Raspberry and Beaujolais Granita

11/2 pounds fresh raspberries (4 cups)

3/4 cup superfine sugar, divided

3/4 cup Beaujolais red wine

In a medium bowl, toss the raspberries with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with 10 tablespoons of the wine. Boil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.

In a food processor, puree the sugared berries. Use a mesh strainer to strain the puree into a medium bowl. Mix in the cooled syrup and remaining wine.

Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. After 2 hours, use a fork to scrape the frozen mixture from around the edges of the container and mix it into the rest of the liquid. Cover and return to the freezer.

Repeat the scraping and mixing every 2 hours three more times (for a total of 6 hours additional freezing time). The texture should be crystallized and icy, not smooth like a sorbet.

If prepared a day ahead, defrost the granita in the refrigerator for 20 minutes and mix with a fork before serving.

Start to finish: 9 hours (20 minutes active)

Servings: 8

Nutrition information per serving: 96 calories; 4 calories from fat; 0 grams fat (0 grams saturated; 0 grams trans fats); 0 milligrams cholesterol; 21 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram protein; 4 grams fiber; 2 milligrams sodium.

- "Pure Simple Cooking," by Diana Henry

Blueberry Lemon Squares

For the crust:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries

Heat the oven to 400 F.

Coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer on low to beat together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add the flour and beat just until the mixture forms small crumbs.

Press about two-thirds of the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set the remaining mixture aside. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Reduce the oven to 350 F.

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt. Add the eggs and lemon juice, then whisk until smooth.

Spread the blueberries in an even layer over the crust. Pour the filling over the blueberries. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden and the filling is puffed.

Cool. Cut into squares.

Start to finish: 50 minutes (15 minutes active). Servings: 15

Nutrition information per serving: 250 calories; 115 calories from fat; 13 grams fat (8 grams saturated; 0 grams trans fats); 68 milligrams cholesterol; 31 grams carbohydrate; 3 grams protein; 1 gram fiber; 119 milligrams sodium.

Grilled S'mores-stuffed Bananas

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

2 graham cracker squares, finely crumbled

4 unpeeled bananas, ripe but still slightly firm (entirely yellow with a few brown spots)

1/4 cup mini marshmallows

Heat a gas grill to medium-high or prepare a charcoal fire.

In a bowl, stir together the chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs.

Lay the bananas on their side on a flat surface. Cut a 3/4-inch-deep slit from tip to tip along what is now the top side of the banana. Pry open each slit just enough to push in one quarter of the chocolate chip mixture into the banana. Stuff marshmallows into each slit.

Wrap each banana snugly in foil, making a seam above the filled opening.

Turn off one side of the grill. Place the bananas, seam-up, over the cooler side. Cover and grill for 15 minutes, or until the banana feels very soft when squeezed with an oven mitt. Serve immediately with a spoon for scooping the mixture out of the peel.

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Nutrition information per serving: 169 calories; 33 calories from fat; 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated; 0 grams trans fats); 0 milligrams cholesterol; 37 grams carbohydrate; 2 grams protein; 4 grams fiber; 10 milligrams sodium.