Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   6                    anjou or bosc or comice pears
   1 3/4  cups          water
     3/4  cup           sugar
   2      tablespoons   fresh lemon juice
   6      ounces        cream cheese -- softened
   2      tablespoons   nuts -- chopped
   8                    maraschino cherries -- diced
                        ***LEMON SAUCE***
     3/4  cup           sugar
     1/4  teaspoon      salt
   1      tablespoon    cornstarch
   1 1/2  cups          water
   2                    egg yolks -- beaten
   3      tablespoons   fresh lemon juice
     1/2  teaspoon      lemon peel -- grated
                        lemon slices -- (for garnish)

Preparation:

1. Peel pears and core from blossom ends, leaving stems intact 2. Combine water, sugar and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then add pears. 3. Cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes, or until pears are tender, basting occasionally with syrup. 4. Combine cream cheese, nuts and cherries; using star tip, pipe cream cheese mixture into core and vertically around pears. Serve with Lemon Sauce. Lemon Sauce Makes about 2 cups 1. Combine sugar, salt, cornstarch and water in saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and clear. 2. Add small amount of hot mixture to beaten egg yolks; blend thoroughly. 3. Return to hot mixture in saucepan; cook and stir 1 minute. 4. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and lemon peel; blend thoroughly. 5. Cool; serve in bowl with garnish of sliced lemon.