Rhubarb can be fresh or frozen. Cut fresh rhubarb into one inch slices; frozen is usually already cut. Fresh strawberries can be washed, stemmed and cut in half; frozen just need the package opened and the amount measured. Let frozen fruit thaw somewhat so you aren’t starting with a solid chunk of ice. Using the microwave is fair, if needed, to de-ice quickly . Cook fruit until it is just tender, about 7 or 8 minutes. Then quickly stir in the sugar and cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened. It’ll take about a minute to return to a boil so stir gently until the mixture does boil. Then boil for another minute until the mixture thickens, stirring intermittently. When thickened, remove from the heat. If you are a learning cook, it is sometimes hard to see how you can make ... [Read More]
rhubarb
Rhubarb Apple Crunch
I was delighted to find some late season rhubarb at the farmer’s market this past weekend. I’ve been pining for Rhubarb Crunch. It’s late enough in the season so I added some apple to the dessert to celebrate fall. This actually was the first rhubarb of the year because I totally missed rhubarb last spring. In fact, we missed the farmer’s market. We heard it was going to move but not where. In May, a facebook page celebrating the move came through my feed – but the farmer’s market was not on the highway where it was supposed to be. Then one Saturday morning I happened to drive through the mall parking lot. And there was the farmer’s market on the OTHER side of the mall from where it was last year. The fb page? Turns out it was the same city name -- but in a different ... [Read More]
Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars
I love rhubarb, especially in the spring. Put it atop a creamy cheesecake with a nutty crust --- mmmm. Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars – heavenly. So good you won’t want to stop eating until it’s all gone. One pound of rhubarb makes 3 cups of sliced rhubarb. The redder the color of the rhubarb, the sweeter the taste. So I hear. To me, it’s all relative and all tart! In fact rhubarb is one of the few tart things I do like. By the way, it is not a fruit. It’s considered a vegetable and is also sometimes classified as an herb. And the big green leafy top is poisonous so be sure to trim and discard it if you are harvesting directly from the garden. Place stems in plastic bag and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Rhubarb will keep 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. To prepare, ... [Read More]
Rhubarb Cherry Jam
Rhubarb is one of the best things about spring – a season full of wonderful things. I love it! Mom’s garden always had half a dozen hills of rhubarb. She kept an eye on them every spring until the stems were just the right size and then send a “big kid” out to harvest. She taught us to harvest only about one third of the stems on each plant. When the stems became skinny, around the Fourth of July that meant the harvest season was over and the plant was allowed to replenish itself until the next year. To harvest pull gently on each stem until it gives way and breaks cleanly from the clump. Break or cut off the big floppy leaves and dispose of them. Head for the kitchen, wash each stem and cut into one inch pieces. Cook with sugar until it is soft. Hot or cold – doesn’t matter. ... [Read More]
