Thanksgiving

A hint of whisky and tart cherries in the filling, plus an almost cakey crust, make this comforting pie unique. Serve with heavy cream for drizzling or some vanilla ice cream.

Evelyn Herring of Laguna Woods, California, writes: "My mother was raised in Scotland and learned to cook at a time when quality ingredients were hard to come by. She had to be imaginative, often substituting ingredients and improvising recipes. My own cooking has become Americanized over the years, but I still rely on her recipes. They're easy and always taste as good as the first time I tried them." Crushed gingersnap cookies, marmalade, and raisins set this pie apart from the American version.

Pink peppercorns add a lovely floral note to this pretty dessert.

Jan Schroeder of Corvallis, Oregon, writes: "A great thing about my job is that I get to do a lot of cooking. I work for the berry industry and one of my duties is developing recipes. I often get ideas from local chefs, but it's also rewarding to see what I can come up with on my own." Ribbon-tied jars of this chutney would make a nice holiday gift.

Using blood orange juice in the dressing means less oil is necessary, which lowers the fat in this dish. Mâche, sometimes called lamb's lettuce, can be found in four-ounce packages in the produce section of many supermarkets.

This puree is a wonderful vegetable side dish for any cool-weather braise or stew.

Holiday alert! Here's a filling that comes together in no time. If there is some dough on hand or a crust in the freezer, you're all set to go.

With no pastry crust to wrangle, these luscious parfaits of pumpkin mousse and cream are easier to make than pumpkin pie. Start making this dessert at least one day before you plan to serve it.

Hachiya persimmon puree flavors the pudding; using arborio (the starchy, short-grained risotto rice) gives it an especially tender, creamy texture.