I am jonesing for warm weather!

I am a southern girl. I love warm weather. Driving with the windows down, fresh cut grass, and FRESH FRUIT.

I know that baked fruit is typically a fall treat, but I am making a batch of baked pears as soon as nice ones start showing up in the store.

I think I'll do Riesling Baked Pears

4 ripe pears (Bosc) washed & dried

2 cups Riesling

1/4 cup honey

4 cinnamon sticks

4 bay leaves

4 strips orange zest

1. Preheat oven 400F

2. Cut a SMALL slice off the bottom of the pears so that they stand

3. Arrange pears upright in a baking pan.

4. Whisk together wine and honey and pour over pears

5. Add sticks, leaves, and zest to the pan

6. Roast the pears, basting every 15 minutes

They'll be wrinkled and tender; should take 45 min - 1 hour

7. Transfer to dessert bowls

8. Put wine mix in a pan and boil until thickened

9. Pour over pears

These are great right away or chilled!

Since my husband doesn't like cinnamon I've been looking into options that exclude this ingredient. This simple one does the trick

4 Pears

2 tbs honey

3tbs butter

dash ground ginger

1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. Peel pears and scoop out bottom core

3. Melt butter

4. Drizzle pears with butter and honey and sprinkle with ginger

5. Bake for about 1 hour; baste occasionally