Pear Bear Muffins

Makes about 24 muffins

Ingredients:

1 package (18.25 ounces) spice cake mix

1 cup water

1⁄3 cup orange juice

2 eggs

¼ cup canola oil

2 to 3 pears, cored, and cut into 48 slices Almond slivers Semisweet chocolate chips, regular and mini

Method:

1 Heat oven to 400°F. Line 2½-inch muffin cups with baking wrappers. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, the water, orange juice, eggs, and oil until smooth. Spoon batter into prepared cups until they’re about two-thirds full.

2 Trim ½ inch from the pointed end of each pear slice. Insert the trimmed, flat ends of 2 slices into each muffin cup, leaving the tops of the pears exposed. Pretending the muffin is a clock, insert them at about 11:00 and 1:00.

3 Bake for 20 minutes, or until muffin tops spring back when you touch them. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan; remove muffins and place them on wire racks. While they’re slightly warm, add almond slivers and chocolate chips to create the bear’s face.

Nutrition per muffin: 139 calories; 1g protein; 5g fat (1g saturated fat); 22g carbohydrate; 1g fiber; 46mg calcium; 1mg iron; 147mg sodium.

Pear Bear Muffins