1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream OR plain yogurt
1/4 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt -- (opt)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
21 ounce cherry pie filling

TOPPING:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 teaspoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup Nuts -- chopped

Grease a 13" x 9" baking pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients except pie filling. Beat well.

Spread half of the batter in the greased pan, and then spread cherry pie filling over batter. Cover with remaining batter.

For topping: combine all ingredients except butter and nuts in a small mixing bowl. Cut in butter. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes until cake springs back when lightly pressed with finger.

Serves 8 or more

Recipe from MasterCook

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cut into 1/2" chunks
5 1/2 cups raspberries, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Serves 8

Recipe from www.myrecipes.com

In a food processor or bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and butter. Whirl or rub with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly. Whirl until the dough forms a ball, or press dough firmly into a ball. Press dough evenly over bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch cake pan with a removable rim. Bake crust in a 350° oven until golden, about 18 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Meanwhile, in a 1- to 2-quart pan, mix 6 tablespoons water, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup raspberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Blend the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and mix with the berries in the pan. Stir until boiling. Cool, stirring occasionally. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 4 hours.

Up to 1 hour before serving, spread the cool raspberry sauce over bottom of baked crust. Mound remaining berries on sauce. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Stir in grated orange peel and powdered sugar. Mound whipping cream onto berries.

4 cups fresh blackberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Whipped cream (optional)
Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Serves 6

Recipe from www.myrecipes.com

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place blackberries in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish; sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over fruit. Drizzle melted butter over topping. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired. Garnish with fresh mint sprig, if desired.

For a neat presentation, bake for the same amount of time in 6 (8-oz.) ramekins on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

This dessert spotlights seasonal apricots and cherries at the peak of perfection. You can also make these treats with nectarines or peaches; just be sure to use small ones (about the size of apricots) so they won't crowd the custard cups.

Cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter, cut into 4 pieces
4 teaspoons brown sugar
2 apricots, halved and pitted
16 sweet cherries, pitted and halved
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup fat-free milk
6 tablespoons whipped topping

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 350°.

Coat 4 (8-ounce) custard cups or ramekins with cooking spray. Place 1 butter piece in bottom of each cup. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon brown sugar over butter in each cup. Arrange 1 apricot half, cut side up, over brown sugar in each ramekin. Arrange 8 cherry halves, cut sides up, around outside edge of each apricot; set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition. Divide batter evenly over fruit in each cup. Place cups on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in cups 5 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen edges of cakes with a knife. Place a dessert plate, upside down, on top of each cup; invert onto plates. Drizzle any remaining caramelized syrup evenly over cakes. Serve cake warm with whipped topping.

Parchment paper
Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds plums, sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup plum preserves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 (15-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 tablespoon sugar
Sweet Cream Topping (optional)

SWEET CREAM TOPPING: Stir together 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 tsp. brown sugar. Cover and chill 2 hours before serving. Stir just before serving.

NOTE: If the plums are very ripe, their juices may ooze out of the tart and onto the parchment paper, but this adds to the dessert's charm.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper; coat parchment paper with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together plums and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Unroll piecrust on prepared baking sheet. Roll into a 12-inch circle.

Drain plum mixture, reserving liquid. Toss plums in flour. Mound plums in center of piecrust, leaving a 3-inch border. Fold piecrust border up and over plums, pleating as you go, leaving an opening about 5 inches wide in center. Stir together egg and 1 Tbsp. water. Brush piecrust with egg mixture, and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. sugar.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden. Carefully transfer tart on parchment paper to a wire rack; cool 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring reserved plum liquid to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Boil 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let cool slightly. Brush or drizzle 1 to 2 Tbsp. hot plum liquid over exposed fruit in center of tart. Serve immediately with remaining plum syrup, and, if desired, Sweet Cream Topping.

4 (4-oz) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large peaches, peeled, halved, and pitted
Cooking spray
6 cups trimmed arugula
1 teaspoon turbinado or granulated sugar

Serves 4

Recipe from www.myrecipes.com

Place each piece of pork between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each piece to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine 2 tablespoons vinegar, juice, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon juice mixture. Pour the remaining juice mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Place peaches, cut sides up, on a plate; drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until pork is done. Set aside. Place peaches, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 4 minutes or until soft and slightly browned. Turn and cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Cut each peach half into 4 slices. Slice pieces of pork into 1-inch-thick strips.

Drizzle trimmed arugula with reserved 1 tablespoon juice mixture, tossing to coat. Divide arugula evenly among 4 plates. Top with grilled pork strips and peach slices; sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar.

Any type of pear will work in this recipe, but Bartletts are the best choice.

6 cups chopped peeled ripe pears (2 pounds)
1/2 cup apple juice
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Makes 1 3/4 cups

Combine pears and juice in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until tender. Place pear mixture in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth.

Combine puréed pear mixture, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom (if desired) in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 55 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Stir in vanilla. Cool.

Store butter in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 months.

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup regular oats
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chilled butter or stick margarine
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
7 cups sliced peeled apples (about 3 pounds)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, oats, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut butter into small pieces, then cut in butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is crumbly. Stir in walnuts.

Combine apple and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Spoon apple mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish or 1 1/2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.