Dried Fruit

This English-style steamed pudding is a bit lighter than the typical rendition — with no candied fruit — and it looks pretty surrounded with holly leaves.

This is like a frozen mousse, which helps explain its name: semifreddo, or "half-frozen." Start preparation a day ahead.

Here's a real treat for the lunch box. Adding dried cherries and chocolate chips turns classic oatmeal cookies into something new.

Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

The colonists planted around 150 varieties of apples in New England, many of which can still be found today. Apples show up most often in a double-crust pie, but the crisp is also a superb showcase. Nothing more than fruit baked with crumbly nut, flour, sugar and butter topping, it's as simple to make as it is delicious.

Often called black cakes, spice cakes flavored with molasses are a perennial on the southern dessert buffet.

Here's a sophisticated but easy desert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

It is very easy to overcook pork chops. In this recipe,you can first sauté them until brown and then add a little broth to maintain their moisture. Open a bottle of Gamay Beaujolais to have with dinner.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Carrot cakes have been a part of American baking for years, and they remain a favorite dessert in the heartland. This version has a hint of orange from the juice and peel and lots of the rich cream cheese frosting that everyone expects (and loves). Thin orange peel strips make a pretty garnish.

This upscale meat loaf deserves contemporary partners like sweet potatoes whipped with maple syrup, and some steamed broccoli with lemon-herb butter. End with a sure winner-devil's food cake. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

If you don't have individual soufflé dishes, this can be prepared in a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish, in which case the crisp will need to bake for about 55 minutes.

A nice accompaniment to roasted pork, venison, game birds or turkey.

Nice with duck, Cornish game hens or the Thanksgiving turkey.