Slated for Greatness!

The New Year has come and gone already!! So, how we push forward into this next 12 months of our history has been determined by what?

How much we had to drink?

The culinary tradition ingested after 12:01 on January 1st that ensures a year of prosperity and good luck?

Philisophically, perhaps the presdestination of our existence?

Perhaps the layout of carefully selected life goals controlled solely by the human condition?

Each person is definately different how they view this "quantum leap" into the future. Some of us are influenced by the greatness around us...the energy force of those with greater vision and stronger drive and a hope that is implanted at birth. Perhaps your force is a more gentle spirit..."Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another." George Eliot

This year is loaded with potential. A clean slate! What will I do with my year? Hopefully influence a child...give them something to live up to and inspire them to walk away from their screens and put their hands in the dirt and be amazed that they can help God make something grow! Perhaps I can be a drop in the bucket of change to help improve the ecological impacts and detriments in my area. As I look out today at the beautiful fluffy snowflakes glistening like diamond dust, I am reminded of a quote from Vesta Kelly..."Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together!" True on so many levels.

On a lighter note, here is one of the tongue tingling desserts that graced my table for New Year's Eve. This is a Pear Cranberry Pie. This is a wonderful blend of sweet and tart and has a great boost of Vitamin C for this time of year as well.

Pear-Cranberry Pie Preheat oven to 375

1 Ready to use Pie crust for 2 crust 9" pie

5 Ripe D'anjou pears

1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries

1/4 Cup Honey

1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 tsp. Cinnamon

3 TBS Corn Starch or Arrowroot starch

Butter

1/4 Cup Apricot Jam

1 egg yolk

2 TBS Heavy cream

Take one pie crust and roll out on a lightly floured surface for a 9" pie pan. Pcik up by gently lifting up the edge of the circle and slipping the rolling pin underneath and gently flipping over into the pie pan. Once crust is centered in the pan and the edge trimmed off with a sharp knife, take butter at room temperature and grease the pie crust. Set in the fridge to keep cool while preparing the filling.

Take a deep saucepan with 1/4 inch of water in bottom and put in the bag of cranberries. Bring just to a ligth boil and gently stir cranberries just until most of the skins split. DO not overcook. Strain off water and put back in the saucepan on med low heat. Drizzle with honey and gently stir to coat, then remove form heat. Peel, core and slice pears very thin. Put in a large bowl with brown sugar, corn starch, vanilla, cinnamon and cranberries. Stir to mix and pour into prepared crust. Put in fridge. Roll out the top crust on a ligthly floured surface and take small 3/4 inch cookie cutters to cutout the top. Keep cutouts and lay aside. Pcik up top and lay across the pie. Trim off excess. Brush crust with egg yolk and heavy cream. Take trimmings and cutout extra pieces to lay around the edge of the pie as a decorative edge. "Glue" each one with a ligth touch of the egg wash. Bake for 45 min or until the berry mixture is bubbling.

Remove from oven and immediately brush with apricot jam warmed in a sauce pan prior to.

Cool completely and serve with vanilla ice cream or a creme anglaise sauce.

Enjoy and best of luck with your New Year!