Budget Friendly Meals: Rosemary Custard and Wine-Poached Pears

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<em>Serves 4</em>
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This healthful dessert is a great way to finish a meal. The fresh rosemary counters the sweet pears to balance the flavors.</p>
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<strong>Rosemary Custard</strong>
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• 1?2 cup vanilla soy or rice milk<br />
• 1 vanilla bean, split<br />
• 1 cinnamon stick (2 inches long)<br />
• 1 sprig rosemary<br />
• 1 package (16 ounces) firm silken tofu, well-drained<br />
• Agave syrup, honey or maple syrup to taste<br />
• 4 Wine-Poached Pears (recipe follows)</p>
<p>1. Combine milk, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and rosemary in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, remove from heat and cool. Discard vanilla, cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig.<br />
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2. Process tofu for 30 seconds or until smooth. Gradually add infused milk, blending until smooth.<br />
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3. Spoon Rosemary Custard onto individual dessert plates; sprinkle with powdered cinnamon. Place a pear in the center of each plate. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.</p>
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<strong>Wine-Poached Pears<br />
</strong>• 4 pears<br />
• 4 1?2 cups apple juice<br />
• 1 1?2 cup dry Riesling wine<br />
• 1?2 vanilla bean split lengthwise</p>
<p>1. Peel pears, removing core from bottom end, leaving stems intact. Cut a thin slice from bottom so pears will stand upright.<br />
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2. Combine apple juice, wine and vanilla bean in a small Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add pears, standing upright; cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Remove to a cooling rack to drain and cool pears and liquid; return pears to cooled poaching liquid until serving time; drain pears before serving. </p>
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<em>Pat Crocker cooks bistro-style food with her favorite herbs every week. Her latest book,</em> The Vegan Cook’s Bible <em>(Robert Rose, 2009), is now available.</em>
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Click here for the original article, <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/budget-friendly-meals.aspx”>
<strong>Budget Friendly Meals.</strong>
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