Guess what? July is Blueberry Month! But, I'm not done with rhubarb yet, so  I've combined it with blueberries. You heard it right. I combined rhubarb with blueberries. One of the finest fruits that exist. Want to know how I did this? Just take a look see....

I'm a little tired of the strawberry/rhubarb combo...how about you?

Blueberry-Rhubarb Pie

Blueberries and rhubarb combine to make the best pie ever!

Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberries
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 2 tablespoons butter
• pie dough for a 2 crust pie
• 1 egg yolk
• 1-2 tablespoons sparkling sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine blueberries and rhubarb in a large bowl.
2. Stir together the flour, sugar, cardamom, and orange peel. Fold into the blueberries and rhubarb.
3. Line a 9-inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Pour the berry/rhubarb mixture into the crust. Dot with the butter. Top with the remaining pie crust (cut a few holes in the crust to vent).
4. Beat the egg yolk with 1-2 teaspoons of water. Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the yolk. Sprinkle with the sparkling sugar.
5. Bake for pie for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Use foil or a pie shield half way through baking to avoid over-browning.

Yield: one pie
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 50 mins.
Total time: 70 mins.
Tags: pie, blueberries, rhubarb, crust

The orange zest adds a little something...

I'll confess--I used a refrigerated pie crust--just brush it with the egg yolk and add some sparkling sugar...no one will know.

You might want to wait a little longer than I did to dig in...it was a little juicy...but sooo good!

How do you use Blueberries?

Before the Internet, the best place to score a great recipe was from a friend or a co-worker. They (the recipes) would be scribbled down on a piece of notebook paper, photocopied from a frayed recipe card, or neatly typed on the company letterhead. You'd see a pinch of this, a can of that, and a handful of those with notes in the margins as to the best changes to make. Nowadays, a quick search on Pinterest will yield a plethora of great looking recipes....but which ones can you trust? Luckily, friends and co-workers still come through with some mighty good finds. Now they may come by way of email instead of notebook paper, and they may have originated on Pinterest, but you know they've been tested and approved...not a bad way to find a fun new recipe. Such was the case for this awesome Rhubarb Pudding.....

I am so lucky to have a co-worker who brings me bags of produce....

This recipe came to me via email. The subject line was: Awesome Recipe. Guess what? It is an awesome recipe! I did a quick Google search and found that it originally came from Allrecipes.com. I didn't change much, but here it is:

Rhubarb Pudding

By adapted from allrecipes.com

Tart, sweet, and tasty...this pudding is an easy way to use up all of your rhubarb.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup plus 2 T. butter, divided
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. With two knives or a fork, cut in 1/4 cup butter. Stir in the buttermilk. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
3. Top the batter with the chopped rhubarb. Stir the nutmeg into the remaining sugar and sprinkle evenly over the rhubarb. Dot with remaining butter. Pour the boiling water over the top.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until the batter is cooked through and the rhubarb is tender. Serve warm or cold.

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 45 mins.
Total time: 55 mins.
Tags: rhubarb, pudding, dessert, spring, comfort food

I confess to making this twice. As you can see, the rhubarb was a little more red the first time.

How do you do rhubarb?

Rhubarb Crumb Cake

It is the winter that never ends. Seriously, we have snow in the forecast for the next three days. In May. When the rhubarb should be popping up all over the place. Luckily, I spotted some in the grocery store last weekend and nabbed a few stalks.

Nothing says Spring in the Midwest quite like rhubarb. It's prolific. So when I found it, it was as if I was bringing a little bit of Spring home with me. Sigh. Well, if I can't have a real Spring, at least I can have some really good coffeecake.

I've been wanting to make a crumb cake for awhile. You know the ones--Entenmann's makes one with the really big crumbs on top. Those crumbs are just so yummy. It's a New York thing, apparently. Lucky for me, The New York Times had a recipe for a Rhubarb "Big Crumb" Coffeecake. Perfect. I borrowed the "Big Crumb" part and played around with the rest of the recipe. You will not be disappointed.

Rhubarb Crumb Cake 

Printable Recipe

Rhubarb Filling:

2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Crumbs:

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup cake flour

Cake:

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; butter and flour a 9" X 13" pan.

In a small bowl, combine the rhubarb with the sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt. Fold in the cake flour. Mixture will be thick. Set aside. 

The crumb "batter" looks like cookie dough. I added a pinch of cardamom to make it just that much more Minnesotan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Cream together the brown sugar and butter. Beat in the sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Fold the flour mixture into the sour cream mixture, stirring until just blended. 

Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan. Evenly top the batter with the rhubarb pieces. Break the crumb topping into pea-sized pieces and sprinkle over the top of the rhubarb. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

I actually ran out of cake flour and used all-purpose flour for the cake. While it turned out fine, I think the cake flour would give it a more tender crumb.

Just so you don't think my husband and I ate the whole thing, I brought most of it to work (where I could munch on it throughout the day).

Wow...was this a success! I can't wait to try this with blueberries. Or peaches. Or apples.....

What kind of Crumb Cake would you make?

Blackberry-Rhubarb Cardamom Bread

The best part about Summer in Minnesota has got to be all of the available fresh produce...it's allowing me to experiment with some different flavor combinations. What's nice is that even if I buy a little too much, I can always tuck some in the freezer. Luckily, I had a few frozen blackberries on hand when I decided to invent my latest quick bread: Blackberry-Rhubarb Cardamom Bread.

I used fresh rhubarb this time, but you can sub frozen, if needed.

Blackberry-Rhubarb Cardamom Bread

Printable Recipe

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cardamom

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 (6 oz) container plain Greek yogurt

½ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups diced rhubarb

2  cups fresh or frozen black raspberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. F; grease and flour two 9 X 5 X 3 loaf pans.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and orange peel; set aside.

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter and the brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir together the yogurt, buttermilk, and vanilla. Alternately add the flour mixture and the yogurt mixture to the mixing bowl, beating on low speed until just blended. Stir in the rhubarb and the blackberries.

Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Quite possibly my favorite flavor combination, yet.

Orange-Cardamom Rhubarb Muffins

I love Greek yogurt. I love muffins. I love muffins made with Greek yogurt. There. I said it. 

I spotted a 12 pack of yogurt at Costco and just had to buy it. Take note of the Blood Orange flavor. Blood  Orange? Wouldn't that be good in a muffin?

What else would taste good with Blood Orange yogurt? Rhubarb? Why, yes. I happen to have a few stalks. 

Let's try a muffin with Blood Orange yogurt and rhubarb. It might just work.

Orange-Cardamom Rhubarb Muffins
Printable Recipe

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1" pieces (about 3 stalks)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 (6 oz) container Chobani Blood Orange Yogurt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange peel. Stir in the rhubarb and set aside.

In another bowl, or large measuring cup, blend the egg, yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix until just blended.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the tops. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden and firm to the touch.

I used a cookie scoop to get the batter into the cups evenly.

Allow the muffins to cool for just a few minutes; serve warm.

Another muffin for my repertoire. Now I have my eye on the Black Cherry Yogurt....

Which flavor yogurt would you like to see in a muffin?

Rhubarb Slices with Buttered Almond Glaze

It's been awhile and I won't bore you with the details of my absence. Suffice to say that it has been hot and bothersome in these here parts. Recently, however, I was lucky enough to have a new double-oven range delivered to my kitchen. Thanks to Mixing Bowl and Frigidaire, I was the winner in the Frigidaire's Ultimate Recipe Contest on MixingBowl.com! I know the first thing I should have baked was the winning recipe, Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal Cookies, but I've been getting some requests for a rhubarb dessert. So, let it be rhubarb!

Rhubarb Slices with Buttered Almond Glaze

Printable Recipe

Filling:

1 pound rhubarb, fresh or frozen, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Crust:

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup butter flavored shortening

2/3 cup cold milk

1 egg yolk (reserve the white for brushing on the crust)

Glaze:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Sliced almonds for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan, combine the rhubarb with 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to simmer and continue to cook until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Stir the beaten eggs into the cooled rhubarb mixture and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt. With a fork, cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Beat the egg yolk into the cold milk and slowly add it to the flour mixture, stirring it together until it forms a ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface  and gently knead a little more flour into it if it is too sticky (avoid handling it too much, or the crust will be tough).

Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle a little flour on a piece of parchment paper or a silpat and roll out one half of the dough into a large enough rectangle to cover the bottom and sides of the 9 X 13 inch pan. Turn the dough into the pan and gently press it into place. Prick several holes into the dough with a fork.

Beat the egg white with a fork until frothy (add a couple drops of water if desired). Brush about 1/2 of the egg white over the crust.

Spread the rhubarb mixture evenly over the crust. Roll out the other half of the dough and carefully place over the rhubarb mixture. Prick the crust to vent and brush the remaining egg white over the top.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Remove to a cooling rack. Drizzle with glaze while still warm. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, if desired.

For the glaze, simply blend the melted butter, almond extract, powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon milk together with a fork until it is smooth. Add additional milk, a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Since I just had to try out the range right away, I grabbed a pan and fried an egg. I have to confess that my air conditioning was on the blink and the heat index outside was hovering around 113 degrees....so I waited until nightfall to turn on the oven. The little one on top is perfect for just one item---and it doesn't heat up the entire house (not that it would have made much difference, lol).

If you look close, you can see the condensation on the pan. It was quite warm, so I didn't bother with cutting fresh rhubarb--I confess to using frozen.

Feel free to double the filling. I wanted to be able to pick the slices up by hand, so I just used less rhubarb. I also just pushed the crust halfway up the pan.

Rhubarb is actually considered a vegetable and it is very tart. If you prefer a sweeter filling, it is OK to add a little more sugar.

These slices are just a variation of my Strawberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie, and my original recipe for Apple Pie Slices. The dough is a bit denser than traditional pie crust and it allows for portability--really important if you want to pick up a piece and run! My next try at this will be with peaches...stay tuned.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cupcakes

A few weeks ago, I was all about rhubarb. You may remember that I talked about how my co-worker's sister kept me well-supplied. In fact, I still have two freezer bags full of the stuff (it will be nice to make something nice and spring-like sometime this fall or winter). Well, one recipe that I didn't share was for a little invention of mine that I had entered into the Gold Medal® Flour Recipe Contest. Guess what? My recipe was a runner up! Now I get to share:

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cupcakes

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons milk


1. In 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, cook strawberries, rhubarb, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon butter, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. In small bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder and salt; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons strawberry mixture for frosting. In another small bowl, stir together remaining strawberry mixture, 1/3 cup milk and the vanilla.

3. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat until blended. Add half the flour mixture then half of the strawberry mixture, beating well after each addition. Repeat with remaining flour and strawberry mixtures. (Batter will be thick.) Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

I added a little bit of red food coloring...something about cooking strawberries and rhubarb makes the color a little dull.

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

5. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon softened butter and the reserved 2 tablespoons strawberry mixture with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and enough milk until frosting is of desired spreading consistency. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

The last time I made the frosting, it didn't need the extra milk. I added a little red food coloring to this, as well.

Pink cupcakes are the cutest!

Rhubarb Cake with Custard Filling

Have I mentioned how lucky I am to have a co-worker who brings me fresh produce from her sister's farm? This year, the sister has an abundance of rhubarb that she was nice enough to share, not once, but twice so far---two big bags! The first bag was easy to polish off. I made the Strawberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie, some Strawberry-Rhubarb Cupcakes, some loaves of Rhubarb Bread and a couple of pies. I even had to buy a few extra stalks at the grocery store. The second bag is a little tougher to finish up....I really should chop it up and freeze some for when I can't find it anymore.....but, first, I have to bake up a little more rhubarb goodness. I searched the Internet and found this recipe. The custard filling was the selling point for me.....

Rhubarb Cake with Custard Filling

Original Recipe Found Here (go ahead and give this site a little love--the recipes look pretty good!)

CRUST

- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup brown sugar - packed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup shortening - butter flavored
- 2 cups quick oats

FILLING
- 8 eggs
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- dash salt
- 6 cups fresh or partially thawed frozen rhubarb
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - cut into small pats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients with fork or pastry blender. Reserve 1 cup.

I think next time I'll use butter instead....

So far so good...pretty easy stuff.

Chopping the rhubarb is my least favorite activity. Peeling off some of the outer skin makes it a bit easier, but I still had a few "strings"

Don't forget to set aside that one cup of topping!

Place the rest in bottom of 9x13x2 pan. Press down.

In large bowl with whisk or hand mixer, beat eggs; add in sugar, flour and salt. Mix well.

Add rhubarb, stir to mix.

 Slowly pour filling on top of crust.

Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture; dot with butter.

Bake 1 to 1 hour 20 minutes, until custard is set in the center.

Addicting, to be sure....

I was kind of proud of myself this time around...I made very few changes (I only added a little vanilla in to the custard mixture). The result is pretty good, with a tart/sweet custardy filling, although this is more of a bar than a cake. I imagine that the sugar could be cut down a bit in the filling, especially if you like it to be more tart, and I have seen a version of this recipe with a meringue topping (something that would not go over well at my house). With 8 eggs and all of that sugar, you want to make sure to keep the pieces small, but all in all, I'd say it's a keeper!