Yummy Rhubarb Bars (taken from Cooks.com)...Delish!

Good morning!

David is at Cattle Congress buying some plants at their huge plant sale. I requested some sweet potato vines, 'wave' petunias, salvia, verbena and another hydrangea. We'll see what I end up with...

My daughter, Diane, requested that I publish the rhubarb 'bar' recipe I made yesterday. I got it at cooks.com, so it is available for those who don't remember to write it down from my blog. Here it is:

Rhubarb 'Bars'

1/2 c. chopped nuts (I had almonds, so that is what I used...I think I'd also like pecans)

1 1/2 c. rolled oats 

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. salt

1 1/2 c. flour

1 c. butter (I never use margarine; butter tastes so much better and fat is fat!)

1/4 t. baking soda

3 c. chopped rhubarb (we had really thick stalks, so I cut them lengthwise into three slices, and even   through the middle if they were especially thick, and then into about 1/3" pieces...rhubarb can have tough strings, so if you cut it small enough, those are not a problem)

1 1/2 c. cane sugar (less sugar could be used, or just eat a very small portion)

2 T. cornstarch (I always use organic corn starch)

1/4 c. water

1 t. vanilla

Mix crust ingredients until crumbly. Pat half into 13"x9"x2" baking dish (I use glass since rhubarb is somewhat acidic)

Combine rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is somewhat more clear, and cornstarch is cooked. Stir in vanilla.

Pour filling over crust in baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Cool, and serve. (I tried to cut this into bars, and it might work if you have smaller stalks of rhubarb, but these had so much liquid in them that it was just easier to scoop out the dessert into a bowl or onto a small plate.) Add very good quality vanilla ice cream, if you wish, and enjoy! (I like Breyer's French Vanilla.)

BTW....David just returned home from the plant sale. Turns out it is other gardeners who have perennials they want to divide and share. So, he got quite a few things....and found a new outlet for our own perennials when it comes time to divide them. 

I will be posting David's recipe for Rhubarb Beer. Stay tuned...