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.