And the breakfast award goes to....

Pear Crisp.  Yes, for breakfast.  I could eat it several times a week if I had an unlimited pear supply but at the current rate, my supply is on its way to being very limited.... 

What is a crisp?--fruit and oatmeal, essentially, and traditionally considered a dessert.  I used to make my crisps with pie filling, but with an added step, I can make use of my lightly sweetened home-canned fruit.  Captain Awesome eats his morning oatmeal dutifully and politely, but without anything resembling enthusiasm. Instead of serving a heap of mushy oatmeal with a sprinkling of fruit, I've begun making fruit with a crispy smattering of oatmeal.  It's not an entirely new idea, but it is to us and has added a spark of interest (and warmth) to our winter breakfasts. 

I used a quart of pears that I canned with an extra light syrup.  I measured about 2 T. of cornstarch into a saucepan, then drained the pear juice into the pan and whisked it together. 

I then added 1 tablespoon of quick-cooking tapioca. 

In a few minutes it was thickened, and no additional sweetener was necessary. 

I gently mixed in the pears and poured it into a small casserole.

The topping

I started with about 1 cup of rolled oats.  I then added and combined together--

a few T. of butter

a sprinkling of sucanat (unrefined sugar)

some ground almonds

(and when I remember) spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves

I sprinkled the mixture over the top and baked at 350 degrees until it bubbled around the edges.  As you can see, this is a vague "recipe" and can be made differently every time and with a variety of fruits.

Bubbling hot and crispy, a pear crisp is one of the nicest ways to start a winter day!

This post has been linked to Simple Lives Thursday