Blueberry Coffee Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add vanilla, egg, and egg white; beat well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.

Spoon half of batter into a 9-inch round baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup blueberries. Spoon remaining batter over the blueberries; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup blueberries. Sprinkle the top evenly with 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Note: If using peak-season fruit, using 1 1/2 cups blueberries instead of 2 cups, and only 1 cup buttermilk instead of 1 1/3 cups. This will make the batter thicker so the berries won't sink to the bottom.

Summer Ratatouille

2 onion, sliced into thin rings

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium eggplant, cubed

2 zucchini, cubed

2 medium yellow squash, cubed

2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 chopped red bell pepper

4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

4 sprigs fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.

In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic.

Saute all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. Once each batch has been sauteed add them to the large pot as was done in step 2.

Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning.