between2worlds

Both of these are especially good if you come in all cold from shoveling snow. We don't have any snow grrrrrrrrr but I made some tonight anyway.

Baked Apples

Make one apple for each person.

Take a potato peeler and push it down into the top of an apple and 1/2" from the stem. Cut around in a circle down into the apple to where you are cutting out the part where the seeds are. Pull the cylinder of apple you just created out and dig out any of the seeds you missed.

Next you need to fill the well you just created. Put the apple in a microwave-safe dish (I use a 2 quart casserole dish for 4-5 medium sized apples) with the "well side" up. There are three different kinds of filling that I use:

Raisins and Cinnamon

Put 1/4 tsp flour in first. Next put in 5 or 6 raisins. Mix 2 T. of sugar with 1/4 tsp cinnamon in a bowl. Put 1 tsp of the cinnamon/sugar on top of the raisins. Finish filling the well up with butter

Honey and Craisins

Put 1/2 tsp flour in first. Next put in 5 or 6 craisins. Add 2 tsp of honey. Finish filling the well up with butter.

Chocolate and Walnuts

Put 1/4 tsp flour in first. Next put in 2 T. crushed walnuts. Put 2 T. of instant hot cocoa mix on top of the walnuts. Finish filling the well up with butter.

Microwave them for as long as you normally would potatoes of the same size.** In my 'waver that's 3 min for 1, 5 min for 2, etc. To check for doneness prick one with a fork (but don't breach the well or all that goodness will run out!). The apple should be soft.

Baked Pears

Cut a pear in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and take off the stem and that stringy bit that goes from the stem to the seed area.

Sprinkle with a little sugar and microwave just like you would a similar sized potato.

Top with a bit of yogurt (vanilla works but a spoon of raspberry fruit-on-the bottom that's been slightly stirred is my favorite). Drizzle with chocolate ice cream topping.

OR

You can fill the seed area and then microwave them** as you would for baked apples.

**If you want to bake either the apples or the pears in the oven, put about 1/2" of water in the bottom of the baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 deg and bake 30-45 minutes or until fork-tender.