Pecan

Testers refused to believe that chef Terry Conlan's ultra-creamy cheesecake was low in fat — but we triple-checked the numbers, and they're gloriously correct. Calories are still a bit high, but light butter and fat-free cream cheese drop the fat count to only 20 percent of the recipe's calories (less than half that of a regular slice), and goodies like caramel sauce and chocolate chips maximize the taste.

Like the Dried Pear Soufflé, this dessert relies on dried fruit rather than a lot of fat for richness. The glazed cherries add color; dried cherries may be substituted if you like. Any fresh fruit in season can be used to garnish the dessert.

Food Editor: Ian Knauer
Father: Robert M. Knauer, Allentown, PA
As a mother of seven, my grandmother was always in the kitchen and often made these bell-shaped cookies. Now, when I make them for my father from her handwritten recipe, he says the taste takes him back to his childhood.

An interesting mix of brown sugar, pecans, and sea salt fills this woven lattice-top bread. You'll need a heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle attachment.

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."

These lightly spiced butter cookies are similar to Janhagel, a popular Dutch cookie. Jane Valentine Talbert of Encinitas, California, uses pecans instead of the more traditional almonds.

Michele Evola of New York, New York, writes: "I thought you might enjoy this family recipe. My aunt Bess puts fresh persimmons in the freezer so she can make these bars anytime." When Hachiya persimmons are very ripe, they're so fragile that they nearly turn to juice. If you want to freeze them as Michelle Evola's aunt Bess does, we suggest first putting them on a baking sheet in the freezer until they harden. Then wrap them in plastic wrap while they're hard and freeze them in a sealed plastic bag.

Throughout the season, quail is always on the Highlands menu. We stuff them with ham, tasso, chicken liver, foie gras, crawfish, or corn bread. Our quail come from a farm in South Carolina, but most butchers or specialty markets sell semi-boneless quail, ideal for stuffing. (Editor's Note: The recipe below is for four quail, enough to serve two people as a main course. If you are cooking for more people, chef Stitt recommends that you prepare two quail for each extra person and adjust the other ingredients proportionally.)

This dessert has been the grand finale for every type of fancy dinner at Highlands, from museum balls we've catered to family Thanksgiving meals to nightly desserts. Buttery sweet potato filling, sweet coconut, and crunchy pecans combine with a dark rum crème anglaise to make a minor classic. This also pairs well with a cinnamon crème anglaise (see Variation).

Toasting the pecans before adding them to the filling deepens the flavors in the pie.