Spare Pears

I love a good pear.  You know, the ones that are amazingly ripe and juicy, but not at all grainy or mealy.  The problem is that the entire bunch tends to arrive at that point at exactly the same time (or at least that's what happens to me) and then I have a plethora of ripe pears and not enough ways to eat them all.

Sometimes I slice them and serve them with a good cheese. I put them in salads.  I make pear tarts.  I even add them to pizzas with goat cheese, carmelized onions and arugula.

Recently I've found a new way to use them up...in muffins!

These are moist, dense little guys that are pretty easy to make.  A wonderful muffin that at room temperature 'pears' perfectly with a hot cup of coffee. 

Next time I make these (yes, there will most definitely be a next time) I think I will swap almond extract for 1/2 of the vanilla and sprinkling some blanched sliced almonds on top.