Baked Caramel Pears, Tomato Spaghetti Cups; Magazine Mondays

In an effort to clean out magazines and cookbooklets, I've decided to join Magazine Mondays hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice. What I really like is that she isn't strict about when you post so I can publish these yummy results as I find them.

If you are anything like me, you have a drawer or a box full of recipes from newspapers, magazines, old maiden aunts, grandmothers, friends and every potluck you ever went to and said I have to have that recipe! Now while I usually keep the combination of spices and seasonings somewhat intact, I do make changes that make it more palatable to my family. So I always keep a list of likes, dislikes and allergies and am constantly altering recipes to fly by the seat of my pants.

These recipes have been floating around so long in the box of scraps that I have no idea where they originated (but they look like pages from an old Lawry's magazine when I worked there) which based on all my changes doesn't matter, but reminds me to keep that box. Some days I feel like an archaeologist, but come up with oldies that were favorites and will now be revived.

BAKED CARAMEL PEARS
3-4 firm pears, pared and cut into fourths
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon*
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small squares
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 to 6 tablespoons chopped, toasted pecans, optional
1/4 cup rum soaked golden raisins**

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Arrange pears side by side, center down in an un-greased 8x8 baking dish.
• Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
  
• Sprinkle raisins around the pears.
  
• Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
• Evenly dot with the butter squares.
• Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until pears are tender and brown sugar is bubbly.
  

*I deleted the pecans and increased the brown sugar to 1/3 cup while adding the cinnamon also.
**I soaked the raisins in rum for a day or so before and they were yummy!

Next time I will maybe broil the pears for a couple of minutes after they come out of the oven to crystallize the sugar.

TOMATO SPAGHETTI CUPS
6 firm medium tomatoes
6 ounces cooked spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
+2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup plain yogurt1/4 cup sour cream or ricotta cheese
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh chives*
1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper Spice Hunter salt-free Key Lime Pepper
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt McCormick Salad Supreme

• Cut the stem ends from the tomatoes and carefully scoop out the seeds and pulp (I saved these for sweet and sour tomatoes tomorrow night).
• Toss the pasta with the olive oil and lemon juice and allow to cool.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon pepper, seasoned salt and Parmesan cheese.
• Toss the pasta mixture with the mayonnaise mixture and gently spoon into the tomato shells.
• Sprinkle the tops with ground parsley and paprika.
  

*I increased the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons and revived dried chives in the lemon juice before I began assembling the tomatoes.
+Not in the original recipe

♥