Great Lakes Crisp

There is a little spot off the highway in north woods of the Frozen Tundra that makes the best pies.  Of course, they use nuts, so I’ve never been able to eat one, but Frog Prince tells me they are the best.  Inspired by their menu, I decided to come home and make myself a Great Lakes Crisp using their medley of rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and apples. 

It was delightful!  A new summer favorite for when you want something off the beaten path. 

Great Lakes Crisp – Inspired by Betty’s Pies

Ingredients

• 1 medium, tart apple (e.g., Granny Smith)
• 1 C sliced rhubarb
• 3 C mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries)
• 1/4 C sugar
• 2 T corn starch
• 3-4 T butter, softened
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 C oats, old fashioned
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/3 C flour

Directions

Begin by mixing all the fruit in a large bowl.  You can use fresh or frozen berries, apples and rhubarb.  I used frozen because that is what I had on hand when I decided to make this!  You’ll want about 5 C of fruit. 

Stir in 1/4 C sugar and 2 T corn starch. 

In a second bowl, mix together 1/2 C brown sugar, 1 C oats and 1/3 C flour.  Stir in 1 tsp. cinnamon.  Cut in the 3-4 T softened butter with a fork until well combined. 

Arrange the fruit mixture in a lightly greased 9x13 pan.  Top with the oatmeal topping. 

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes, until bubbly and the topping is crisp. 

Cool for 30 minutes before serving, then add that ice cream and enjoy! 

Rhubarb Lemon Cookies

These cookies, friends, are fabulous.  Tangy and sweet, the combo is nearly irresistable.  I was hesitant to use rhubrarb in a cookie, but it was worth the risk. 

Rhubarb Lemon Cookies – Adapted from PickleBums

Ingredients

• 1 stick + 5 T butter, softened
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 C white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. corn starch
• 1 C rhubarb
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/2 T sugar

Directions

Add 1 C rhubarb and 1/2 T sugar to a bowl.  Add in 1 tsp. lemon zest and 2 T lemon juice and allow the mixutre to sit while you make the dough.  Then, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.   

Cream together the softened butter (13 T), with 1/2 C brown and 1/2 C white sugar.  Mix in 1 egg.  

Next, mix together 2 C white whole wheat flour (measure just a little shy of 2 C), 3/4 tsp. sald, 3 tsp. baking powder and 2 tsp. corn starch. 

Add these dry ingredients to the wet ones and stir until a stiff dough forms. 

Add the rhubarb mixture to the dough and stir until combined. 

Scoop out the dough and place 1 T balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.  I love using ice cream scoopers to do this!  The cookies do not spread too much, so you can easily get 12-16 on a cookie sheet. 

Bake for 10-15 minutes in your 350 degree oven.  Cookies will brown slightly around the edges, but will not get brown like your typical cookie.  Do not overbake. 

Cool and enjoy!   

Rhubarb Banana Apple Muffins

Our 16 month old has kept us on our toes over the last few months.  She’s running, climbing, playing, and of course eating.  As you can imagine, feeding her good, whole foods, is of the utmost importance to us.  She loves her fruits and veggies, and pretty much everything else. 

These muffins are full of whole wheat flour, oats, banana, eggs, buttermilk and rhubarb.  Our little E polished off two for breakfast.  That’s a win! 

Banana Rhubarb Muffins – Adapted from My Project Mommyhood

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C old fashioned oats
• 2 C brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 over ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 C buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 C applesauce
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 3 C chopped/sliced rhubarb

Directions

Begin by mixing together all the dry ingredients, in a large bowl: 3 3/4 C white whole wheat flour, 1/2 C oats, 2 C brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.  Stir well. 

In a second bowl, combine 3 mashed bananas, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 C buttermilk, 3/4 C applesauce, 1/4 C olive oil and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Stir well.  Then, add to the dry ingredients and stir until moist and combined. 

Stir in 3 C chopped rhubarb. 

Lightly grease 32 muffin cups (or use liners), and pre-heat your oven to 375.  Using an ice cream scoop, add 2 scoops (about 1/4 C) muffin batter to each muffin cup.  Bake for 16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   

Cool on a wire cooling rack and serve after cooling.  Makes 32 muffins.  Store extra muffins in an airtight container in the freezer.  Keep the ones you want to eat on the counter, but don’t keep those air tight! 

Thanks for hanging in there with me during our busy season; I hope to share some more yummy recipes this summer. 

Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp

I have a delightful spring recipe for you today!  Our garden is a bit slow to get started this spring, but our rhubarb is ready to go. 

This dessert is delicious and I know that I have mentioned before my great love for raspberry and rhubarb.  For those of you a little hesitant, think about strawberry rhubarb and then imagine a better, more perfect match.   

Trust me. 

Once you try this combo, you’ll be hard pressed to go back to strawberry rhubarb. 

Raspberry Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 C chopped rhubarb
• 2 1/2 C raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/3 C sugar (more, if you prefer sweeter dessert, up to 1/2 C)
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 C corn starch
• 1 C old fashioned oats
• 1/2 C whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of nutmeg
• 5 T butter, softened

Directions

Begin by combining the 2 1/2 C sliced rhubarb and 2 1/2 C raspberries in a large bowl. Toss the berry mixture in 1/3 C sugar and 1/4 C corn starch. 

Add in 1 tsp. lemon juice and stir well. 

In a second bowl, combine 1 C oats, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/2 C whole wheat flour, 1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of nutmeg.  Using a folk, cut in the softened butter until the topping mixture is crumbly. 

Lightly grease an 9x9 square baking dish and arrange the rhubarb raspberry mixture across the base of the baking dish.

Top with the oat mixture. 

Bake the crisp in an oven heated to 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  The topping will be lightly browned at this point and the fruit wonderfully cooked. 

Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream, if desired. 

Enjoy!

Fruit & Yogurt Wraps

A tasty and refreshing breakfast or after school treat. 

Tortillas stuffed with yogurt, honey and fruit.  Rolled in cinnamon and sugar. 

Yum!

Fruit & Yogurt Wraps – Adapted from Tidy Mom

Ingredients

• 4 fajita-sized tortillas
• 1/2 T butter, melted
• 3 T sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 C plain Greek Yogurt (or your favorite yogurt variety)
• 4 tsp. honey
• 1 C frozen fruit or 1/4 C your favorite fruit preserve

Directions

Begin by melting 1/2 T butter and using a pastry brush to coat one side of each fajita.  Place the fajitas butter-side down one at a time onto a plate where 3 T sugar have been mixed with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. 

Top each tortilla with 1/4 C yogurt, spreading it in the center, leaving about a 1-inch margin around the edge. 

Drizzle approximately 1 tsp. honey over the yogurt. 

Layer fruit or fruit preserve over the top. 

We enjoyed blueberry, raspberry frozen fruit tucked inside these, as well as a raspberry rhubarb preserve option.  Yum! 

Note: if you use a preserve, like the raspberry rhubarb pictured above, be sure to leave at least 1 inch along the margin and spread your filling thing; otherwise it will ooze out when you roll it up. 

Roll up the tortilla and place them onto a cookie sheet. 

Freeze for 20-30 minutes. 

Slice in half. 

Place into a freezer-friendly bag or container. 

To serve, thaw at room temperature for 25-30 minutes before enjoying.  Don’t let them sit out too long or they will get soggy.  We found about 25 minutes was perfect.  These can easily be taken out of the freezer when you get up in the morning and they’ll be ready by the time you make your way to the kitchen for breakfast! 

They also make a great afternoon snack. 

Enjoy!

Blueberry Rhubarb Waffles

To kick start this Tuesday morning, how about some waffles? A whole wheat batter with tart rhubarb and sweet blueberries nestled inside. 

Delightfully refreshing and just that hint of something extra special that will start your day off well. 

Blueberry Rhubarb Waffles – Adapted from Delish

Ingredients

• 1 C blueberry rhubarb sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 2 T sugar
• pinch of salt

Directions

Lightly whip 1 egg in the base of a large bowl.  Add in 1 1/2 C milk, and 1 T olive oil.  Stir well. 

Mix in 1 3/4 C white whole wheat flour, 1 T baking powder, 2 T sugar and a pinch of salt.  Whisk together until moist. 

Stir in 3/4 C blueberry rhubarb sauce.  The batter will turn a lovely shade of purple! 

Ladle into a hot waffle iron.  Make according to directions. 

Serve with additional blueberry rhubarb sauce. 

Enjoy!

Raspberry Rhubarb Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake is a dessert my grandmother regularly made/makes for our family when we stop for a visit. 

But, since my husband is allergic to strawberries, I had to try a different approach.

Raspberry rhubarb of course!

This has the right sweetness, color and tang to be a perfect spring shortcake!  Next time, I’ll bring some to share with my grandma. 

Raspberry Rhubarb Shortcake

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Greek Yogurt Pound Cake
• 1 C whipping cream
• 1/4 C powdered sugar
• 1 drop of corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 C raspberry rhubarb preserve

Directions

Prepare pound cake according to directions.   Cool completely. 

Meanwhile, prepare the raspberry rhubarb preserve.  Chill. 

Then, whip 1 C whipping cream with 1/4 C powdered sugar.  When peaks form and stand up on their own, whip in 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 drop of corn syrup (which acts as a stabilizer). 

Slice the pound cake into 1/2 – 1 inch slices. 

Top with whipping cream and raspberry rhubarb sauce. 

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Banana Rhubarb Bread

Thanks to a suggestion from a fellow foodie, I have a new favorite bread – banana rhubarb.

I never would have thought to put these ingredients together, but they are fantastic.  Sweet and tangy, lovely wrapped in a sweet bread. 

The bread is fairly healthy for you too using all whole wheat flour, Greek Yogurt, reduced sugar and only 1 full egg. 

Tasty and healthy – the perfect combination. 

Whole Wheat Banana Rhubarb Bread – Adapted from Mom

Ingredients

• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/4 C honey
• 1/3 C Greek Yogurt (slightly heaping)
• 1-2 medium bananas, mashed
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Splash of milk (if needed)
• 1/2 C chopped rhubarb

Directions

Cream together the 1/2 C sugar with 1/3 C Greek Yogurt (or applesauce).  Add in 1/4 C honey, mashed banana, egg and egg white and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Mix. 

Pour in 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking soda.  Stir well. 

If batter is overly thick, add in a splash or two of milk (up to 1/4 C) to thin slightly.  The batter will be thick, but shouldn’t be like cement :) 

Stir in chopped rhubarb. 

Pour into a lightly greased 8-inch bread pan.  Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Remember to store your bread this way so that the top stays crunchy! 

Enjoy!