TextEdit's "Open Recent" menu command: how to increase # of files listed?

Question

In TextEdit (v. 1.6, in OS 10.6.5), under the "File" menu, there is a command called "Open Recent >" which when chosen lists the ten most recently opened TextEdit files. Select one from the list, and it re-opens.
I find this functionality very useful, but I also wish that more than just ten recent files were listed. I would much prefer 15, 20, even 25 recent files in the list.
Is there any way to increase the number of "recent" files listed under "File>Open Recent>..." in TextEdit?
There doesn't seem to be any option for changing the default number in TextEdit's "Preferences."
Other applications also have a similar functionality, and in some cases the default is more than ten, in some cases less. But a few other applications give the user the ability to alter the number of files listed. Yet not all. So, my second question is: Is there a universal way to alter the number of "recent" files listed in:
• All Apple applications
• All third-party applications
• The Finder?
Mostly I'm interested in solving the TextEdit problem, but I might as well ask this secondary question while I'm at it.

Answer 1

Sweet! That was easy.
I knew there must be some way to adjust the setting somewhere, but it never occurred to me to look under the "Appearance" system preference pane. Strange place to hide it!
Recommendation to Apple: Allow each application to set its own # of "recent" items," and *place the option in that application's own "preferences" menu*. Much more logical there!
In any case: Problem now marked as "solved"! Thanks.