I love butternut squash, during the fall months I make butternut squash everything…soup, lasagna, enchiladas, mac and cheese, and more! I also love simple roasted butternut squash. When roasted, the squash becomes tender and caramelized, which br…
I love butternut squash, during the fall months I make butternut squash everything…soup, lasagna, enchiladas, mac and cheese, and more! I also love simple roasted butternut squash. When roasted, the squash becomes tender and caramelized, which brings out the natural sweetness. The edges turn golden brown and slightly crispy, adding a wonderful contrast to the…
As we say goodbye to peaches in the summertime, I stay positive and look forward to the next season… pear season! Pears are one of my favorite fall fruits, and this perfectly fall-festive Pear Galette with caramel sauce is a delicious way to showcase them. This free-form pie is one of the easiest desserts you’ll EVER make, and the filling is deliciously simple. Spiced pears and tangy dried cranberries are wrapped in a flaky, buttery crust to create the best beginner-friendly dessert on a budget!
What is a Galette?
Originating from France, a galette is the answer to all your pie needs this busy holiday season! It’s essentially a rustic, free-form pie made with a single crust and folded-up edges over a simple filling. They differ from traditional pies because you don’t bake them in a pie pan (a baking tray is all you need!), and they’re often quicker to make. They also don’t have a top crust, so there’s no messing around with latticework or fancy pastry techniques. All you need is a pre-made pie crust and your filling! I use sliced pears, dried cranberries, cinnamon, ground ginger, sugar, and lemon juice for a sweet-tart pear galette perfect for fall.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this simple pear galette recipe:
Pears: You can use any type of pear you like. I used a green Bartlett pear and a red Anjou pear for beautiful color contrast in my filling. I recommend choosing a pear that feels firm but not too hard (it should give a little when you press on it).
Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: Mix these sugars with lemon juice and spices to create a sweet and slightly tangy marinade.
Lemon Juice: Stops the pears from browning and adds a bright flavor to the filling.
Spices: Ground cinnamon and ginger add a warm, fall flavor.
Salt: Just a pinch for flavor.
Dried Cranberries: These add a chewy texture and tart flavor to every bite. They might be labeled “craisins” in your local grocery store.
Pre-Made Pie Dough: This is a shortcut I’m always willing to take when I’ve got a lot going on around the holidays! I use a pre-made pie crust to save myself time and effort. They often come in packs of two, so you could freeze the other and make our peach galette come summertime. For homemade, try our pie crust recipe.
Milk: Brush a little milk over your pie crust to help it brown in the oven.
Turbinado Sugar: A coarse, raw sugar that adds a crunchy texture and sweet flavor to the crust. Coconut sugar, demerara sugar, or brown sugar would all differ slightly, but would still work if you can’t find turbinado sugar.
Caramel Sauce: I use salted butter, room temperature heavy cream, vanilla extract, and brown sugar to make an easy caramel sauce for serving!
Variations to try
This easy pear galette recipe is just that—easy! But don’t let it’s simplicity fool you. The flavors and textures in this dessert are anything but basic. However, if you want to use this recipe as a base and switch up the flavor, here are some variations I think you’ll love:
Swap out one of the pears for an apple (make sure it’s sliced thin).
Try raisins or dried cherries in place of the craisins.
Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top.
Use different spices like cardamom, allspice or nutmeg instead of cinnamon/ginger.
What About the Leftover Spiced Pear Juice?
If you want to do something creative with any leftover pear juice after step 8, you can make a cocktail with it or briefly simmer it on the stovetop to make a pear simple syrup. Delicious and no-waste—win-win!
Serving Suggestions
I took our caramel sauce recipe and reduced the heavy cream used ever so slightly to make it thicker for this pear galette. Drizzle it over the top of the warm slices and enjoy every last bite! A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream would take this elegant dessert to the next level!
Storing Leftovers
This homemade pear galette recipe is best served fresh, but it’ll keep in the fridge for 2-3 days if covered with foil or plastic wrap. Just note the crust may lose some of its crispness.
You can also try freezing individual slices for up to 3 months, but let them thaw completely before serving. And like any fresh fruit dessert, the texture may be slightly softer after being frozen. I’d reheat slices in the oven at about 350F for a few minutes until warmed through.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt.
Pour the mixture over sliced pears and set aside.
Unroll pie dough on a sheet of parchment paper and fill the crust with sliced pears in one single layer, leaving 1-2 inches of space around the edge. (I had some extra pear slices, so I fanned them out on top, making a small second layer.)
Then, add craisins to the leftover pear juice to rehydrate. Set aside while you make the caramel sauce.
In a small saucepan, melt salted butter over medium-low heat. Then, add brown sugar and whisk together until a smooth caramel forms.
Remove caramel from heat and stream in room temperature heavy cream and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
Set aside caramel sauce to thicken. Meanwhile, brush some of the leftover juice from the soaking cranberries over the pears.
Dot the pears with hydrated cranberries.
Gently fold the sides of dough over the edges of the pears and pinch the dough to form a rustic texture and enclose your pear filling inside the galette.
Brush the crust with milk.
Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the crust and on top of your galette.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown and the pears begin to wilt.***
*I chose a red Anjou pear and a green bartlett pear. Any variety of pear will work for this galette. You can choose to peel your pears or leave the skin on. I left the skin on.**I sliced my quartered pears, keeping them organized and together so they would be easier to fan out when filling my tart for aesthetic reasons.***The pears will not turn to mush but should be tender and maintain their signature texture. If you find your crust is beginning to burn, you can lightly place a piece of tinfoil on top of your galette to help dodge the heat. This is a very flat “pie alternative” and doesn’t take as long to cook.
Preheat oven to 450F. Slice 2 cored and quartered pears ¼ inch thin.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, and a pinch of salt.
Pour the mixture over sliced pears and set aside.
Unroll 1 pre-made pie dough on a sheet of parchment paper and fill the crust with sliced pears in one single layer, leaving 1-2 inches of space around the edge. (I had some extra pear slices, so I fanned them out on top, making a small second layer.)
Then, add 1 Tbsp craisins to the leftover pear juice to rehydrate. Set aside while you make the caramel sauce.
In a small saucepan, melt ¼ cup salted butter over medium-low heat. Then, add ½ cup brown sugar and whisk together until a smooth caramel forms.
Remove caramel from heat and stream in ¼ cup room temperature heavy cream and ½ tsp vanilla, whisking until smooth.
Set aside caramel sauce to thicken. Meanwhile, brush some of the leftover juice from the soaking cranberries over the pears.
Dot the pears with hydrated cranberries.
Gently fold the sides of dough over the edges of the pears and pinch the dough to form a rustic texture and enclose your pear filling inside the galette.
Brush the crust with 1 Tbsp milk.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar over the crust and on top of your galette.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown and the pears begin to wilt.***
This easy dessert recipe is one to keep in your back pocket for those last-minute fall gatherings! It’s quick, delicious, and sure to impress anyone who takes a bite.
This refreshing and fruity pear salad will steal the show at any meal. It features mixed greens, toasted almonds, blue cheese, and juicy pears, dressing in a sweet and tangy dressing.
This refreshing and fruity pear salad will steal the show at any meal. It features mixed greens, toasted almonds, blue cheese, and juicy pears, dressing in a sweet and tangy dressing.
This kale and quinoa salad is packed with veggies, nuts, and cheese and tossed with a vibrant and zesty dressing. This salad has the perfect balance of fresh flavors!
This kale and quinoa salad is packed with veggies, nuts, and cheese and tossed with a vibrant and zesty dressing. This salad has the perfect balance of fresh flavors!
Every now and then I come across a recipe at a restaurant that I absolutely love, then I spend the next few moments trying to guess what’s in it so I can recreate it at home…for a lot less! Well today, I’m sharing one of those recipes! This Orzo Pasta Salad is inspired by a dish at one of my favorite restaurants, J. Alexander’s, and it’s now going into my pasta salads rotation!🙌 It includes fresh veggies like bell peppers, tomatoes and onion, along with tart & slightly sweet dried cranberries, and the best homemade vinaigrette dressing to bring it all together. This pasta salad recipe will definitely become a new favorite!
Ingredients For Orzo Pasta Salad
The restaurant version of this recipe includes wild rice, but I decided to leave the rice out because for one…wild rice can be expensive, and two…wild rice takes quite a bit of time to cook. But I absolutely love this version instead! So here’s everything you need to make this simple orzo pasta salad recipe:
Orzo: Orzo is a small shaped pasta that looks similar to rice. It cooks quickly and is popular in soups and salads just like this one. If you don’t have access to orzo pasta, you can certainly substitute it for a different small-shaped pasta instead.
Vegetables: A combination of veggies like bell peppers, roma tomatoes, red onion and sweet corn, adds lots of color, flavor, and texture. I made sure to dice the vegetables small so they match the proportion size of the rest of the ingredients.
Dried Cranberries: One of the things I love most about this pasta salad is the addition of the dried cranberries. It adds a tart & slightly sweet flavor and compliments the sweet corn and dressing perfectly!
Vinaigrette Dressing: To keep things light and fresh, I opted for a homemade vinaigrette dressing made with simple pantry ingredients and sweetened with a bit of honey. It’s so good!!
Variations & Recipe Tips!
Switch it up! If you’re looking to change up the flavor profile, then try adding some Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, and greek salad dressing, for a Mediterranean-inspired orzo pasta salad!
Wanna make it more filling? Add some grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, or a can of chickpeas (drained & rinsed).
Cool down the pasta. Don’t forget to give the cooked pasta and corn a quick rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process and cool off the pasta before adding the veggies, herbs and cheese.
Serving Suggestions
This light and summery orzo pasta salad is perfect for BBQs and cookouts! Add it to your summer menu and enjoy it with some turkey burgers or grilled salmon. It’s also great with leaner proteins like Baked Cod, Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts, or even some Garlic Butter Shrimp on the side.
Start by making the vinaigrette dressing. In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, basil, salt and honey until smooth. Set the vinaigrette aside.
Cook the orzo pasta according to the package directions. Add the frozen corn to the boiling water during the last 3 minutes of the pasta cook time. Drain the pasta and corn in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water to cool off the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the veggies. Dice the bell peppers and tomatoes, finely dice the red onion, measure out the dried cranberries, and chop the parsley.
Transfer the pasta and corn to a large bowl. Add the chopped vegetables, chopped parsley and dried cranberries.
Give the vinaigrette dressing another stir. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and season with 1/4 tsp salt. Toss the salad ingredients together until everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
How to Make Orzo Pasta Salad – Step by Step Photos
Start by making the vinaigrette dressing. In a medium bowl whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar, 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp honey until smooth. Set the vinaigrette aside.
Cook 1 1/2 cups of orzo pasta according to the package directions. Add 1 cup frozen corn to the boiling water during the last 3 minutes of the pasta cook time. Drain the pasta and corn in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water to cool off the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the veggies. Dice 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 2 roma tomatoes, finely dice 1/2 red onion, measure out 3/4 cups dried cranberries, and chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley. (Frozen corn is pictured on the cutting board, but is added in the previous step with the boiling pasta).
Transfer the cooked pasta and corn to a large bowl. Add the chopped vegetables, chopped parsley and dried cranberries. Give the vinaigrette dressing another stir. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad.
Toss the salad ingredients together until everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy!
Enjoy this light, fresh and summery orzo pasta salad at your next BBQ, cookout or family gathering! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Have you ever gone away for a few weeks and found out that you’d left the freezer door ajar? Well, I did. And let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty. Before traveling, since I’m anti-gaspillage (against food waste), I jammed whatever I could into my already-stuffed freezer, including a half-eaten tomato tart, which I thought would be nice to have ready-and-waiting upon my arrival home,…
Have you ever gone away for a few weeks and found out that you’d left the freezer door ajar? Well, I did. And let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty.
Before traveling, since I’m anti-gaspillage (against food waste), I jammed whatever I could into my already-stuffed freezer, including a half-eaten tomato tart, which I thought would be nice to have ready-and-waiting upon my arrival home, partially-used blocks of butter, and the miscellaneous leftover ends of bread that one collects when one constantly buys too much bread. When I returned, I realized that one of those bread pieces had been caught in the door and kept it from sealing closed.
Oddly, the fridge doors have an alarm, which beeps if they’re not completely shut, but the freezer door doesn’t. Coming home to an array of items that were half-frozen, half-defrosted (with gloopy liquid oozing out of them), possibly defrosted and then refrozen, and a few that were unidentifiable, was a bummer.
Some things I knew had to go – like sausages, stock, and a rather moldy half-eaten tomato tart, that I was sure could be reheated when I returned from my travels. (I won’t share a picture of that, but it looked like it needed a good shave.) But I also had several precious bags of cranberries that I’d stashed away for Thanksgiving and while they weren’t completely defrosted, I didn’t want to (or know if I could) refreeze them, so I decided to make chutney…and a whole lotta it.
Fortunately, all my candied and dried fruits were in fine condition and since I was cleaning my freezer, I also did a little purge of my drawers of things that weren’t sparking joy in my kitchen, and cooked them all up with some spices, some honey, orange juice, and vinegar, to make this tangy-tangy condiment.
(Just a note that dried fruits always spark joy in me. But a drawerful of little crinkled up cellophane bags with thirteen raisins or two dried apricots in them, don’t.)
To share my joy with you, I whittled my catastrophe-size recipe down to a reasonable recipe, but you’re welcome to double, triple, or quadruple it. Although it’ll keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator, I had so much that tightly sealed the overload into freezer bags and placed them back in the congélateur. However next time I’m headed out of town, I’m going to make sure my freezer is tightly sealed, because I’d be a bummer to lose those.
Feel free to use any type, or combination, of dried fruit. Dates, figs, raisins, apricots, candied ginger, dried cherries, cranberries, pineapples, or other favorites, work well. (Of course, there's no need to chop the raisins or dried cranberries or cherries, if using.) You could also include chopped candied orange or lemon peel in the mix.
Any tart apple is fine to use, but if using Golden Delicious apples, make sure to chop them very fine (unless you like chunks of apples in your chutney) as they don't break down as other apples do. If using frozen cranberries, no need to thaw them in advance. Just add them frozen and cook as directed.
An interesting addition is to cook the chutney with a very small branch of rosemary. It'll lend an herbaceous note to the chutney. Remove it after the chutney is cooked. Or a tipple of whiskey (or an anise-based spirit, such as pastis) added right before the end of cooking could also be nice.
Course Side Dish
Keyword chutney, cranberry, sauce
Servings 3cups (750ml)
Ingredients
12ounces (340g)cranberriesfresh or frozen (if using frozen, no need to defrost before using)
1cup (125g) diced dried fruit(see headnote)
1tart applecored, and finely diced (peeled or unpeeled)
2/3cup firmly-packed (140g)light brown sugar
1/2cup (125ml)orange or apple juice
6tablespoons (90ml)apple cider vinegarplus more if desired
1tablespoonhoney
1/4teaspoonground cinnamon
1/4teaspoonground dried ginger
1/8teaspoonground cloves
pinchred chile flakes
pinchsalt
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients together in a large saucepan.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the cranberries pop and begin to break down and release their juices, and the apple pieces are cooked through. Time will vary but it'll take about 10 minutes or so.
Remove from heat and when the chutney is cool enough, taste and add 1 (or 2) tablespoons additional vinegar, if desired.
Notes
Serving: Serve with turkey (at Thanksgiving or another holiday), or with poultry, pork, roasted vegetables, or even cheese.Storage: Store in jars in the refrigerator until ready to use. The chutney should keep for at least a month. It can also be frozen for up to six months. If you wish to can it, you can find guidelines at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.
Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts, it is my go to. I eat it year around, but especially during the chilly fall and winter months. My favorite fall oatmeal is Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal. If you like pumpkin and oatmeal, you are in for a real treat bec…
Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts, it is my go to. I eat it year around, but especially during the chilly fall and winter months. My favorite fall oatmeal is Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal. If you like pumpkin and oatmeal, you are in for a real treat because this easy baked oatmeal is the BEST…
It doesn’t get much easier or budget-friendly than these vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes loaded with tangy dressed Kale and tart Cranberries. Everything is cooked in a microwave, the dishes are minimal, and the potatoes are ready in about 15 to 20 minutes. Oh, and they are perfect for meal prep. This one is going into heavy rotation!
What Is a Stuffed Sweet Potato?
It’s all in the name. You can stuff a sweet potato with pretty much anything, but here, I’ve kept things plant-based by filling microwaved sweet potatoes with massaged kale and dried cranberries rehydrated in a citrusy sauce. These Stuffed Sweet Potatoes come together in no time and hold incredibly well, making them perfect for a work or school lunch.
Ingredients For Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Here’s what you’ll need to make my easy recipe for Stuffed Sweet Potatoes:
Sweet Potatoes: Look for evenly shaped potatoes that are heavy for their size. You can, of course, go with a regular potato, but the cranberry flavors don’t pair as well.
Kale: This is the base of our filling. You can use any sturdy green here, as long as it’s not too peppery.
Cranberries: Rehydrated cranberries lend excellent tart flavors and chewy textures. If you only have sweetened, rinse them well and omit the honey in the recipe. Golden raisins and chopped prunes work as a substitute.
Apple Cider Vinegar: The base for our dressing, it adds zesty notes and helps rehydrate the cranberries.
Honey: Honey creates a subtle sweetness for the dressing. If you need to substitute it, use 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar. Make sure the sugar has dissolved in the dressing before using it to hydrate the cranberries.
Lemon Zest and Juice: The light citrus notes pair incredibly with cranberries and add dimension to the dressing. If you don’t have any lemon, substitute it with equal parts of apple cider vinegar.
Pepitas: AKA Pumpkin Seeds, add a necessary crunch to the final recipe. I used roasted pepitas, but raw ones are fine. Feel free to substitute with your favorite nut, especially peanuts, walnuts, or almonds.
Sweet potatoes can be made ahead and stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. To reheat them, microwave until they are steaming and then stuff. The kale stuffing can also be made ahead and mixed with rehydrated cranberries. It will keep refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing the potatoes or the kale, as their textures will be compromised as they thaw.
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the cranberries, apple cider vinegar, honey, and the juice of the lemon. Microwave for 1 minute. Let the cranberries steep while you prepare the sweet potatoes.
Rinse the sweet potatoes well. Pierce the surface of the potatoes a few times with a fork and then microwave for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through. They are done when a fork can easily pierce through them. The cooking time will vary depending on your microwave's strength and size of the potatoes.
In the meantime, use a fork to smash the rehydrated cranberries to help thicken their sauce.
Add the kale to a large bowl along with the olive oil and salt. Massage the kale for about 30 seconds until tender. Mix the pepitas and the undrained cranberries into the kale.
Once the potatoes are done, slice the potatoes in half (but not all the way through) and fluff the insides with a fork.
Divide the kale between the four potatoes. Finish with a sprinkle of lemon zest on each potato.
How to Make Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – Step by Step Photos
In a microwave-safe bowl, add 1/4 cup cranberries, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, and the juice of 1 lemon. Microwave for 1 minute. Let the cranberries steep while you prepare the sweet potatoes.
Rinse the 4 sweet potatoes well. Pierce the surface of the potatoes a few times with a fork and then microwave for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through. They are done when a fork can easily pierce through them. The cooking time will vary depending on your microwave’s strength and size and the potatoes’ size.
In the meantime, use a fork to smash the rehydrated cranberries to help thicken their sauce.
Add 2 cups kale to a large bowl along with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and 1 pinch of salt. Massage the kale for about 30 seconds until tender.
Mix the 1/4 cup of pepitas and the undrained cranberries into the kale.
Once the potatoes are done, slice the potatoes in half (but not all the way through) and fluff the insides with a fork.
Divide the kale between the four potatoes. Finish with a sprinkle of lemon zest on each potato.
I love butternut squash, during the fall months I make butternut squash everything…soup, lasagna, enchiladas, mac and cheese, and more! I also love simple roasted butternut squash. When roasted, the squash becomes tender and caramelized, which brings out the natural sweetness. The edges turn golden brown and slightly crispy, adding a wonderful contrast to the… 
Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts, it is my go to. I eat it year around, but especially during the chilly fall and winter months. My favorite fall oatmeal is Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal. If you like pumpkin and oatmeal, you are in for a real treat because this easy baked oatmeal is the BEST… 
