Native American Food

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup mesquite meal
6 tb. melted butter or margarine
2/3 cup mesquite or clover honey, divided
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
prickly pear syrup (recipe below)
2 ripe, unblemished prickly pears or peaches

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, mesquite meal, butter, 1 tablespoon honey, and cinnamon. Using fingers, press mixture evenly on bottom and half way up sides of 9-inch spring-form pan. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat cream cheese, remaining honey, and vanilla until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Stir in sour cream. Pour batter into crust; bake 50 to 60 minutes, until center sets. Turn off oven, leaving door slightly ajar. Leave cake in oven 1 hour; remove and allow to cool. Chill at least 2
hours; then prepare glaze and peel and slice pears/peaches. Arrange pears/peaches on top of cake and spoon over glaze. Return to refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 8 slices

Prickly Pear Syrup

12 Prickly pears
1/4 c Honey

Wash and cut each prickly pear into quarters, leaving the skins on. Place the fruit in a food processor and process until pulpy and thoroughly blended. Press the liquid
through a fine sieve; discard skin and seeds. Put the prickly pear juice into a saucepan with the honey and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and let simmer 10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool. The syrup will thicken further as it cools. The syrup may be stored in the
refrigerator for up to 1 week. Prickly pears have a sweet, tangy flavor that makes a
delicious sryrp, excellent with the Pinon and Blue Cornmeal Hotcakes and also a
wonderful topping for the Corn and Honey Pastel Ice or Picuris Indian Bread Pudding.

From "Native American Cooking," by Lois Ellen Frank