Rhubarb Roundup ~ Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars*

by

Morwen

  We all love cheesecake, and these chilled, cheesy bars are so good on a hot summer afternoon.  They are also our traditional 4th of July dessert.

  Crust

 1 cup Flour

  ¼ cup Honey

  ¼ tsp Salt

  ¼ cup Cold Butter

  ½ cup Walnuts, chopped

    In a bowl combine Flour, Honey and Salt; cut in Butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in Walnuts.  Pressed into a greased 9x13" baking dish.  Bake at 350° for 10 min.  Cool slightly.

  Filling

  2 (8 oz.) packages Cream Cheese, softened

  3 Eggs

  1 tsp Vanilla Extract

  ¼ cup Honey

    In a mixing bowl, beat Cream Cheese and Honey until fluffy.  Add Eggs and Vanilla; mix well, pour over the crust.  Bake for 20-25 min. at 350° or until center is set and edges are light brown.  Cool.

  Topping**

  3 cups Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb, thawed and drained

  ½ cup Honey

  ¼ cup Water

  1 TBSP Cornstarch

  ½ tsp Cinnamon

    In  a saucepan, combine the Rhubarb, Honey, Water, Cornstarch and Cinnamon; bring to boil over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 min.  Remove from heat: cool.  Spread over filling.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

* This is a Taste of Home recipe.  I don't recall which issue it's from.

** See Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade recipe.

Rhubarb Roundup ~ Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade*

by

Morwen

  This is seriously the most amazing Lemonade I've ever tasted.

  8 cups Rhubarb, fresh or frozen (if frozen, thaw and drain)

  1½ cups Honey OR 3 cups Sugar

  10 cups Water

  3 lbs Strawberries, stemmed and crushed

  2 cup freshly squeezed Lemon Juice (about 10 large Lemons)

  Bring Rhubarb, Honey/Sugar and Water to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in Strawberries.  Let steep for 30 minutes.

  Strain mixture through a fine sieve, discarding solids**, and refrigerate to chill.  Stir in Lemon Juice.  Serve Rhubarb Lemonade over ice.

  * Based on the Rhubarb Lemonade recipe from the May 2010 issue of Country Living Magazine.

** We like to save the solids and use them in place of the Rhubarb and Honey in the Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars.  It makes them taste even better.  Just take the Lemonade solids, add the Water, Cornstarch and Cinnamon, and follow the Bars Topping instructions.

Rhubarb Roundup ~ Rhubarb Berry Crunch*

by

Morwen

  It's rhubarb harvesting time, well I harvested the first crop of it anyway, and when I mentioned it to a friend, she said she'd never eaten rhubarb.  Every year I learn of one more person I know that hasn't tasted it.  I offered to give her some recipes and decided to post my favorite rhubarb recipes here.  Why the 'roundup'?  It's also time to move the cattle up to spring pasture and they are driven right past our house.  Plus, since I'm posting multiple recipes, "Rhubarb Roundup" just fit!

  This first recipes is the one I make most often.  While a sweet, dessert-ish recipe, it also makes an excellent and wholesome breakfast alongside eggs and bacon.

  Crust and Crumb

  1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

  ½ cup Honey OR 1 cup Brown Sugar, packed

  ¾ cup Quick Oats (I use Rolled Oats)

  1 tsp Cinnamon

  ½ cup Butter

  In a bowl, combine Flour, Honey/Sugar, Oats and Cinnamon; cut in the Butter until crumbly.  Press half of the mixture into a 9" square baking pan.  

  Filling

  4 cups Rhubarb, fresh or frozen, sliced

  2 cups Berries (I've used many different kids, strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries)

  Combine Berries; spoon over crust.

  Sauce

  ½ cup Honey OR 1 cup Sugar

  2 TBSP Cornstarch

  1 cup Water

  1 tsp Vanilla Extract

  In a saucepan, combine Honey/Sugar and Cornstarch.  Stir in Water and Vanilla; bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until thickened.  Pour over Fruit.  Sprinkle with remaining Crumb mixture.  Bake on 350° for 1 hour.  Revel in the deliciousness!!

  * Taken from the Countryside & Small Stock Journal Sept/Oct '07 issue.

Savory Chicken

by

Morwen

  This is a meal we have quite frequently, so frequently that I used to detest it.  However, I have begun to like it lately.  I unfortunately don't have a picture for this either.

  #8 Chicken Breasts

   Wash, trim and place in slow cooker.

  1 medium Onion, thinly sliced

  2 cloves Garlic, minced

  Sprinkle over meat.  

  1 cup Oil

  1/2 cup Vinegar or Lemon Juice *

  2 tsp Honey

  1 TBSP each Oregano, Basil and Paprika

  2 ½ tsp each Dry Mustard and Black Pepper

  1 TBSP Salt

  Mix thoroughly in a bowl and pour over meat and onions.  Cover and cook on low: 8-9 hours.  Serve as a sandwich spread with Mayo, or over rice.  Both ways taste scrummy!

  *It has been many years since I have used Lemon Juice, so I don't remember how it tastes, but Apple Cider Vinegar is my normal choice and for something a little more special tasting, I used Balsamic Vinegar.

 

Nacho Casserole

by

Morwen

  My humblest apologies all!  *bows so low my nose touches my knees*  Mairwen and I have been crazy busy and we just haven't had time to post.  Even my personal blog has suffered.  

  Today I will be sharing a family favorite.  I don't have a picture, but this is a delicious casserole.  It was originally a layered dish, but that became too much hassle, so we just mix everything together!

  3# Ground Turkey (you can use any meat you'd like.  I prefer Gr. Beef.)

  1 ¼ cups Chopped Onion

  2 cloves Garlic, minced

  1 cup Sour Cream

  8 oz. Tomato Sauce

  7 oz. Chopped Gr. Chilies

  6 oz. Tomato Paste

  4 oz. Black Olives, sliced

  20 oz. Tortilla Chips, coarsely crumbled

  12 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

  Brown the Gr. Meat, Onion and Garlic together, drain.  

  Mix together Sour Cream, Tomato Sauce, Gr. Chilies, Tomato Paste, Black Olives and Tortilla Chips.  Add drained Meat mixture.  Spread in a greased 9x13x2" glass baking dish.  Cover with Aluminum foil and bake on 350° for 20 minutes.  Remove Aluminum foil, sprinkle cheese on top and pop back in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!!

Note: This is also a great freezer meal.  In that case, put the cheese on before freezing and bake for 1 ½ hours.

Tortillas

by

Morwen

  This recipe was given to us by a Mexican family ages ago.  Like ages ago!  I make them fairly regularly, and since we have such a large family, I make a lot each time!!  Each cup of Flour makes 4 tortillas.  Below are the recipes for a 1 cup batch (4 tortillas) and a 8 cup batch (32 tortillas) which is what I usually make.

  4 Tortilla Batch

  1 cup Flour

  1/4 tsp Salt

  1 TBSP Oil

  1/3 cup Warm Water

  32 Tortilla Batch

  8 cups Flour

  2 tsp Salt

  1/2 cup Oil

  2 2/3 cups Warm Water

  Measure Flour and Salt.  Stir together.  Add Oil.  Cut into Flour mixture.  Add Water, mix thoroughly.  Turn your skillets on to a medium heat.  THEY MUST PRE-HEAT.  Divide into the proper amount, knead (like you would with rolls) each ball of dough a few times before lining them up on a lightly floured counter.  Roll out on a floured surface and cook at for approx. 1 minute on each side.

Note: I don't know exactly how long they are cooked, I just know that I can roll out a whole tortilla while one side cooks.

  I also though I would share with you the music I enjoy listening to while I make them.  This collection last me through the entire making process of a 32 Tortilla Batch.  It is affectionately called "Morwen's Tortilla Music".

  

Peanut Butter & Coconut No Bakes

by

Morwen

  Hey guys!  I know it has been ages since Mairwen or I have posted.  Sorry 'bout that.  That lovely thing called Life got in the way.  But here I am again.  And with something utterly delicious as well.

  Our whole family loves No Bakes.  Generally I make Chocolate No Bakes, but the other night when we wanted some, we were out of Cocoa Powder.  So I hustled over to that lovely black..er..red hole named Pinterest, and looked for a Peanut Butter No Bake recipe.  I found one, looked at it, adjusted, changed and added ingredients, and now give you Morwen's Peanut Butter & Coconut No Bakes.

  1 cup Honey

  1/2 cup Butter

  3/8 cup Milk

  Place ingredients in a saucepan, heat on medium until all are melted, raise heat to medium high and bring to a boil.  Boil for 1 minute.  Cool slightly.

  3/4 cup Peanut Butter

  2 1/2 cups Rolled Oats

  1/2 cup Shredded Coconut

  Add to the syrup mixture, stir thoroughly.  Spoon on to cookie sheets and refrigerate until set.  Store in the fridge.  Enjoy!