Here at the Sounder, we love to cook. And eat. Here are some of our favorite recipes for festive holiday gatherings.

Siciliana Olive Salad

Branch Branciforte, who just turned 96, is known for his authentic Italian recipes, like the following olive salad. He is also a painter and has given away more than 200 pieces, many to islanders.

2 pounds pitted green olives

1 pound black olives

1 medium celery, sliced

4 carrots sliced

1 red onion sliced

6 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 jar (4 ounces) capers

3/4 tablespoon fennel seed

1/2 teaspoon each of oregano, basil, crushed red hot pepper

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

Drain capers and rinse in cold water to remove salt. Soak green olives in cold water to remove salt.

Put all items in a large bowl and mix well.

Let stand for a day or overnight. Stir well and serve. Will keep for weeks in the refrigerator. Can be used as an antipasta with cold cuts and cheeses.

Classic Cheesecake

Cheesecake has always been editor/publisher Colleen Smith Armstrong’s favorite dessert. This recipe comes from her grandmother, who made it on her birthday every year. It is decadent but has a delicate flavor.

Crust

19 graham crackers (crushed)

1 stick of butter (melted)

1/4 cup of sugar

Mix and press firmly into a spring form pan.

Filling

3 (8 ounces) packages of cream cheese at room temp

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Grated rind of large lemon

Beat all ingredients well with an electric mixer and pour into the graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Topping

2 cups of creme fraiche

4 tablespoons of sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix well and pour over the hot cheesecake. Return to 425 degree oven and bake for 5 minutes. Refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.

The following are savory recipes by staff reporter Cali Bagby.

Kale Chips

This recipe leaves plenty of room for you to get creative. All you need is a bunch of kale and some olive oil to get started.

Cut the kale into edible bites and place them in a mixing bowl. Now you add a tablespoon of olive oil and whatever spices you like. If you want a spicy flavor add cumin, cayenne and chili powder.

If maybe you feel an Italian flavor would be better, add basil and oregano and extra black pepper. My favorite is to add a garlic infused oil.

Next, load seasoned kale onto a greased cookie sheet as if you were making french fries.

Cook at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve these chips with a nice creamy sauce. I recommend sour cream with garlic and onion salt.

Stuffed Sprouts

Stuffed brussels sprouts are not only a guest pleaser, but are a healthy and unique treat to add to the holiday dining table. Many chefs will recommend blanching the sprouts prior to coring to make this dish easier. Blanching requires you to cut the sprouts in half and place them in boiling water for one to two minutes and remove them and let them cool. Now you should easily be able to cut the core out of each sprout. Next we get to the fun part of filling these little green cups.

Here are a few ideas:

Bacon, breadcrumbs and cheese;

Parmesan, vegetables and pinenuts ;

Italian herbs, mozzerella cheese and tomatoes;

Get really crazy and add goats cheese, fennel and beets.

Cooking temperatures will depend on your filling. Twenty minutes at 400 degrees is a ball park for most of the sprouts I have made, but just be sure to check on these delicious treats every five minutes or so once you pop them in the oven.

When these sprouts are out of the oven and cooled, add balsamic vinegar or lemon juice for some added zest and flavor.