Mini Lemon Pistachio Yogurt Loaves

These little loaves work wonders as gifts, but you can also set them out as a sweet afternoon treat or as part of a holiday brunch. For a selection of flavours, make the Chocolate-Pear Loaves and Chestnut Loaves as well and package the trio in a pretty tin.

Jewel-Topped Cheesecake

Colourful dried fruit and nuts piled on creamy cheesecake give this dessert a festive finish. Use your favourites or an assortment, such as golden raisins, pecans, walnuts, candied cherries, dried pear halves, figs, dried apricots and candied pineapple. Decorate with the fruit up to two hours before serving.

Vegetarian Tourtiere

Being vegetarian doesn't mean you have to skip the traditional tourtiere. TVP, or textured vegetable protein, is a dried soy product available in granules or chunks that, when cooked, resemble the texture of ground meat. Look for it in the health food section of grocery stores. Serve this tourtiere with Tomato Pear Ketchup.

Brown Sugar Roasted Fall Fruit

Browning the butter lightly before tossing with the apples and pears brings a slightly nutty flavour to the dish. Serve over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt for a simple and delicious dessert. Royal Gala apples keep their shape when roasted; if you can't find them, choose ones that are similar, such as Northern Spy, Golden Delicious or Cortland.

Honey Balsamic Ham

After all the fussing that's part of a large festive meal such as Christmas dinner, it's a relief the next day to simply put a ham in the oven to serve with Curried Pears. Ham is as delicious hot as it is cold, and the big bonuses are the smoky leftovers for sandwiches and salads and, finally, the bone that enriches a bean soup.

Chocolate Fondue

Choose fruit that's easy to hold as you dip slices into this luscious mixture. Apples, pears, strawberries and pineapple are ideal. Of course, the Mini Almond Cakes are perfect for this. Even though the menu is hands only, small skewers or toothpicks will make dipping easier and neater. The chocolate will stay soft enough for dipping for up to an hour; if it begins to set, microwave it at high for 15 to 20 seconds.

Mixed Caesar Salad

Garlic breath is no problem for Jessica Lajner, who loves Caesar-style salad in her lunch once a week, along with a tortilla wrap stuffed with luncheon meat. Mom stays happy when Jessica rounds out her lunch with seedless grapes or a pear. To keep the tasty and nutritious salad fresh, pack the dressing on the side for kids to pour on at school. A portion of this salad is great to boost the day's vegetable intake.

Wassail Royale Punch

Wassail is a hot mulled cider drink that's traditionally enjoyed on New Year's Eve. In this iced "royale" version, we've swapped out the cider in favour of sparkling wine and pears. Prep the punch in advance so you can relax and spend time with guests as soon as they arrive.

Chicken & Maple Pâté