KJL's TV Dinners: "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" Baked Pears Alicia

"Love is all around, no need to waste it. You can have a town, why don't you take it? You're gonna make it after all." 

Mary Richards definitely made it after all. Fifty years ago, on September 19, 1970, The Mary Tyler Moore Show premiered on CBS. At first, the show was a big risk. Its star, Mary Tyler Moore, was ready for a career turnaround, and the show was comprised of mostly unknown supporting actors. CBS was unsure if the show would be a success, but it didn't take long for viewers (and critics) to realize that the show was special. In fact, it was more than just "special." 

It was a trailblazer. 

The cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (photo/Austin Film Society).

What's not to like about The Mary Tyler Moore Show? You have Moore's incredible comedy, brilliant writing, endearing friendships, and inspirational characters. The show centered around a single 30-year-old woman, Mary Richards, who moved to Minneapolis for a brand new adventure. She gets a job as an associate producer of the fictional WJM-TV news station. She works with men, including a tough and grumpy producer, Lou Grant (Ed Asner); a fun-loving and humorous head writer, Murray Slaughter (Gavin MacLeod); a dim-witted news anchor, Ted Baxter (Ted Knight); and, many others. 

When Mary isn't at the news station, she's often at her one-room "bachelorette pad" apartment with her best friend, Rhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper). I love Mary and Rhoda's friendship! Rhoda is fun, loyal, sarcastic, outgoing, and she always has the best wisecracks. At the same time, Mary is visited by her egotistical friend, Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman). Mary and Rhoda aren't exactly "best friends" with Phyllis, but you couldn't have the show without Mary, Rhoda, and Phyllis. 

Mary Tyler Moore, Valerie Harper, and Cloris Leachman (photo/Pioneer Press).

The Mary Tyler Moore Show was truly a revolutionary show for the 1970s. Mary Richards was a modern woman. She's single, independent, and she has an impressive job working alongside a group of men. Mary demonstrated that women can have jobs in male-dominant professions. Mary encouraged women to branch out of their comfort zones and to follow their dreams. 

The show had a mixture of light-hearted comedy with serious storylines. It was one of the first sitcoms that found comedy in real-life situations. In one of the show's most famous episodes, "Chuckles Bites the Dust," Mary can't stop laughing at Chuckles the Clown's funeral. The episode doesn't focus on death itself but how people react to death. It was a groundbreaking episode that is remembered as one of the best episodes in television history. 

The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode "Chuckles Bites the Dust" (photo/Decades).

The show took risks in every way possible. For example, Mary openly references her birth control pills. The show was one of the first to include a gay character. Mary directly asked Lou Grant why her male coworkers were paid more than her. There wasn't a show like it before it aired, and there hasn't been a show quite like it since it went off the air in 1977. While the show inspired other television series to feature strong, independent women, The Mary Tyler Moore Show had a special spark (or, should I say, "spunk") that has been impossible to beat. 

We will always love Mary Richards. Most importantly, we will always love Mary Tyler Moore--a woman who could always turn the world on with her smile. 

(photo/ABC News)

Baked Pears Alicia 

In honor of the 50th anniversary of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, I'm sharing a recipe for baked pears Alicia, referenced in one of the show's most popular episodes: "The Dinner Party." Mary Richards is known for her disastrous parties. But she's determined to change this reputation when she hosts a party for Congresswoman Margaret Geddes. She only has six chairs for her dining room table and exactly six portions of veal Prince Orloff. 

Disaster ensues when unexpected guests arrive, including guest star Henry Winkler. In addition, Mary had trouble with the food timing, as well as portion control and sizes. It's hilarious! 

The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode "The Dinner Party" (photo/Paperless Post).

For dessert, WJM-TV The Happy Homemaker host Sue Ann Nivens (Betty White) brings a baked pears Alicia dessert. The name for the dessert was made up for the show, but if you previously thought pears couldn't be added to a delicious dessert, think again. It's a simple dessert, but the pears are topped with a mixture of oats, cinnamon, and brown sugar. It's sweet and the perfect treat for a fall day. 

Baked pears Alicia dessert.

To bake this dessert, you will need the following ingredients: 

• 4 ripe Bartlett pears
• 3/4 c. oats
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1 1/2 c. apple juice (2-6 oz. cans) 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Halve the pears and scoop out the center to eventually fill with the oatmeal crumble. Place the pears in a greased 9" square pan. 

Combine the oats, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a mixing bowl until it's a crumbly mixture. Fill the pears with the oatmeal crumble, letting the excess fall into the pan. Pour the apple juice into the pan, making sure you are distributing the juice evenly around the pears. 

Bake for one hour. After 30 minutes, you can use a basting brush to brush some apple juice on top of the pears. Bake until the pears are soft. Cool for 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy! 

Maybe Mary Richards wasn't the best at hosting parties, but she certainly served delicious food, thanks to Sue Ann. Enjoy this dessert and believe that you can make it after all. 

Because you can. You can. 

-KJL-