As much as I am sad to say goodbye to summer, there is a certain je ne sais quoi about the fall season that makes up for the cooler temperatures and fewer daylight hours. It could be that I have more of an excuse to snuggle up with my hubby in the evenings. Or perhaps it's that I associate the season with family and food, what with Thanksgiving just around the corner. Ah, yes! Food! I could eat my way through fall and never look back.

While at my local Walmart Supercentre recently, I passed through their fresh produce department and their Canadian Barlett pears caught my eye. I then remembered that I had a new recipe to try out - Pear and Cranberry Tart. And it was decided. A hot-out-of-the-oven dessert would be warming our bellies later that evening. All I needed was a bag of Great Value Sweetened Dried Cranberries and a box of frozen butter puff pastry.

Pear and Cranberry Tart Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 firm but ripe pears (such as Anjou/Bartlett), unpeeled, cored and sliced in very thin slices
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
• 1 piece frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cover cranberries with very hot water and let stand for 10 min. Drain.
3. Melt butter in a medium frypan over medium heat. Add pears and 1 tbsp sugar and cook 2 to 4 min or until softened but not falling apart. Reserve. Roll pastry out on a floured counter, using a floured rolling pin, into approximately a 10 x 10-in square. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork. Place pears in the centre of pastry and flatten them out into and even layer, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with cranberries. Fold pastry edges up over the edge of the pears. Brush edges of pastry with beaten egg then sprinkle sugar over pastry and pears. Bake 20 min. Reduce heat to 350F and bake another 10 to 12 min or until edges are puffed and golden. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Walmart Canada, as part of the Fresh #DiscoverFresh program. In exchange for this review, I have received special perks in the form of products and/or compensation. All opinions on this blog are my own.

The holidays are in full swing and this usually means that A) you will host dinner guests, B) friends and family will have you over for dinner, or C) a combination of both A) and B). Whether you're hosting or dining as guests, I have a simple, no-bake recipe for a super delicious dessert that will have your friends and relatives begging for more. I like to call it the Cool Whip Pudding With Chocolate Wafers Layer Cake. And you think the name is a mouthful?