Cinnamon Apple-Pear Sauce

Hello Fall, I fought your arrival as long as I could, but here you are with your apples and squash...and...I...can't...resist.

My good friend Anna over at Put Up With Me volunteers at The Portland Fruit Tree Project, a super cool non-profit that organizes groups of volunteers to pick fruit from local trees. Half of the fruit is donated to local food banks, and the other half is divided up amongst the volunteers.  I was the lucky recipient of several pounds of Asian Pears from Anna's latest harvest.  She used her pears to make an Asian Pear Sorbet.  You should check it out.

I'd never had an asian pear before.  They look like a pear, they taste like a pear, but they have the texture of an apple! It is very surreal and delicious.

 

I decided to make an Apple-Pear sauce, in the crock pot. It's super easy to make; chop up the fruit, add some cinnamon, some water, throw it in a crock pot, and cook on low for about 6 hours. Then puree in a food processor or blender and voila! 

You can use any firm pear you like if asian pears are difficult to find (they can get pretty spendy too).  

Cinnamon Apple-Pear Sauce

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
4 large tart apples (I used Honey Crisp)
8 small firm pears (I used Asian Pears)
1/2 cup water
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tbs cinnamon
1/8 cup brown sugar (optional)

Directions:
1. Peel the apples and pears
2. Slice (making sure to remove any seeds and tough core pieces) and put in crock pot.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and let cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Once fruit is soft and breaking apart, remove from heat and allow to cool.  Then puree in a food processor or blender until smooth.
5. Enjoy!