Berry Cream Pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup cherries, pitted, quartered
• 1 tablespoon kirsch, optional
• 15 vanilla-cream sandwich cookies
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 small package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon each: pure vanilla extract, minced lemon rind
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
• 1 cup each: blueberries, strawberries, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Combine cherries and kirsch in a small dish. Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Crush the cookies in a blender or foodprocessor. Add butter and mix well. Press into an 8-inch pie plate.Bake until lightly colored, 8 minutes. Cool completely beforefilling.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon rind until smooth. Drain any liquid from cherries into mixture. Fold into whipped cream. Sprinkle cherries over bottom of cooled crust. Top withcream mixture; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Arrange berries on top for garnish. Refrigerate until serving time.