Biscuits
1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cups very ripe strawberries, hulled
1/4 cup sugar or to taste
8 cups ripe fresh raspberries, 8 reserved
1 cup whipped cream (optional)

BISCUIT: Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon rind. In small bowl, mix buttermilk and oil. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork just until mixture comes together. (Mixture will be lumpy; do not overmix.)

Sprinkle work surface with flour. Turn out biscuit dough and with lightly floured hands pat dough into a 7-inch circle, about 1/2 inch thick. Use a 2-1/4-inch star or biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, gathering up scraps. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown on top and bottom, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, in food processor, purée strawberries with sugar. Transfer to saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl to cool.

To assemble, split biscuits in half with fork or with sharp, serrated knife. Place bottom half of biscuit on dessert plate. Cover lightly with some strawberry sauce. Add 1/4 cup raspberries. Top with 2 tablespoons whipped cream if desired. Cover with biscuit top. Surround shortcake with a ring of strawberry sauce. Top biscuit with 1 teaspoon whipped cream if desired, and a single raspberry. Repeat with remaining shortcakes.

1-1/2 cups bulgur wheat
1 to 2 tsp. salt
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 cup finely chopped mint
4 cups chopped strawberries
1 cup toasted pecan pieces

In large bowl, combine bulgur and salt. Add boiling water, cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove cover and fluff with fork. Stir in oil and lemon juice. Add parsley, mint and strawberries. Cover and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, add toasted pecans and toss to mix, or serve with pecans sprinkled on top.

Maida's Cream
4-oz. carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese (1-1/2 cups)
2 Tbs. sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/4 lbs. ripe blackberries, rinsed and patted dry
Scant 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar or to taste

CREAM: In food processor, combine all ingredients. Process, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as necessary, until cheese is thick and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Select 6 perfect berries and reserve for garnish. Place remaining berries in medium saucepan with water. Cover and bring to boil over medium heat, stirring so berries don't stick to bottom and burn.

Uncover berries and stir. Cook over medium heat until berries have released their juices and fruit is softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer berries to food processor and process until smooth. Strain berries through a sieve set over a medium bowl. Using wooden spoon or spatula, press purée through sieve; discard seeds. Add sugar, cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 1 day.

To serve, in tall goblet or parfait glass, layer 2 tablespoons blackberry purée alternately with 1/4 cup cream, starting with purée and ending with cream. Garnish with one perfect blackberry and a sprig of fresh mint. Let each person stir to taste as they eat.

Pastry Cream
2 cups milk or oat milk
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 drops orange oil or extract

Crust
1 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup canola oil
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch salt
3 to 4 Tbs. ice water
3 cups whole berries, 3 varieties: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries, hulled
1/3 cup apple jelly

PASTRY CREAM: In medium saucepan, whisk together 1-1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt.

Put flour into small bowl. Add remaining 1/2 cup milk little by little, stirring to make a smooth paste. Press paste through sieve with wooden spoon into saucepan with milk-sugar mixture. Add vanilla and orange oil or extract. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking and stirring 6 minutes longer. Scrape into bowl using spatula. Place plastic film directly on top and chill 4 to 6 hours. (Makes 2 cups)

Crust: In food processor, combine flours, oil, sugar, baking powder and salt. With motor running, add ice water by the tablespoonful and process just until dough comes together, about 4 minutes.

Turn dough out on work surface and briefly knead into a ball. Wrap and chill in refrigerator about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 9inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place two 15-inch lengths of wax paper on counter, overlapping in middle. Place dough in middle. Cover with two additional sheets of overlapping wax paper. Roll dough out into 13- to 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick.

Carefully peel wax paper from top and transfer dough to tart pan. Ease dough into pan, pat evenly and press edges into sides of pan. Press with tines of fork around top of crust to make decorative design.

Prick bottom of dough at 1-inch intervals with fork. Bake until crust is golden and edges begin to shrink from sides of pan, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove to wire rack and let cool. Remove side of pan and slide crust onto serving plate using spatula.

Spread cooled pastry cream evenly into baked tart shell. Arrange berries in concentric rings over pastry cream, larger berries should be outside, smaller berries toward center.

Heat apple jelly in small non-aluminum saucepan until melted, whisking to make smooth. With pastry brush, dab and brush apple jelly over tops of berries. To serve, slice with serrated knife into 12 equal pieces.

1 generous cup of chopped strawberries, whole blueberries or mixed berries
1/2 cup low-fat or non-fat yogurt or rice milk
1 tsp. sugar or to taste
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ice cubes

In blender, combine all ingredients. Process on and off until finely chopped, then blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.

PER SHAKE: 143 CAL.; 5G PROT.; 1G TOTAL FAT (0 SAT. FAT); 31G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 59MG SOD.; 5G FIBER.

6 medium ripe peaches, peeled, halved and pitted
3 cups fresh strawberries, quartered
1 cup blueberries, rinsed, stemmed and patted dry
1 Tbs. unbleached flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Topping
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 4 crackers)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 13- by 9-inch baking dish with with non-stick cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine peaches, berries, flour, sugar, lemon peel and cinnamon. Mix gently with rubber spatula and transfer to prepared dish.

Topping: In small bowl, combine oats, graham cracker crumbs, sugar and oil. Mix with hands to thoroughly distribute oil. Sprinkle crumble topping over blueberries. Bake until blueberries are bubbling in center and topping is browned, 40 to 50 minutes.

To serve, spoon crisp into dishes while still warm.

4 cups (2 pints) blueberries, rinsed, stemmed and patted dry
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
3/4 cup milk or oat milk

In large non-aluminum saucepan, combine berries and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until berries come to a boil.

Meanwhile, sift flours, baking powder, salt, remaining sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into medium bowl. Add milk, mixing just to moisten.

Drop dumplings by tablespoonfuls into boiling berries. Cover with tight-fitting lid. Lower heat slightly. Cook without lifting lid, about 15 minutes.

To serve, using large spoon, transfer dumplings into bowl. Surround with berries. Break dumplings open with two forks. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream or non-dairy frozen vanilla dessert.

14 to 16 1/2-inch-thick slices firm Italian bread, crusts removed
8 cups berries, hulled, rinsed and dried
2/3 cup sugar

In large, non-aluminum saucepan, combine berries and sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and berries release their juice but still retain some shape, about 10 minutes. Place berries in large sieve over bowl to catch juices.

Swirl some of the berry juice in the bottom and up sides of flat bottom, glass or ceramic mold or bowl with a 3-quart capacity. Cover bottom and sides up to 1-1/2 inches from top of mold with bread slices, cutting pieces to fit any holes. Pour a little more reserved juice over bread on sides. Add half the fruit. Top with layer of bread, piecing to fit. Cover with remaining fruit, then with layer of bread, piecing to fit. Pour in all but 1/2 cup remaining juice, brushing with pastry brush to cover bread. Cover top bread layer with plastic wrap. Place flat plate or pot or smaller mold on top. Weight with four 15-oz. cans (pumpkin, beans, tomatoes). Set on plate to catch any drips. Refrigerate overnight.

To serve, remove weights and plastic wrap. Loosen edges of pudding carefully with spatula. Invert onto serving plate. Brush any white bread spots with reserved juice. Slice into wedges with serrated knife.