Thanksgiving Recipes

Baked goods are staples at many family gatherings. Whether hosting family for the holidays, reunions or

weekly Sunday night dinners, hosts can make dessert that much better by

serving this “Blackberry-Ripple Lime Cheesecake” courtesy of Lori Longbotham’s “Luscious Creamy Desserts” (Chronicle Books).

Blackberry-Ripple Lime Cheesecake

Serves 10

Crust

1½ cups pecans

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

2 6-ounce packages ripe blackberries

2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1½ pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs, at room temperature

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

To make the crust: Pulse the pecans, flour and sugar in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse just until combined. Press the crust evenly over the bottom and 1 inch up

the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F.

To make the filling: Mash the blackberries and sugar together in a medium saucepan with a pastry blender or a fork. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to release their juices. Stir in the cornstarch, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute. Pour the purée through a coarse strainer set over a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Refrigerate, tightly covered, until thoroughly chilled.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the condensed milk, zest, lime juice, and vanilla, scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary. Reduce the speed to

medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into the pan.

Transfer the blackberry purée to a small glass measure. Drizzle it in a

spiral pattern over the batter, then swirl a table knife through the batter to marbleize it. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the cheesecake is puffed on the sides and still slightly jiggly in the center. Let cool on a wire rack.

Refrigerate the cheesecake, tightly covered, for at least 8 hours, until thoroughly chilled and set, or for up to 2 days.

To serve, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the

cake and remove the side of the pan. Cut the cheesecake into thin wedges with a sharp knife dipped into hot water and wiped dry after each cut.

Besides the ubiquitous “pumpkin spice,” nothing says “autumn” more than tart cranberries. Cranberries are a major component of Thanksgiving feasts, turning up alongside and atop turkey as well as in quick breads and desserts.

Cranberries are loaded with health benefits, which include reducing risk for ulcers and preventing gum disease. Also, just eight ounces of cranberry juice cocktail contains 137 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin C.

Cranberries can even be used to craft great cocktails. Move over mulled ciders, this crisp “Cranberry Margarita” from The Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association makes a great autumninspired beverage.

Cranberry Margarita

Serves 1

1½ shots of tequila

1 shot of cranberry juice cocktail

¼ cup of whole berry cranberry sauce

½ shot of triple sec

10 ice cubes

Sweetened dried cranberries, for garnish

Lime, for garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in blender. Blend on high until smooth and frosty. Serve in margarita glass. Garnish with dried cranberries and a lime wheel.