BLUE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round pans with parchment; grease parchment. Beat the first 5 ingredients until well blended. In another bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking cocoa and baking soda; gradually beat into oil mixture., Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely., For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Using a long serrated knife, trim tops of cakes; set tops aside. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer, bottom side up. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting., Break cake tops into pieces. Pulse in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Decorate cake with crumbs as desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise into halves. With a small sharp paring knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Trim a small slice away from the rounded sides of each pear half so that they will sit in the baking dish without wobbling. Toss the pears with some lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold the pears snugly.
• Gently toss the crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation.
• In the same small bowl, combine the apple cider, port, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the cider mixture, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature.
• Just before serving, whisk together the olive oil, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid in a large bowl. Divide the arugula among 6 plates and top each with a pear half. Drizzle each pear with some of the basting liquid, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.