Rhubarb Spring

strawberry rhubarb crisp, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Do you love rhubarb? Only with strawberries? In a crisp? Jam on toast or ice cream?
I love rhubarb. It is one of the signs of Spring along with asparagus and peas.
When I was a young girl my uncle next door had a rhubarb patch. I once tried a stalk raw....don't do that. Throw some sugar on it. Mix it with strawberries and make a pie:

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp:

4 cups rhubarb, chopped (4 large stalks)
4 cups strawberries (3 dry pints), hulled and halved
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp orange zest
1 Tbs cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
12 Tbs (1 1/2 stick) butter

Preheat oven to 350deg
Toss rhubarb, strawberries, orange zest and 3/4 cup granulated sugar together in a large bowl. In a cup mix the cornstarch and orange juice until the cornstarch dissolves. Then mix into the fruit. Pour into 8" by 11" baking dish.
Combine the remaining sugars, oatmeal, flour, butter and salt into a crumble and sprinkle over the fruit. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Bon Appetit!

Thanks to Ina Gartin's recipe

Peach & blueberry crisp

peach & blueberry crisp, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

One more yummy dessert and then I am on to salads and soups. My pants are getting a little tight in the wrong places. Merde!
This is one of my favorites: not because of the peaches but because of the topping. It is easy. It is crunchy. It has oatmeal...now that has to be good for you. I use this sparingly on the fruit and put the rest in the freezer. I would recommend using Ina Garten's recipe for the method and use whatever fruit you have or is fresh in the Farmer's Markets in your neighborhood.
The topping"
1 1/2 cup flour. try using whole wheat
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup old fashioned Oats
(see the ratios here?)
1 tsp salt
2 cubes (total 8 oz) cold butter, diced
Mix all ingredients together by hand or a mixer and sprinkle over fruit. A little will go a long way.. We don't ever want to buy the next size jeans!!!