Cooked Pears with Cinnamon

I'm not one for diets, fasting, or extreme low-carb/low-fat/no-fun meals. That being said, Mireille Guiliano's "French Women Don't Get Fat" is surprisingly full of healthy and tasty recipes. The author recommends cooked pears with cinnamon as a guilt-free substitute for a buttery pear pastry. However, if you add a dollop of mascarpone and two chocolate biscotti to it, as I did, it is no longer healthy. With or without the accoutrements, though, this recipe is idiot-proof and comforting.

COOKED PEARS WITH CINNAMON

serves 4

4 Bosc pears
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs sugar mixed with ¼ tsp cinnamon
2 tbs water or pear brandy or Muscat Beaumes de VenisePeel, quarter, and thinly slice each pear, placing the slices at the bottom of a 6" saucepan. Sprinkle lemon juice and sugar-cinnamon over the slices. Add the water and then end with the remaining lemon juice and sugar-cinnamon.Cook over medium heat till boiling, and then cover and continue over a low flame until the pears are tender but not soft.Serve the pears lukewarm. You can refrigerate the other servings and serve them at room temp later with biscotti or a tsp of mascarpone cheese. I served mine with chocolate anise biscotti (see recipe below)!