These holiday recipes were provided by area chefs from the Lawrence area.

Holiday Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Cranberry-Cherry Sauce

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3 cups cake flour (all-purpose flour is OK, cake flour will produce a

lighter crumb)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature or warmed very lightly in

microwave

3 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

6 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Use baking spray to coat a 10-inch, straight-sided tube pan, preferably nonstick.

Sift flour and baking powder together into bowl, and set aside. Cream butter, cream cheese, orange zest and vanilla together briefly. Add sugar to creamed mixture, with mixer running, in thirds, stopping between additions to scrape bowl. Let creamed mixture run, at medium-high speed, for about 2 minutes, or until white-colored and fluffy. Add eggs one at time to the cream cheese mixture and mix on medium speed after each addition until blended, about 10 seconds. Scrape bowl between additions. When all eggs are added, mix about 30 seconds more. Scrape bowl once more. Mixture may appear curdled at this point. Stir flour into cream cheese mixture with rubber spatula to gently blend, then mix on low speed about 5 seconds. Stop, scrape the bowl, and blend to smooth and even, about 10 seconds more. Make sure to scrape sides and bottom and mix once more for a few seconds, if necessary.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula.

Bake on center oven rack until golden and firm to touch, and a tester inserted in the center comes out dry, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Allow cake to cool at least 20 minutes in pan before unmolding onto cooling rack or serving plate.

Sift powdered sugar over cake top, and serve with warm Cranberry-Cherry

Sauce (recipe follows).

Cranberry-Cherry Sauce

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16 ounces whole, fresh cranberries

1 16-ounce can drained sour cherries

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine cranberries, sour cherries, orange zest, water and sugar in medium pan. Bring to a boil, stirring thoroughly.

Cook until cranberry skins pop. Remove from heat. Skim froth from top and discard. Cool before refrigerating, covered. Heat briefly in microwave to serve with cake, and garnish plates with mint leaves.

Submitted by Marilyn Pollack Naron.

Chocolate Gingerbread Souffle Cakes

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8 ounces bittersweet chocolate pieces

8 ounces butter, softened

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons gingerbread spice mixture

2 tablespoons brandy or rum

8 tablespoons ginger

2 tablespoons allspice

2 tablespoons anise

2 tablespoons cloves

1 tablespoon cardamom

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Melt chocolate and butter together, and set aside (but not for too long, or you will have to re-melt). Combine sugar, flour, spices and set aside. Whisk together eggs and sugar mixture, just to evenly blend. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg and sugar mixture until light and fluffy. Generously butter 9 ramekins (about 1 cup in size), and divide batter evenly between them. This will fill them to about 1/4 inch from top. Cover and chill for at least one hour, or up to 3 days. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chilled ramekins on a baking sheet in oven. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Submitted by Sula Teller and Ali Olewnik.

Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Onions, Poached Pears and Cabernet Syrup

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3 tablespoons coarsely chopped, mixed fresh herbs: oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 pounds pork tenderloin

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds onions (about four total), thinly sliced

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon

1/3 cup sugar

one whole cinnamon stick

2 cloves, whole

1 small, diced dried chili pepper or dried flakes

1 1/2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns

2 pears, peeled, halved and cored

In a small bowl, combine the herbs, olive oil and garlic. Rub this mixture over the pork, cover and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and saute the onions until they are golden, from 20 to 25 minutes, and keep warm.

In an 8-cup saucepan, bring the wine, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, chili and peppercorns to a boil. Reduce to a low heat, simmer for about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the pears and let cool. Continue to simmer the liquid until it reduces somewhat, then pour it into a smaller pan and simmer until it becomes thick and syrupy. Roast the pork tenderloin in a 375-degree oven for about 35 minutes, let set a few minutes, then slice into medallions. Ladle poached pears and Cabernet syrup over pork medallions, garnish and serve.

Submitted by Liz Karr.

Chevre with Pesto and Raspberry Sauce

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1 log goat chevre (sizes sold in stores vary; choose a larger one)

6 to 8 ounces raspberry sauce (recipe follows)

6 to 8 ounces pesto sauce (recipe follows)

Raspberry Sauce

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1 10-ounce package frozen organic raspberries

3 tablespoons organic raspberry jam

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 to 1 cup organic powdered sugar

Strain raspberries, reserving 1/4 cup of juice. Puree berries, 1/4 cup juice, jam and lemon juice in a food processor. Strain liquid by crushing through a strainer to extract as much fruit and juice as possible. Using a hand mixer, blend small amounts of powdered sugar until juice thickens into a sauce. Refrigerate overnight. Since you will be putting raspberry and pesto sauces side by side, you can save out a small amount of the raspberries, after crushing, to chop and place into the sauce after you’ve spooned it out.

Pesto Sauce

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2 cloves organic garlic, crushed

2 cups packed, coarsely chopped organic basil leaves

coarse kosher salt

1/4 tablespoon pine nuts

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1/2 to 1/3 cup organic virgin olive oil

In a food processor, pound the garlic, basil and pinch of kosher salt, pine nuts and parmesan cheese into a paste. Gradually blend in olive oil to form a sauce-like paste.

On a serving dish, spoon the Pesto Sauce on one half of the dish, then the Raspberry Sauce on the other half. With a butter knife, swirl a design of your choice so that the sauces combine without mixing together. Place chevre log onto sauces, and serve with your favorite cracker.

Submitted by Kristen Walker.

Apple Sweet Potato Gratin

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2 sweet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 to 3 apples, cored and sliced 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick

2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil or butter (optional)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/3 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

1/2 to 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch casserole dish. Layer sweet potato slices and apples alternately, sprinkle with spices and cheese (if using). Meanwhile, toast pecans over medium-low heat from 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. They are toasted when they give off a delicious, toasted-nut aroma. Nuts can burn quickly, so be careful. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove gratin from oven, top with toasted nuts and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Submitted by Hilary Brown.