Ready to kick back and enjoy the easy pleasures of summer? What you need is a clutch of quick, cool, classy recipes that require a few ingredients, precious little time and no heat!

A very cool summertime idea is to stock the fridge with easy prep ingredients, including fresh blueberries. Summer is the height of blueberry season, so keep them on hand and enjoy them often!

Once you have blueberries in the house, you’ve got a head start on convenience. Pop fresh blueberries on your morning cereal, spin them into smoothies and layer them with yogurt. Blueberries never need peeling or chopping—just a quick rinse and they’re ready in a blue streak.

When you have a few minutes to spare, you can use those luscious berries in quick treats, including Blueberry and Citrus Sorbet “Layer Cake” (pictured). A nobake, frozen dessert with sweet-tart flavor and soothingly cool colors, this “cake” will be a welcome ending to any summer meal.

In the mood for something cold and creamy? Whip together Blueberry-White Chocolate “Napoleons” in 15 minutes or less. Then, you can chill out while they chill in the fridge!

Brew a pitcher of Blueberry Sangria to enjoy out on the patio or to cool down a hot barbecue. Blueberry juice, available in many supermarkets, is a relatively new addition to the blueberry family. Fresh fruit floating in juice and wine promises delightful refreshment. If you like your sangria sans alcohol, simply replace the wine with apple juice.

Blueberries are a proud member of the blue/purple spectrum of 5 A Day The Color Way—a colorful guide to healthy eating. In addition to their antioxidant properties and anti-aging benefits, blueberries have just 80 fat-free calories per cup. Fresh, frozen, canned and dried blueberries are always recipe-ready. Fresh blueberries are available just about all year long, with the supply peaking in the summer. Enjoy them at their freshest best in season in a quick, cool, classy dessert or beverage.

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons blueberry preserves or jam, divided
1 pint orange sorbet, slightly softened
1 pint lemon or other citrus sorbet, slightly softened
1 cup fresh blueberries

Line the bottom and sides of an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with a double layer of waxed paper, folding the paper to fit smoothly. In a small bowl, stir together walnuts and 1/4 cup of the blueberry preserves; set aside. Spoon orange sorbet into the lined pan, smoothing the top to make an even layer. Spread the reserved walnut-preserves mixture evenly over the orange sorbet. Spoon the lemon sorbet evenly over the preserves and smooth the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze several hours or overnight. Just before serving, in a medium bowl, stir remaining 2 tablespoons preserves until smooth; fold in fresh blueberries. Invert the cake onto a chilled serving plate. Remove the pan and waxed paper; spoon about one-fourth of the blueberry mixture down the center of the cake. Cut the cake into 8 (1-inch) slices. Serve on chilled dessert plates; top each slice with a spoonful of the remaining fresh berry mixture. Serve immediately.

YIELD: 8 portions

PHOTO #: BC 34

Create a quick, cool dessert with two layers of icy sorbet, a ribbon of blueberry jam plus walnuts in between and topped with a fresh blueberry sauce. PHOTO #: BC-34 Please credit the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

1 package (3.4 ounces) white chocolate or vanilla instant pudding mix
1-1/2 cups cold milk
1-1/3 cups fresh blueberries, divided
1 loaf (11.75 ounces) frozen pound cake, thawed

In a medium bowl, beat pudding mix into milk until well blended, about 2 minutes; let stand for 5 minutes. Remove 1/3 cup pudding to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Into the remaining pudding, fold 1 cup of the blueberries. Cut the pound cake into 12 thin slices; toast until golden. Place one cake slice on each of 6 serving plates. Spoon the blueberry-pudding mixture onto the pound cake slices, dividing evenly. Top each with another slice of cake. Garnish with about 1 tablespoon of the reserved pudding and 1 tablespoon reserved blueberries and serve immediately.

YIELD: 6 portions

1-1/2 cups ready-to-serve blueberry juice
1-1/2 cups chilled white wine or apple juice
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur, optional
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
1-1/2 cups chilled lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite

Into a 2-quart pitcher, combine blueberry juice, wine and liqueur, if used. Add orange and lemon slices and fresh blueberries. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, stir in soda. Serve in tall glasses over ice cubes, if desired.

YIELD: 6 servings (about 1 quart liquid)

QUICK TRICKS WITH BLUEBERRIES

Now you see them, now you don’t. Blueberries are so good, they vanish in a flash. Blueberries are sweet and delicious at any time of day, any time of year. And regardless of their form—fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juice—they give you a load of antioxidants that help keep you healthy.

When you have a stash of blueberries, you can go to your fridge, freezer or cupboard, and—presto!—something delicious will suddenly appear. Here are some easy-to-master tricks you can perform with blueberries:

• Chop peaches or pineapple into chunks and toss with fresh blueberries—stir in a bit of crystallized ginger for zing.
• Take a break with a low-cal treat. Simply stir fresh blueberries into partially set sugar-free lemon-flavored gelatin, chill ‘til firm and enjoy.
• Shower a scoop of peach ice cream with partially thawed frozen blueberries.
• Ladle pancake batter onto a hot griddle, then scatter frozen blueberries over the batter and finish cooking as usual.
• Blend drained canned blueberries with a banana, milk and crushed ice for a beautiful, deep purple smoothie.
• Drizzle canned blueberries and some of their syrup over ice cream, yogurt or rice pudding.
• Fill a snack-size bag with dried blueberries to take wherever you go—to the beach, office or mall.
• Scatter dried blueberries, toasted nuts and crumbled blue cheese over a fresh spinach salad.
• Stir blueberry juice into ice-cold sparkling mineral water or lemonade.
• Add a splash of blueberry juice to tea, hot or iced.