Poached Pears

Ingredients

• 8 medium ripe, but still firm, pears (I used the red ones, but any pear should work)
• enough orange juice to dip or brush on pears
• 1 c Burgundy wine (can omit this one)
• 6 cups cranberry juice cocktail (I used an unsweetened cranberry, grape, and apple juice mix)
• 12 orange slices
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks
• 1-2 tsp whole cloves

Directions

Leaving stems intact, peel pears and remove cores. Remove core for bottom of pear, using a knife to cut through, and I used a spoon handle to remove. It necessary, slice enough off bottom so pear stands up.
Dip, or brush pears with orange juice to prevent browning. If you don't have orange juice, lemon juice will work, but may alter flavor somewhat.
Combine rest of ingredients in a dutch oven, bring to boil.
Add pears, reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes until pears are tender. Turn occasionally so all sides receive flavors.
Remove pears from pan, reserving liquid. Cover pears until ready to serve.
Discard spices, boil down liquid to a syrupy consistency. You may add a cup or so of sugar to speed up this process if you wish. Or...just boil down half the liquid for less syrup.
Serve with syrup drizzled over pears.

**Alternate serving suggestion:
Serve pears on a small bed of vanilla ice cream, topped with a sprinkling of nutty granola, then drizzle syrup over all. YUM!
Combine left over syrup with ginger ale (or sprite if you like a sweeter drink) for a wonderful punch!