Now that Thanksgiving has passed, it's time to set aside any caloric anxiety, don the stretchy pants, and begin planning for the Christmas meal. Here's a hint. Apple Stack Cake should be on the menu.

Stack cake is the ultimate mountaineers' dessert -- a not too sweet, but satisfying and complexly flavored dessert made of 4-6 thin layers of molasses-tinged, biscuit-like cake covered with a dark, ...

— This dense, rich cake from Joan Aller’s forthcoming cookbook, “Cider Beans, Wild Greens and Dandelion Jelly” (a collection of recipes from southern Appalachia due out in June), is remarkably easy to ...

Place dried apples in a saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash apples. Stir in brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons ...