Summer crops, especially tomatoes and berries, are hitting their farm-fresh peak. Time to show off these flavor stars with a minimum of fuss. Every dish on these pages--from the Summer Pasta Tart to the backyard "burgers'--is quick, delicious and perfect if you need an idea for dinner tonight. No matter what you choose, finish up with the berry "cream," right. Dessert doesn't get any yummier.

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SUMMER FRUIT "CREAM"
WITH LADYFINGERS

Serves 6 * 30 minutes or fewer

Elegant and creamy, this fruit
dessert comes together in a snap.
You can make it ahead and
refrigerate it, or assemble it
while the coffee perks.

12 plain ladyfingers
1 12.3-oz. pkg. silken soft tofu
1/2 12.3-oz. pkg. silken firm tofu
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 pint fresh raspberries, rinsed
1/2 pint fresh blackberries, rinsed
1 3-oz. pkg. dried tart cherries
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1. Line bottom of 3-qt. bowl
with ladyfingers; set aside.

2. Put all tofu into food processor
or blender, and puree until smooth
(or beat with electric mixer until
smooth). Add extracts and confectioners'
sugar, and blend well. Transfer to large
bowl, and gently stir in berries.

3. Pour mixture over ladyfingers,
and top with dried cherries.
If making ahead, chill. Before
serving, garnish with almonds.

PER SERVING: 290 CAL; 10G PROT; 9G TOTAL FAT
(1G SAT. FAT); 42G CARB; 25MG CHOL; 100MG
SOD; 5G FIBER; 27G SUGARS

ALMOST TOTALLY TOMATOES

Serves 4 * 30 minutes or fewer

This showy main-course pasta salad
gets its visual impact from a mix and
match of tomato shapes and colors.
Serve with grilled or toasted Italian
foccacia drizzled with olive oil.

1 9-oz. pkg. fresh fettuccine,
  preferably spinach
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese plus
  extra for sprinkling
2 Tbs. chopped oil-packed
  sun-dried tomatoes
2 tomatillos, thinly sliced
1 plum tomato, diced
1 heirloom tomato, cubed
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 cup cherry tomatoes
I cup pear tomatoes
Sun-dried tomato vinaigrette
  as desired
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1. Cook fettuccine according to
package directions. Drain, rinse under
cold water and drain again. Put into
large bowl, and toss with oil, lemon
juice, 2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese and
sun-dried tomatoes.

2. Combine tomatillos and all fresh
tomatoes in large mixing bowl, and
toss with vinaigrette. Arrange pasta in
individual bowls, top with tomatoes,
and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and
remaining Parmesan cheese. Serve.

PER SERVING 310 CAL; 12G PROT; 9G TOTAL FAT
(2G SAT. FAT): 48G CARB; 45MG CHOL; 60MG SOD;
4G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

ITALIAN SALAD PIZZAS

Serves 4 * 30 minutes or fewer

For an instant pizza-topping base,
bead to your favorite salad bar or
Italian deli and bring home a portion of
the antipasto salad mix--it generally
contains pepperoncini, cauliflower,
olives, and red or green bell pepper.

2 8-inch pizza shells
Garlic powder to taste
1/2 cup Italian antipasto salad mix
  (giardiniera)
1 medium-sized yellow summer
  squash, cubed
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans,
  drained and rinsed
2 cups grated part-skim mozzarella
4 Tbs. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. Italian dried herb
  seasoning mix

1. Preheat oven to 500F.

2. Spray pizza shells with cooking spray,
and sprinkle with garlic powder.
Heat in oven about 1 minute, or until
softened. Remove from oven,
and reduce temperature to 450F.

3. Combine salad mix, summer squash,
garbanzo beans, cheeses and Italian herb
seasoning in mixing bowl, and toss
to combine. Top each pizza shell with
half of mixture.

4. Heat until cheeses melt and turn
golden, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

PER SERVING: 480 CAL; 27G PROT; 15G TOTAL FAT
(9G SAT. FAT); 49G CARB; 35MG CHOL; 560MG
SOD; 8G FIBER; 5G SUGARS

EGGPLANT AND PORTOBELLO
"BURGERS"

Serves 4 * 30 minutes or fewer

These make an ideal casual summer
supper. Select portobellos round
enough to fit onto a sandwich-sized
English muffin for this stacked veggie
"burger." Reserve leftover eggplant
for another use.

4 3- to 4-inch round portobello
  mushroom caps, stemmed
Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
  to taste
4 sandwich-sized English muffins,
  halved horizontally
4 oz. thinly sliced fontina cheese
4 very thin slices eggplant
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. soy
  or regular mayonnaise
1 large tomato, sliced into
4 1/2-inch slices

1. Preheat oven to 450F.

2. Heat nonstick skillet over medium
heat, and spray with cooking spray.
Spray portobello caps with cooking
spray, and sprinkle with Worcestershire
sauce to taste. Heat in skillet, top down,
3 to 4 minutes; turn over, and heat
3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from
skillet when caps are tender; set aside.

3. Meanwhile, place bottom half of
muffins on baking sheet, and top with
fontina cheese. Bake until cheese melts,
about 5 minutes, and remove from
oven. Put eggplant slices on baking
sheet, spray tops with cooking spray and
sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce.
Bake 5 minutes, or until tops are tender.
Turn over, and spray other sides.
Place muffin tops on same baking sheet.
Bake until eggplant is tender and
muffins are golden, about 5 minutes.
Remove from oven.

4. Spread 1 tsp. mayonnaise on top
halves of each muffin. Layer mushroom,
eggplant and tomato on bottom halves
of muffins, top each with muffin top
and serve.

PER SERVING: 320 CaL; 15G PROT; 11G TOTAL FAT
(6G SAT. FAT); 40G CARB; 35MG CHOL; 540MG
SOD; 7G FIBER; 8G SUGARS

SUMMER PASTA TART

Serves 6 * 30 minutes or fewer

This unusual cheese-based pasta
dish is worth turning on your
oven (briefly). Serve it to friends
for a casual brunch, or watch it
disappear at a family supper.
Best of all, you can assemble it
in minutes. A berry-topped sorbet
would be a refreshing conclusion.

1/2 cup dried orzo
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 roasted red bell peppers,
  cut into long strips
2 cups shredded part-skim
  mozzarella cheese
1 cup water-packed artichoke
hearts, well drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Lemon seasoning salt
  to taste
1 pint yellow or red grape
  tomatoes, halved, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Spray 10-inch
pie pan with cooking spray;
set aside.

2. Cook orzo according to package
directions. Drain, and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, combine eggs,
red peppers, mozzarella,
artichoke hearts and Parmesan
cheese in large mixing bowl.
Stir in orzo and seasoning salt.
Spoon mixture into pie pan,
patting down so filling is smooth.

4. Bake tart 15 to 18 minutes,
or until cheese melts and top
browns slightly. Remove, garnish
with halved tomatoes and serve
hot or just warm.

PER SERVING: 260 CAL; 19G PROT; 12G
TOTAL FAT (6G SAT. FAT); 19G CARB; 170MG
CHOL; 410MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

BREAKFAST BLUEBERRY
QUESADILLAS

Serves 4 * 30 minutes or fewer

You can have this breakfast ready
in no time. Vary the dried fruit
depending on the season--dried
cranberries and tart cherries are
fine substitutes for the blueberries.

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 3-oz. pkg. dried blueberries
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. lemon extract
Zest of 1 lemon
4 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup part-skim
  mozzarella cheese
4 Tbs. plain nonfat yogurt
  for garnish
1/2 pint blueberries for garnish

1. Put ricotta cheese, dried
blueberries, brown sugar, lemon
extract and lemon zest in mixing
bowl, and blend well.

2. Sprinkle 1 tortilla with 1/4 cup
mozzarella cheese. Put about
1/3 cup blueberry mixture on half
of tortilla, and fold over other
half to enclose filling. Repeat with
remaining tortillas, mozzarella
and blueberry mixture.

3. Spray skillet with cooking spray,
and heat over medium heat.
Cook quesadillas, one or two at
a time, until golden on bottom,
about 3 minutes. Flip over,
cook second side until golden.
Top each quesadilla with dollop
of yogurt and sprinkling of
blueberries. Serve hot.

PER SERVING: 490 CAL; 20G PROT; 14G TOTAL
FAT (7G SAT. FAT); 69G CARB; 35MG CHOL;
420MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 33G SUGARS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENEE COMET

FOOD STYLING BY LISA CHERKASKY

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