Dried Cherry

So good — and no cooking required. Prepare the relish at least a day ahead, and add more cardamom before serving if you'd like a stronger flavor.

"Aunt Gert always made the best strudel," writes Leslie Berman of Skokie, Illinois. "I've adapted her recipe over time, and I get rave reviews when I make this version with dried cherries and chocolate." Serve with hot coffee or tea for an excellent afternoon snack.

If you spend one afternoon in the kitchen, there will be cookies for everyone on your list. You'll need at least a four-quart bowl to mix the large amount of dough.

These dessert packages are fun to make and a clever way to serve strudel. Try either tart dried cherries or the sweeter dried Bing - both available at specialty foods stores and most supermarkets.

A celebration of midwestern cherries.

Because they are prepared with purchased ice cream, these parfaits are super-easy to make. For a dramatic option, alternate layers of white and green mint ice creams.

The components of this recipe-purchased ham or turkey, the relish and dinner rolls- can be combined by your guests to make little sandwiches.

The candy gets its name from the popular German cake flavored with chocolate and cherries. Place the fudge in paper candy cups, and present it in pretty boxes tied with silk ribbon and holly sprigs.

This is equally good served warm or cold. If you prefer it cold, begin preparing the dessert well ahead so that it has time to chill.

Chocolate and cherry — the flavors of Germany's famous Black Forest torte — combine in this moist, fudgy cake. Baked in a metal bowl and covered with whipped cream, it resembles a snowball (boule-de-neige). Begin making this at least one day ahead.

If you can't find the Gala variety, use Rome Beauty or Granny Smith apples.

Freezing the rugelach before baking helps the cookies maintain their shape. For gift giving, layer them between sheets of waxed paper and arrange in tins lined with colorful cellophane or tissue paper.

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

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.

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.

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