Fruit pizza

2 pkgs. cream cheese
1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar (or to taste)
Pizza pan
Assorted fruit suggestions: Kiwi, strawberries, mandarin oranges, bananas, black or blue berries

Spread cookie dough over pizza pan. Cook the crust as directed on wrapper. In a bowl, microwave cream cheese until soft. Add vanilla and sugar. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of cooled cookie. Cut and lay fruit in circles. Serve immediately. from cooks.com

Thanksgiving recipe

Pumpkin pie is the common sweet dessert during thanksgiving. I searched the net which recipe uses a raw pumpkin since a lot of recipes I read uses caned pumpkin. So here’s one I got from Cooks.com

PUMPKIN PIE

2 c. pumpkin, cut into half-inch pieces
1/4 cup liquid from cooked pumpkin
1 c. raisins, soaked in 1/4 cup dark rum
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk, beaten

This recipe uses cubes of raw pumpkin rather than canned pumpkin. Winter squash may also be used.

In medium saucepan, add 1 tbsp. of butter and 1/2 cup water to pumpkin, and simmer over medium heat, which should take approximately 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Mash or puree pumpkin. Add raisins, rum, cooked pumpkin, and remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined.

Turn into pastry lined 9 in. pie plate. Flute edges. Set in preheated 400 degree oven. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake about 30 minutes longer.