Ingredients:

Pastry:
3     Tbsp Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries, chopped
3     Tbsp brandy
2     Tbsp unsalted butter
1     Tbsp brown sugar
4     cups pears (about  3 large) Anjou or Bartlett, cut into 1 /2 inch chunks
1/8 tsp salt
2     tsp lemon juice
12   sheets phyllo dough, thawed
cooking spray

Topping:
2      Tbsp unsalted butter
2      Tbsp brown sugar
1      Tbsp brandy
4      Tbsp walnuts, chopped
cinnamon
Ice cream (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl combine chopped dried cherries and 3 Tbsp brandy; set aside and let soak.  In a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter.  Add 1 Tbsp brown sugar and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.  Add the pears and salt; continue to cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the pears’ liquid is mostly cooked off.   Add the brandied cherry mixture, and cook another 3 minutes, stirring, until  the pear mixture has a glaze.   Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and stir to blend.  Pour mixture into a deep dish pizza pan and spread to a thin layer.  Place the pan in the freezer while  you prepare the phyllo dough.

Spray a large, flat surface with cooking spray.  Using half of the 12 phyllo sheets, layer 1 sheet of phyllo dough over the cooking spray.  Spray the sheet with cooking spray and layer a second sheet on top of the first.  Continue this process  until you have 6 sheets layered on top of one another.  Cut the stack of phyllo dough in half.  Repeat above procedure with the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo dough.  You will have four pastry stacks.   Remove the pear mixture from the freezer and spoon 1/4 of the mixture into the center of  each phyllo dough stack.  Bring 4 corners of one of the phyllo dough stacks to the center of the pear mixture, covering and forming a pocket.  Pull in any sides of the phyllo dough that stick out forming a square.  Repeat with remaining phyllo dough stacks.  Transfer the pastry pockets to a parchment-lined baking sheet, or use a non-stick baking sheet sprayed lightly with cooking spray.  Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and pear mixture is bubbly.

Remove from the oven, and place on a cooling rack.  In the same non-stick skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter; add 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 Tbsp brandy.  Cook until mixture is heated through and thickened to a sauce like texture.  Add the walnuts and stir to combine.  Spoon over the cooked pastries.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Serve warm with or without ice cream.

Yield:  4 servings

Are you looking for homemade crafts to do with youngsters to break up the day?  What better way to be creative then to make a pizza together.  Fruit pizzas are a fantastic way to involve your child in making lunch or a dessert for dinner.  It is also a great nutrition teaching moment.  Making pizza does not have to be a difficult chore.  The following fruit pizza ideas are very simple and can involve even your youngest toddler.

PIZZA BASE IDEAS

Frozen Bread Dough Crust:
For the pizza crust use an 8 oz package of frozen bread dough; thawed.  Pat the dough on the bottom of a deep dish pizza pan.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool and top with cream cheese and fresh or dried fruit.

Jell-o Crust:
1 package fruit flavored Jell-o

Prepare Jell-o according to package directions.  Spray a deep dish pizza pan with cooking spray.  Pour Jell-o mixture into pizza pan.  Place pan in refrigerator and chill until firm; approximately 3 hours.  Top with cream cheese or Cool Whip and fresh fruit.

Fast Pizza Crust:
Bagels (1/2 per person)

Toast bagel and top with cream cheese and fresh or dried fruit.

SAUCE (replacement ideas):

Low or non-fat cream cheese
Low or non-fat Cool Whip
1-2 Tbsp FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplement (your choice)

Combine the cream cheese or Cool Whip with the FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplement.  Add the Liquid Fruit Supplement a little at a time, stirring to incorporate.  Maintain a spreading consistency without allowing the mixture to become too thin.  Spread over your pizza base choice.

TOPPINGS

Fruit of your choice (sliced apples, nectarines, peaches, kiwi, pineapple, mango)
Bananas, sliced
Strawberries, sliced
Raspberries (red and or black)
Blueberries
Almonds, slivered
Nuts, (walnuts, pecans) chopped
Brownwood Acres Dried Wild Blueberries
Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
Dark Chocolate Chips

Top your pizza with combination of fruit, nuts, and chocolate.  Let your child choose their favorite combinations.
An added fun activity is to shop for ingredients together.  Make a list of what ingredients you want on your pizza then involve your child in finding the items in the grocery store.

Soups are a great way to utilize vegetables that are about to pass their shelf life.  They can be prepared any time and placed in freezer containers for use at a later date.  Soups make great lunches or as starters/appetizers at your next dinner party.

The following recipe freezes well; just thaw, whisk until smooth, reheat and serve with a salad for a simple lunch or dinner.  This soup is creamy and delicious without the addition of any milk or butter.  The FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplements gives it a sweet, fruity kick.  I used Mixed Berry Liquid, but feel free to experiment with FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate or FruitFast Cherryflex Liquid Fruit Supplements.

Ingredients:
1-2    Tbsp olive oil
1    medium onion
1    Tbsp minced fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1    medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1    large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1    large or 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
6    cups chicken broth
salt and white pepper to taste
10    tsp FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplements
10    Tbsp chopped walnuts

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly until tender; about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and continue stirring for another minute. Add the squash, potatoes and chicken broth.  Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until the squash and potatoes are tender.

Using an immersion blender CAREFULLY puree the soup.  Or use a food processor and working in batches (handling very carefully) process until smooth.   Return to the stock pot and stir with a whisk to even out the texture.  Salt and add pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle each bowl with 1 tsp of the FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplements.  Top each bowl of soup with 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts; serve hot.

Yield: 10 (1 cup) servings

Are you looking for something new for a side dish for your evening meal?  Try sweet potatoes, they make a healthy alternative to the white potato.  Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene and vitamin C and low in calories.  The sweet potato is a great source of fiber, too.  They can be simply prepared and are deliciously sweet.

To prepare potatoes in the microwave; wash them well, pierce with a fork and place on a paper towel in the microwave about 1 inch apart.  Microwave time for 1 potato is 4-6 minutes, 2 potatoes—6-8 minutes, 3 potatoes—8-12 minutes and 4 potatoes—12-16 minutes.   To bake in the oven; rub clean, dry sweet potatoes with a little oil (oil will make the cooked potato easier to peel) and place on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated 400 degree oven until soft, about 30 to 50 minutes.

Top your baked sweet potato a with the fruit glaze below.  The following recipes are not the typical fattening casserole or pie we usually associate with sweet potatoes.  These recipes ramp up the flavor without adding extra calories from large amounts of butter and sugar. The fats are greatly reduced and some of the sugars are replaced with fruit concentrates or dried fruit.

Sweet Potatoes With Cherry Glaze
In this recipe, sweet potatoes are glazed with healthful cherry juice concentrate.

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp FruitFast Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate (undiluted) OR
2 Tbsp FruitFast Montmorency CherryFlex Liquid Fruit Supplement
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 green onion, sliced
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the sweet potatoes in the microwave (6 minutes) or in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  While the potatoes are baking, stir together the FruitFast Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate OR FruitFast Montmorency CherryFlex Liquid Fruit Supplement, brown sugar, butter and ginger.

When the sweet potatoes are finished baking, place the potatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and brush with cherry mixture.  Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until soft.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with green onion. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate-Balsamic Drizzle

This recipe was adapted from a recipe from EatingWell Magazine December 2005/January 2006.

Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp butter
2 Tbsp FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with cooking spray or line with foil. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into wedges (about 1/2 inch thick).  Place potatoes in a large bowl, drizzle with oil and toss well. Spread the wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake until tender about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven and season with the salt and pepper.

While the potatoes are baking, combine the vinegar and honey in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup.

NOTE:  BE CAREFUL, watch the syrup during the last few minutes as it can go burn very quickly.

Mix in the butter and remove from heat.  Add the FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate and stir to incorporate into the syrup mixture.  Drizzle over the roasted sweet potatoes.

Yield: 4 servings

Sweet Potatoes With Dried Cherry Glaze

Sweet potatoes, not just for Thanksgiving!  Try one of these recipes (adapted from recipes found on the sweetpotato.org website) at your next evening meal.

Ingredients: 
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp ground ginger
4 medium sweet potatoes
9 inch round cake pan
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  In a medium skillet, heat butter and oil and sauté the onions about 5 minutes or until tender. Add the Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries, brown sugar and ginger, and stir until mixed. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly (a food processor works great for slicing the potatoes very thin).  Separate potatoes into thirds.  Spoon 1 Tbsp of the cherry mixture in the center of the prepared pan. Layer (overlapping slices) sweet potato slices along the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/2 of the remaining cherry mixture over the potatoes. Layer (overlapping slices) the second 1/3 of the sweet potato slices. Top with remaining cherry mixture and layer final 1/3 of the sweet potatoes over the top. Spray another sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and tightly cover the potato/cherry mixture.  Bake for 40 minutes; remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes longer or until the potatoes are brown and crisp.  The sweet potatoes should be tender.  Remove the pan from the oven and immediately invert over a plate; remove the bottom foil; serve hot.

Yield: 8 servings

Sweet Potatoes With Dried Cherries and Onions

Ingredients: 
6 medium sweet potatoes
3 medium onions
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Peel onion and cut into chunks.  Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into chunks (about 1-inch).  In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter; add the onions and potatoes.  Cook, stirring frequently for about 20 minutes or until the onions are light brown.  Add wine, broth, thyme and Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook an additional 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the liquid is almost absorbed.  Salt and pepper the potatoes to taste; serve while hot.

Yield:  8-10 servings

Sweet Potatoes With Dried Cherries and Pecans

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2/3 cup Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
1/3 cup chopped pecans
4 medium sweet potatoes
9 inch round cake pan
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries and pecans; set aside. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly (a food processor works great for slicing the potatoes very thin).  Beginning with 1/3 of the cherry/nut mixture, spoon the cherry/nut mixture in the bottom of the cake pan. Top the mixture with overlapping potato slices.  Continue layering (2 more times) the cherry/nut mixture and potatoes; ending with potato slices.  Spray another sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and tightly cover the potatoes.  Bake for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 20 minutes longer or until the potatoes are brown and crisp.  The sweet potatoes should be tender. Remove the cake pan from the oven and immediately invert over a plate; remove the bottom foil; serve hot.

Yield: 8 servings

Helpful Hints:
When baking sweet potatoes, top each potato with lemon juice or lemon slices this helps retain their color and also improves flavor.

Time saver:  On the weekend, bake a large pan of sweet potatoes, then store in freezer or refrigerator for later use.  Potatoes will keep in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Calorie Counters:  Reduce the fat and sugar calories in your favorite sweet potato recipe by using the next lower measure on your measuring cup.  For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar reduce to 3/4 of a cup.  Experiment with your recipe and see how much you can reduce the sugar and fat content.  Try replacing some of the sugar with fruit juice concentrates.