Rhubarbarama

Everything's coming up rhubarb around the "compound" these days. I still don't have my laptop back--maybe today--so I apologize for the poor photo quality with this post.

We served fellowship time at church on Sunday. Since the chickens are all gung-ho about eating bugs and laying LOTS of eggs, I made a big batch of egg salad to serve on round bread. It took stops a 5 grocery stores to finally get the bread I wanted. But I didn't have anything better to do...yeah, right...

I also made 3 batches of these lovely rhubarb muffins. The recipe is from Mom's church cookbook--one of many great recipes I've used from there. It's always fun to look through a church cookbook, especially when the names are familiar and often trigger a memory of that particular person. This recipe is from Lucille Habegar--who I remember fondly as a tiny, well-groomed woman who was always smiling. She lives at Parker Oaks now--her picture was in the paper recently--and she was still smiling!

These are great muffins--moist and tender and not a bit fussy about anything. I use buttermilk to make them--our grocery store carries half-pints of buttermilk that are perfect for baking. I keep one on hand all the time. I don't use nuts in my baking--I love nuts, nuts are good, some of my best friends like nuts in their baked goods. But I don't. There, I said it. Sometimes we just have to take a stand.

Rhubarb Muffins

1 1/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 c sour milk or buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 c rhubarb, diced

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)

Topping

1/3 c sugar

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp cinnamon

Combine first 5 ingredients and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to first ingredients. Mix well. Stir in rhubarab and nuts that have been dusted with flour. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle with topping. Press lightly into batter before baking. Bake 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

(For me this makes 18 muffins using the large pampered chef scoop)

Here's a quick dessert that I found on the Amish Cooks website  http://www.oasisnewsfeatures.com/

RHUBARB DUMP CAKE

3 cups chopped rhubarb

1 /2 cup sugar

1 3 ounce package strawberry gelatin

1 9-ounce Jiffy Cake mix White or Yellow or homemade cake mix

1 /4 cup butter, cut up into pieces

1 /2 cup warm water

Layer ingredients as listed in an 8 X 8 pan and don‘t stir. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until rhubarb is tender.

This was easy and delicious...and when was the last time you bought a Jiffy Cake Mix?

Here's one more, courtesy of daughter Addie who served this custardy delight to her book club Sunday Night

Rhubarb Crisp

1 cup butter
2 cup flour
10 TBSP powdered sugar

Mix until crumbly and press into 9x13 pan (sprayed with Pam). Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
5 whole eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
7-8 cups diced rhubarb

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Pour over crust. Bake at 350° for about an hour -- tent the pan with foil for the first 45 minutes or so. Filling should be set & not jiggly.

I usually bake mine for a little over an hour -- but that's because I usually add more rhubarb than it calls for and always throw in an extra egg. I also use a piece of foil over the top for about the first 45 minutes or so – otherwise the top gets too browned.  The filling bakes to a custard consistency -- it's even better the next day after sitting in the fridge overnight. The custardy goodness seeps into the shortbread crust a bit.