Rhubarb Jam

So this is more of a summer recipe...making jam is just something you do in the summer. However, I made two batches on a chilly fall (winter?) day. I was taking inventory of my deep freeze when I noticed that we only have one container of the Strawberry Rhubarb Jam left from when I made it in June. So I pulled out some of the frozen rhubarb I had chopped up when it was fresh from the crop and made up this version. It's a bit more tart than the strawberry rhubarb version...but it's still ohhh so good! I love homemade jam!

Ingredients...

...6 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped
...1/3 cup orange juice
...1/2 cup water
...2 cups sugar
...Fruit Pectin (optional)

Directions...

Place rhubarb, orange juice, water and sugar in a large saucepan or stockpot. Bring to a rolling boil and let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened. At this point, you can add a half packet of fruit pectin if you wish, but the orange juice has enough natural pectin in it to appropriately thicken the jam on it's own. Adding pectin is up to each individual person and how thick they like their jam. Place into freezer containers and freeze until ready for use. Store in refrigerator in between uses.

Rhubarb Crisp

I harvested the rest of the rhubarb from my dad's patch, and decided to freeze most of it for this winter. But I also decided to make up a rhubarb crisp, because it's just oh so yummy!

The Ingredients...

...5 c. rhubarb, chopped
...1/2 c. water
...1 c. sugar
...3 T. flour
...1/2 c. butter/margarine
...3/4 c. brown sugar
...3/4 c. oatmeal
...3/4 c. flour
...1 t. cinnamon

Directions...
Put water and rhubarb in an 8 inch dish. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and 3 T. of flour and sprinkle over the top of the rhubarb/water mixture. In another bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, oatmeal, remaining flour and cinnamon, mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over rhubarb mixture and bake at 350* for 20-30 minutes.

My Thoughts...

This was good, but it turned out different than the first time I made it. As you see in this picture, the topping isn't crumbly at all, but the first time I made it, it was. And I didn't do a thing different. Well, at any rate, this was really good, despite how the topping turned out. This is my favorite crisp recipe...just a note that you might want to omit the 1/2 cup of water as rhubarb is really watery to begin with.

Rhubarb Sauce

I've had this recipe saved to try for over a year now. Doesn't it just sound like such a yummy topping on ice cream? I also think it would make a tasty oatmeal mix, cake topping, waffle syrup or maybe even jam in a pinch.

The Ingredients...

...2 cups chopped rhubarb
...1 cup sugar

Directions...

Combine sugar and rhubarb and stir to coat. Microwave in for 12 minutes, stirring and mashing every 3 minutes.

My Thoughts...

Seriously, it doesn't get much easier than this! And it's good too! This makes about a pint of sauce. I can't wait to try this on top of all kinds of yummy treats! Don't get to experimental on this recipe...the sugar to rhubarb ratio is the perfect amount of sweet to tart.

Sugared Rhubarb Muffins

I made these muffins to have on hand for breakfasts this week, and when hubs got home from work, the following conversation took place...

"mmmm muffins! They're rhubarb aren't they?" **sense a little disappointment on his part here**
"yes...how did you guess?"
"because thats ALL you make anymore. rhubarb EVERYTHING!"

oh. uhhhhh....guilty as charged? Oh well...

The ingredients...

...2 c. flour
...1 c. sugar
...2 t. baking powder
...1 egg
...1 c. milk
...1/3 c. oil (I used plain yogurt...which did not work out. So I highly recommend just using the oil. Or perhaps applesauce.)
...1 c. rhubarb
...1/2 t. vanilla
...cinnamon sugar mixture

Directions...

Preaheat oven to 350*. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. In another, smaller, bowl, combine egg, vanilla, milk and oil. Stir wet mixture into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, and sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

My Thoughts....

These were good. But as mentioned above, I used plain yogurt and it simply did not work out. I'm eager to try this with the oil and see if it turns out right. But seriously, this was a really good muffin and I will definetely make it again with the proper adjustments!

Rhubarb Cake

Well, as I mentioned yesterday, I have more rhubarb lying around than I know what to do with! And there's even more at my dad's farm to be picked! And being the frugalista that I am, we all know that I will not be letting all of that deliciousness just go to waste! Instead of making scotcheroos as planned for this week, I decided to use up the bounty that is rhubarb. I made a rhubarb cake...

Ingredients...

...1 1/4 C. white sugar
...1 t. baking soda
...2 C. all purpose flour
...2 eggs
...1 C. sour cream
...3 C. diced rhubarb

Streusel Topping...

...1 C. white sugar
...1/4 C. butter, softened
...1/4 C. all purpose flour
...dusting of ground cinnamon

Directions...

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/4 c. sugar, 2 c. flour and baking soda. Stir in eggs and sour cream until smooth. Fold in rhubarb. Pour into baking pan and spread evenly. In a small bowl, combine sugar and butter until smooth. Add flour until clums form. Spread over cake batter. Dust cinnamon on top of everything. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

My Thoughts...

This was good! I made some mistakes though, so I'm sure yours will come out looking different than my picture does. I accidentally only put in 1 C. sugar to the batter. So I accidentally shorted the batter 1/4 of a cup. I also only cooked mine for the 45 minutes, so that's why its pretty gooey looking. I was going to toss the rest back in to finish cooking, but this is very bread pudding-ish...and it's good! So I'm just going to leave it. Otherwise this is a great way to use up that extra rhubarb, and it's a nice change from the typical pies and crisps. I give this two thumbs up!

For more great recipes, check out the Recipe Swap going on over at Grocery Cart Challenge!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

We have a lot of rhubarb. A. Lot. Of. Rhubarb. My dad grows it on his farm, and I'm the only one who ever cuts it down and uses it. I just think it's delicious. Especially when combined with strawberries. Oh Yum. I made an amazing batch of strawberry rhubarb jam last week...and you can bet your buttons that I will be repeating that recipe many more times before the rhubarb growing season is over. But yesterday I decided to try my hand at strawberry rhubarb pie. It's my dads favorite. And seeing as we were having a grill out at his place, I thought I would make up a pie just for him (and the rest of us of course!) to enjoy on this patriotic holiday.

The Ingredients...

...1 C. white sugar
...1/2 C. all purpose flour
...1 lb. fresh rhubarb, chopped
...2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
...2 T. butter
...1 egg yolk

Directions...

Preheat oven to 400*. In a large bowl combine rhubarb, strawberries, flour and sugar. Stir until fruit is coated in sugar and flour. Let sit for 30 minutes.

In the mean time, ignore the pie crust in this picture. I was going to go premade. I then realized somewhere along the line I made a one crusted something which left me with only one crust to make a two crust pie...which is where these ingredients come in...


...3/4 C. oil
...1/4 C. milk
...2 C. all purpose flour

Combine all ingredients and roll out between two peices of waxed paper. Remove one side of waxed paper and flip over into pie plate. Peel off top layer of paper. Be sure to either grab two new pieces of waxed paper for the top crust, or flip the two you've already used and use the clean side for the crust to be rolled between.

Once the filling is ready, pour into bottom crust and then top with a few pats of butter. Place remaining crust on pie and brush with either an egg yolk or some milk and sprinkle with sugar. Be sure to poke openings for the pie to vent while baking. Bake at 400* for 35-40 minutes.

My Thoughts...

This smelled amazing while baking. When I pulled it out of the oven I was so disappointed by how terrible I thought it looked. But it certainly was delicious! I will definetely make this again before rhubarb season is up, and I will even make it in the winter with the rhubarb that I freeze! It was amazing!

To see more tasty treats (and a quite humurous story about grilling!), check out Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam! And for more great rhubarb recipe (I know I'll be trying them ALL!) check out In Season Recipe Swap over at Tammy's Recipes!

Let's Make Jam!

In an attempt to begin becoming more self sufficient, and to cut my costs at the grocery store, I am taking on making my own pantry staples. I decided to start off with jam. Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. YUMMO! I was super nervous when I started this process, I was so afraid that I was going to mess it up somehow! But it turned out to be a relatively simple process!

The ingredients...

...1 lb. chopped rhubarb
...2 lb. strawberries
...6 1/2 C. Sugar
...1/2 c. water
...1 packet liquid fruit pectin (I used Sure Jell Certo)

The directions...

Mash strawberries....

...so they resemble something like this. I used a potato masher and it worked wonderfully. Sadly, upon finishing the mashing, these eerily reminded me of the strawberries that my high school served with lunch often. Set aside.

Next, place rhubarb in the biggest saucepan you own (seriously. I used the one that I cook spaghetti in, and it was just barely big enough once everything got in there) with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, about three minutes, until rhubarb is soft. Add strawberries & sugar. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a rolling boil. Let boil for two minutes. Quickly add packet of pectin to the boiling mixture, and stir in. Resume to boil for one minute. Quickly pour finished jam into jars or containers (if canning, insert that process here). Let stand to cool for an hour or so and thicken up. Thickening process could take several days in refrigerator. Store in refrigerator or freezer (unless you canned). ENJOY!!!

My Thoughts...

YUUMMM!! This was delicious! And super easy too! I'm going to repeat this process once other fruits are in season so we have a wide variety of jams for the year to come, as well as some extras to give as gifts. I'm excited that this process turned out to be so easy!

To see more great recipes, check out 5 Ingredient Fridays over at Paige's Place and Recipe Swap over at Grocery Cart Challenge!