SURPRISE RHUBARB CRISP
It is rhubarb time here on the farm and we are so ready for it!! The new tender stalks are the best and my Dad always said they picked them right away because they were so sweet and tender. You know what, he was right! And who doesn’t remember taking a bowl of sugar and heading for the rhubarb patch. Dip and taste…..the best.
We have a heritage rhubarb plot here at our spot and I will give you a little history of this rhubarb. It originally came from Iowa when my great grandparents trudged all the way to Saskatchewan to homestead way back in the 1800′s. I will look up the exact date later on. It became established on all the family farms back there including my parents and when I finally had a home and yard of my own a root came along with me to B.C. We have lived in several different homes and when ever I moved I took the rhubarb root with me. My family have it in their yards and I have passed it on to friends as well. It could not get more heritage than that and it is a very nice ruby red and just keeps on producing. We love it!! On with the recipe…..
SURPRISE RHUBARB CRISP
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2-3 tsps. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups sliced fresh rhubarb or frozen but unsweetened
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh strawberries
2 tbsp. snipped fresh basil (now do you know what the surprise is??)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats (quick cooking)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsps. butter or marg. melted
Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium mixing bowl stir together sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Stir in rhubarb, strawberries and basil. Transfer fruit mixture to a 2 qt. square baking dish and spread evenly. Set aside.
For topping, in another medium sized bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar and salt. Stir in melted butter or marg. and sprinkle topping evenly onto the top of the fruit mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is a nice golden brown. This is so good served warm with yogurt or a scoop of ice cream. A special spring time treat!! (you can snip on a little more fresh basil on top if you like…I do, I am a basil fan)
Add a comment May 18, 2010
Spring time!
We have many signs that indicate that spring might really be here! The first thing that we wait for is the symphony of croaks from the pond…oh, the frogs are at it again! Well, they have been singing out there for a few weeks now so it seems official. I next check the rhubarb patch…yeah, it is alive and doing well. I have picked my first ruby-red stems of this delicious stuff and we have tasted the first rhubarb crisp, a pie and some stewed rhubarb sauce. I found a new recipe to try for a crisp and it had basil in it and we agreed that it added quite the new twist to it. I will post it later. We watched a robin flitting by the bay window day after day and wondered what she was up to. Turns out at a closer look that she had made a nest in the shrubbery just down from the window and we saw two little beaks peeking out. Of course I had to have a closer look and it turns out there were three little feathered birdies in there..so no wonder she was so busy flying back and forth. We watched for a few days and went to the window on the weekend for another look and they were gone….it does not take long for them to get their wings and flying gear in shape and venture out into the world. The nest sits empty now and I wonder if anyone else will take up residence?
Yes, it is spring time here and we are so ready for it. Now if the rain and wind would stop I could get back to the garden and carry on with the prep. and planting! I do have early lettuce plants growing and some of the early seeds are popping up. Can’t wait to taste the first salads and new potatoes from the garden. Oh yes, life in the country!
Rhubarb recipe coming soon…….
Add a comment May 3, 2010
Welcome to my blog!
We operate a bed and breakfast in Cobble Hill, BC. and this little cottage has been a get-away spot for guests from all over the world. We have made many new friends from their stays here with us and it is such an enjoyable thing to do. Check us out and maybe you may be coming our way some day! A quiet, private spot to relax in the country!!
Add a comment April 22, 2010
