an invitation to next year’s feast –

Baked Pears with Feta, Honey, and Cranberries

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe but firm pears, halved and cored
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: chopped walnuts for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
2. Halve the four pears and scoop out the cores to create a small well in each half.
3. Place the pears cut-side up in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, and fill each center with crumbled feta and chopped cranberries.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the pears soften and the feta starts to melt.
5. Remove from the oven, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Optionally, top with chopped walnuts for added crunch.

The great feature of this recipe is it offers options for the host as it can be served warm as an appetizer, a side with the turkey, or even as a light dessert.