By Lance Maiden Want a Healthy Dessert? Try a Baked Fruit? You could use an Apple or a Pear Baked Pears with Raspberry Sauce 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup raspberry preserves 1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute or to taste 1/2 cup orange juice 6 ripe pears or Apples, washed Ice cream or Frozen Yogurt Mint leaves for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a saucepan over medium, stir together water, raspberry preserves, sugar and orange juice. Bring to a simmer; lower heat, and continue to stir 2 minutes.
3. Arrange pears close together in small baking pan. Pour hot raspberry sauce over the pears; cover and bake for 30 minutes, basting the pears with sauce after 15 minutes.
4. When pears are soft and bubbled on the surface, remove and slice in half.
5. Place halves on a plate and pour the raspberry sauce over them.
6. Serve with ice cream or freshly whipped cream. Garnish with mint leaves. Makes 6 servings.

--------------- Lance Maiden is a former USAF Veteran / Cook. These days, Lance is a Licensed Real Estate Agent handling both Commercial and Residential Real Estate for the Long Island, New York area. He enjoys helping people buy or sell their homes. He still manages to finds time to dabble in the kitchen and enjoys spending time with his family in Roslyn, New York. For more great recipes or real estate advice you can contact Lance at 516-484-9696.