| Pecan Pear Pie With Peppermint Ice Cream | | | | ¼ teaspoon salt |
| Pecan Pear Pie | | | | 1 cup milk |
| 6 cups peeled and thinly sliced Bartlett pears | | | | 1 teaspoon vanilla |
| ¾ teaspoon vanilla | | | | 2 cups whipping (heavy) cream |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice | | | | ½ cup crushed peppermint candy |
| 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided | | | | Red or green food coloring (optional) |
| ½ cup packed dark brown sugar | | | | Mix sugar, egg yolks, salt and milk in 2-quart |
| ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg | | | | saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring |
| 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon | | | | constantly, just to boiling (do not overcook). |
| ¼ cup chopped pecans | | | | Refrigerate uncovered in a chilled bowl 2 to 3 hours, |
| 1 frozen deep dish pie crust | | | | stirring occasionally, until room temperature. |
| 2 tablespoons cold margarine, cut into small pieces | | | | Stir whipping cream, vanilla and peppermint candy into |
| 2 tablespoons granulated sugar | | | | the milk mixture. Stir in a few drops of red or green |
| Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place baking | | | | food coloring. Pour into a 1-quart ice cream freezer |
| sheet in oven to preheat. Combine lemon juice, vanilla | | | | and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. |
| and pears in a large bowl; set aside. | | | | Pecan Pear Pie (Sugar Free): |
| Combine 3 tablespoons flour, the brown sugar, | | | | Just substitute the ½ cup of sugar substitute |
| nutmeg and cinnamon in a medium bowl; blend | | | | (Equal, Splenda, or Sweet and Low) and 1 tablespoon |
| thoroughly. Add the brown sugar mixture to the pear | | | | of sugar-free maple pancake syrup for the brown |
| mixture; toss to coat. Spoon into pie crust and set | | | | sugar. Substitute the 2 tablespoons of sugar |
| aside. | | | | substitute for the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. |
| Heat 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat | | | | If possible, get a reduced-fat pie crust. |
| until very hot. Add pecans and cook for 2 minutes | | | | Peppermint Ice Cream (Sugar Free): |
| stirring constantly with a wooden or nonstick spoon | | | | Just substitute ½ cup of sugar substitute for |
| until lightly brown and fragrant. Remove from heat | | | | the ½ cup of sugar. Substitute 1 cup of 2% or |
| and set aside. | | | | 1% milk for the 1 cup of whole milk (although the ice |
| Combine the granulated sugar and the remaining 1/3 | | | | cream may not be as thick). Substitute ½ cup |
| cup of flour in a small bowl. Cut in margarine using a | | | | of crushed sugar-free peppermints for the ½ |
| pastry blender or a fork until mixture resembles | | | | cup of regular peppermints. |
| course crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the pie. Top with | | | | A great dessert combination to be served in the |
| the toasted pecans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until | | | | summer months and a different way to use this fruit. |
| bubbly and the pears are tender in the center. Serve | | | | And this ice cream has a refreshing taste that is |
| with peppermint ice cream. Recipe below: | | | | welcomed in the summer months. This ice cream is |
| Peppermint Ice Cream | | | | also great to fix around the winter holidays especially |
| ½ cup sugar | | | | Christmas. It takes very few changes to make these |
| 3 large egg yolks, slightly beaten | | | | desserts sugar free, so a pretty healthy dessert too. |