Trial runs or what to do with "aging" fruit

Have I mentioned that the monkey loves pot pie? This past February his school offered pot pie as the alternate meal one week. He had it for three days. Unfortunately, they ran out or he would have had it the other two days as well. He is obsessed! :) So for his family birthday dinner on the 28th of this month I plan to make pot pie like I have done for at least three of his 6 birthday's (last year he wanted chocolate chip pancakes). Only it won't be exactly the same since he can no longer have wheat or milk.

I decided I needed a test run on a pie crust. I have been searching for about two weeks, and bookmarking ones that looked doable. Today I decided to start with one from Amy at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free. Now that recipe was for an apple tart, and I decided to go ahead and use up some of the apples & pears that were starting to go bad. Mini-pies or dumplings or tarts were born. I highly recommend the crust, and will be using it again for that pot pie. Now to figure out the filling....


Apple-Pear Tarts

1 batch flaky pie crust, make according to instructions
2 small apples, cored, peeled, sliced
1-2 pears, cored, peeled, sliced
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 Teaspoon cardamom
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Melt butter in microwave for about one minute. Remove and add spices and brown sugar. Stir and return to microwave for another minute. Dump apples and pears into the butter mixture, and stir until coated.

Remove crust from refrigerator, and divide into six equal pieces (though it might be easier to do this beforehand). Roll or pat out into squares. Place on greased cookie sheet and form into a bowl. This is kind of like making a clay pot in Kindergarten. :) Dump apple-pears into bowls. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. The shells should be slightly crispy and brown.


What's your favorite way to use up ingredients that are starting to go bad?