Blueberries remain a versatile all-time favorite

Yearning for a little taste of summer? When I get that irresistible urge, I go to the market’s frozen-food case, where I know I’ll find a bounty of veggies and fruits preserved for our out-of-season comfort. Right now I’m thinking of blueberries.

Fresh blueberries have a relatively short peak season. Frozen, they’re on hand all year and can be used in almost any way you’d use the fresh. Washed and unsweetened, they’re packed in resealable bags. Because they are individually flash-frozen, you can take out what you need and return the bag to your freezer.

As small as these little gems are, they pack a healthy punch at a low-calorie price: 1 cup has only 80 calories. And that counts as two servings, making it easy to reach the new recommended daily fruit/vegetable goal. Blueberries also are a good source of vitamin C and fiber and are high in antioxidants.

Here are two old-fashioned, homey desserts, perfect endings for Sunday dinners. The first is a slightly different twist on popular berry shortcake, and the second is a variation on that favorite fruit crisp.

BLUEBERRIES AND CREAM SHORTCAKE

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1- 1/4 cups heavy (whipping) cream

1 tablespoon melted butter (optional)

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/3 cup blueberry or other fruit jelly

3/4 cup sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a 9-inch-square baking pan with nonfat cooking spray. In medium-sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in cream to form a dough. Pat dough evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake until top is golden brown, about 18 minutes; if desired, brush top with butter after 15 minutes. Cool shortcake slightly; cut in six rectangles. Cut each one diagonally in half. In a microwaveable bowl, combine berries and jelly; microwave on high until jelly melts, about 45 seconds. To serve: Place one triangle on each dessert plate. Top triangles with two-thirds of the berries and the whipped cream, dividing equally. Prop remaining triangles on top; add the remaining whipped cream and berries. Makes 6 portions.

BLUEBERRY AND PEACH CRISP

2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries

2 cups canned or frozen sliced peaches, drained

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Crispy Topping*

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease an 8 by 8-inch baking pan. In a bowl toss together blueberries, peaches, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt; distribute evenly over bottom of pan. Sprinkle Crispy Topping (recipe follows) over fruit. Bake until topping is lightly browned and fruit mixture is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Serve warm or cold, with vanilla ice cream, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

*Crispy Topping

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup oatmeal (instant or regular)

1 cup flour

2/3 cup butter

In a medium bowl mix together white and brown sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, oatmeal and flour. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Makes about 2 cups.