Pie

For some reason this delicious sweet is almost unknown today.

The non-stick mini-muffin tins required for this recipe are available at many supermarkets.

Similar to pumpkin pie, but not quite as sweet. Serve with whipped cream, if you like.

All-American apple pie cannot be ascribed to any single region of the United States, of course. But this straightforward pie--no raisins, no spirits, no creamy accompaniments--is a heartland basic.

The sweet-tart filling and the flaky crust add up to one terrific pie.

In this pie, one cup of berries is cooked to form a syrup. The remaining three cups of berries are heated in this syrup just enough to turn the blueberries a midnight blue with overtones of purple. The filling is then spooned into a prebaked crust. If you've made the crust ahead, this pie comes together in minutes. By dessert time, the filling is set.

Sprinkle a ring of chopped toasted walnuts around the edge of the pie before serving.

Pumpkin pie was introduced to the holiday table at the Pilgrim's second Thanksgiving in 1623. Decorate this American classic with some whipped cream, or serve the cream alongside.

Jennifer Smith of Tyler, Texas, writes: "Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I cook more than I used to. My husband and I have discovered that dining out with a 16-month-old is messy at best, so we tend to eat in. Even then, cooking is a challenge, since my daughter is always underfoot. My husband and I like simple comfort foods, so I don't have to spend too much time preparing elaborate meals."

While apple pie has an all-American reputation, both the fruit and the dessert are of European origin. However, several centuries of apple cultivation and dessert baking have given us de facto ownership, and the pie has become a must on many Thanksgiving tables. Cheese was produced by many of the German dairies in and around Philadelphia. The pie has no bottom crust and is baked in an oval dish, so it resembles a cobbler.

This scrumptious pie is a snap to put together. It doesn't require any baking and has only a few ingredients, two of which are a purchased crust and a prepared topping.

This pie is best made with freshly cooked kuri squash purée.