Sausages with Sherry Caramel Glazed Pears = Tuesday Dinner

Dinner was delicious the day however was not so fantastic. Alena and I have caught some nasty cold which makes both of us crabby and there were a couple of meltdowns. The first one right before school some were late, and the second one just before I started on dinner. The two of us were not the happiest of campers, neither of us. We talked it through and it was at that time I realized that Alena was also not feeling good. We worked it out and all are happy again... But now dinner. I know it really is not pear season until fall but we had Maple Sage Sausage links from New Season's left and I remembered this recipe. It is a New Season's recipe which I picked up a couple of years ago and also made before. Today however it was the best yet. I served it with basic mashed potatoes and the ever present mixed green salad.

Here is the - adapted by switching Earth Balance for the cow butter'- recipe. Original by http://www.newseasonsmarket.com/.

You need
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C sherry vinegar
2. firm ripe Bosc pears, quartered, cored, and (if you want) peeled
Splash of lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance or other vegan butter
2-3 large shallots, quartered lengthwise
1/4 tsp salt
App. 1-1/2 lbs. link pork sausage - app. 8 links

1. In a medium pan bring sugar and 1/4 C of water to a boil. Stir frequently until sugar is
dissolved, keep at a boil - keep stirring - until mixture is a deep golden caramel. Then
2. Carefully, add the sherry vinegar. It will STEAM so be very careful. Then remove it from the
heat and stir until caramel is dissolved. Pour into a separate bowl and reserve. Then,
3. Mix the pear spears with lemon juice and set aside. Next,
4. Add earth Balance, 1/4 C of water, and shallots to the pan in which the caramel was made.
Heat until the liquid is evaporated and the shallots brown.
5. Add the pears and continue to cook for app. 6 more minutes. Then,
6. Stir reserved caramel - step 2 - to shallot, pear mixture as well as salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for 1 minute then remove from heat.
7. Cook sausages in a different pan.
Source http://www.newseasonsmarket.com/

Serve sausage with the glazes pears, a side f mashed potatoes, and a salad. Enjoy!