Rhubarb Raspberry Jam, Rhubarb Custard Pie (crustless pies) Coconut/Pumpkin/Rhubarb Cakes, Rhubarb Orange Cinnamon Upside Down Pudding
Contributed by Candy Miller
1. Rhubarb Cake or Cupcakes
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar (Try 1 cup.)
• ½ cup oil (May use half applesauce.)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 cup finely cut rhubarb
• 1 cup sour milk/buttermilk or yogurt/milk combo
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cup flour (Wheat flour is fine.)
Mix 1 ½ Tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of the cake batter before baking. Some recipes double this cinnamon/sugar amount. Bake at 350 degrees in a greased 9x13 cake pan for 25 minutes.
2. Rhubarb Squares (A favorite recipe!)
Preheat oven to 350
Bottom Crust:
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup cold butter (Cut into mixed flour and sugar till resembles coarse crumbs.)
In a medium bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press into bottom of greased 11x7 inch baking pan (with your hand covered with plastic sandwich bag). Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
Filling:
• 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
• 3/4 cup sugar (or less)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups rhubarb (fresh, finely cut or frozen, pre-cut)
While crust is baking, combine eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla into a bowl and stir in rhubarb. Pour over pre-baked crust. Continue to bake for 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack and cut into small squares. (Yum! Very tempting to keep tasting small squares!)
3. Crustless Pies! Rhubarb, Coconut or Pumpkin Custard Pie
Rhubarb Custard Pie (Makes its own crust.)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk (May use 5 Tbsp. non-instant pd. milk + 2 cups water)
• 2/3 cup sugar (I use 1/2 cup.)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup Bisquick
• 2 ½ cups finely cut red rhubarb (Stir in last.)
Use two butter pats - melt in large deep-dish pie plate before pouring in the batter. Whip with wire whisk in order given for all ingredients, but stir in the rhubarb last. Pour into deep-dish pie plate greased with the butter pats. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. It is done when firm to touch in the center or a knife will come out clean when inserted in center.
Variations:
Coconut Custard Pie (Makes its own crust.)
• 2 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar (Try 2/3cup.)
• 1/2 cup Bisquick
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
• 2 butter pats (Melt in 9 in. pie plate before pouring in the batter.)
Pumpkin Custard Pie (Makes its own crust.)
• 2 eggs
• 1 can evaporated milk (Or use about 1 ½ cup milk.)
• 3/4 cup sugar (Try 2/3 cup.)
• 1 16 oz. can pumpkin
• 2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup Bisquick
• 2 butter pats (Melt in 9 in. pie plate before pouring in the batter.)
4. Rhubarb Raspberry Jam (Makes 4 pint jars. Beautiful color and flavor.)
I make this new raspberry version of rhubarb jam which tastes more like raspberry jam and has a natural red color. Easy too! My mom and grandma would make the basic rhubarb jam using red jello, but now we know the red food coloring is carcinogenic.
• 10 cups rhubarb (Cut up pieces, medium to fine.)
• 6 cups sugar (I prefer 5 cups or less.)
• 2 pkg. unflavored gelatin mixed with 1/4 cup sugar (Set aside, add last)
• 2 cups raspberries, frozen or fresh
Mix cut rhubarb and sugar in large kettle. Let sit a few hours or overnight. Stir, it will become watery looking. Bring to a boil, then cook on medium heat while mashing with a potato masher until desired consistency, Stir in two cups of raspberries, frozen or fresh. Sprinkle gelatin/sugar mixture over all and mix well. Return to a boil while stirring often to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pan. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal with boiled lids and rings. Let cool on counter.
Option: Instead of unflavored gelatin/sugar mixture, you can use one large package of raspberry or strawberry jello instead, like Mom and Grandma would. But caution, the red food color may still have health concerns!
5. Rhubarb-Orange Upside Down Pudding (8 in. square pan, 350 degree oven for 40 minutes)
My neighbor, Sandy, who rarely uses sugar, brought us a taste of this delicious rhubarb orange dessert! Yum! It has a very pretty red-orange color! I tried the orange-cinnamon combination with my favorite rhubarb custard pie recipe, but the color of pie was more brown color. I prefer the red color to dominate. The upside down pudding recipe has a very pretty red-orange color!
Pudding:
• 4 cups diced rhubarb
• 2 Tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2-2/3 cup honey
• 3 Tbsp. orange rind or 1/2 tsp. orange extract
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix first five ingredients for pudding. Place in greased 8 in. square pan or casserole dish.
Biscuit Dough:
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. milk
Mix flour and baking powder, cut in butter and add liquids until moist. Drop spoonfuls of dough on top of rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Topping:
• 3 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. honey
Drizzle over biscuit topping. Bake 15 minutes longer.¬
