I love the texture and buttery flavor of poached pears. This microwave poaching method is so simple that sometimes I buy a big bag of pears and poach them all at once. They can then be refrigerated and covered and eaten as snacks throughout the next week. Bosc and Bartlett pears are the best varieties for poaching. This is a nice holiday recipe because the cranberry juice turns the pears a pale pink color. These pears are pretty garnished with some fresh mint sprigs. This recipe is best made at least 30 minutes in advance to give the pears time to cool. Total Calories Per Half Pear: 62; Fat: <1 gram Recipe by Nanette Blanchard: The following recipes are adapted from my upcoming cookbook, _'Tis the Season: A Vegetarian Christmas Cookbook_, to be published in August of 1995 by Fireside/Simon & Schuster.