Ina's Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

 

Hello beautiful Blogland Besties!

Happy Friday Eve - the weekend is almost here. ☀️ 

I hope whatever you'll be doing, that your weekend is filled with sun and fun. 

We recently picked up a rhubarb plant when we got more flowers for planting in my pots. We haven't put it in the ground yet...still trying to figure out where we want it to be. But we got it because we talked about how much we love strawberry rhubarb goodies for summer. And it brought back a memory for me of making Ina Garten's strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe for my Dad's birthday a few years ago. 

This was pre-Matt. Lol But the kiddos and I stayed at a cabin that my Dad and step Mom had rented from a family member of hers. My brother and Jill came to spend some of the weekend with us too. We went on a pontoon ride with my step Mom's relatives, played yard games, ate yummy food and had a great time together. I wanted to bring a dessert to donate to the cause - and I had found rhubarb in the grocery stores. So I looked up a recipe and this Ina one popped up. I gave it a try and it was SO good!! I didn't take a pic of it that weekend obviously. But I forgot all about it until now. I thought I'd share it because I remember thinking it was the best crisp I ever had. Of course we had it warm with ice cream. 

😋

Here is our cute little rhubarb plant ready to get put somewhere in our yard. 

I looked up the recipe and here it is. You can also find it on her Barefoot Contessa website here.

• 
  4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch diced (4 to 5 stalks)
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, if large
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1½ teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (see note for gluten-free)
• ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal, such as McCann’s (see note for gluten-free)
• 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, ¾ cup granulated sugar, and the orange zest together in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and then mix it into the fruit. Pour the mixture into an 8 × 11-inch baking dish and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

For the topping, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, and oatmeal. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

Note: To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute 1 cup Cup4Cup all-purpose gluten-free flour for the 1 cup all-purpose flour and use gluten-free oatmeal, such as Bob's Red Mill, for the quick-cooking oatmeal.

If you like strawberry rhubarb anything, I strongly urge you to make this recipe! I plan to make it very soon this summer. 

Enjoy!

xoxo

Wednesday Wonder

 

Strawberry plant at the top. The other 2 pics are of my lemon balm. I LOVE the way it smells! And it makes a lovely tea - that's why I thought I'd be cheeky and plant it in the teacup planter. 😉 It's also fun to add it to the little flowers I put in my kitchen window...pretty greenery with wonderful smell. 🍋 Yay for fruits of summer to come! 

Happy Homemaker Monday (on Tuesday)

Hello Friends!

How is your week going so far? My days are all messed up due to the holiday weekend. So I have to remind myself it's Tuesday. Lol

We had a lovely weekend with our friends the C's up at the lake. And then came home Sunday evening and caught up on life here yesterday and did yard work a lot of the day. Then enjoyed some chill time together and with Annie. So overall a very relaxing and fun weekend. I was able to plant most of the rest of my flowers (excuse flower overload of pics below) and we sat out by a fire last night and now it really feels like summer is practically here. ☀️

This morning I wasn't feeling great...but I'm feeling a bit better this afternoon, so I thought I'd try to still do this post and catch up in blogland. 

I hope you had a great weekend and that your week is filled with sunshine and smiles so far. :) 

** an update on Matt's folks: the good news is that they are both now cancer free! Thanks so much for the prayers! The bad news is that Matt's Dad is going to need a heart procedure within the next month, and depending on how extensive it is - they will be that much more delayed coming up north this year. It's a big bummer - but the important thing is that he gets what he needs done so he can be okay! 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

fasted (not even coffee because I had labs)

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

errands, hair appointment, some groceries, summer trip things to work on, graduation things to work on, shampoo carpets, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT:  

what projects I want to work on which days this week

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It's getting cloudier, more gray and dark skies outside right now. They said we may even have a little thunderstorm this afternoon. I don't know if I'm catching a little bug or it's allergies and things - but feel tired and not great yet. So may go take a little nap after I finish this post.  

CURRENTLY READING

going back to finish a book I hadn't previously and still reading magazines

ON THE TV TODAY:

 The Good Wife (almost done - in 6th season, one more to go),  Grey's Anatomy, When Calls the Heart, America's Got Talent starts

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY -  

TUESDAY - leftovers

WEDNESDAY - doing belated Mother's Day dinner with Aaron :) 

THURSDAY - egg bake, toast, fruit

FRIDAY -  grill or maybe out for dinner?

  

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

go walking, tend to garden and flowers, sit out and read

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

This was on the way to the lake - Matt has since shaved and now it's weird to see him smooth and shaven again. Lol 😁

I found this old pic of Matt up at the lake - such a youngster then!! 

Between the garden bed and pots for veggies and herbs I've planted: cucumbers, green beans, sugar snap peas, a jalapeno, basil, greek oregano, lemon balm, lemon thyme, a strawberry plant, and lavender.

my hard working Honey - lots of little trees that had sprouted up problematically part way under the deck and needed digging out.

I so love having solar things give off glow at night 🌟

Few things are more wonderful than hanging with best friends at the lake. 💗

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflicts all over the world and anyone living in war & fear. For peace and unity in this country, especially from hate and shootings or violence.  For anyone sick, suffering, in pain, fear, loneliness etc ... that God bring them comfort and peace. For His Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere. For the upcoming graduation of so many kiddos. That they be blessed and their futures be so bright! For Matt's Dad have his heart procedure go well and that they can still get to the lake this summer. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Blessings on your week! I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.