Summertime!

Someone is FINALLY interested in a) standing on his own, and b) assisted walking! Yay! Up until now, anytime we held him up by the fingers he would bend his legs or fall to the floor. Alas, do I really want him walking already?!?! (Isn't this a great pic? I took it on my brother-in-law's camera with a fancy lens that blurs the background. I want one!!)

So, since it is finally summertime, complete with 99* weather in the Little Apple, I've been hitting up the local farmer's market. For the last couple of weeks there has been a TON of rhubarb. I've never, ever, cooked with rhubarb and I think I've only tasted it once in a pie. I would STRONGLY recommend NOT tasting it unless it has been cooked. It is SUPER tart!

Our small group does dessert every other Sunday before our study. Since I randomly bought rhubarb without a plan, I decided to make Ina's Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp - oh my heaven, DELISH! I don't know if I like the strawberry/rhubarb mixture or the topping the best. However, I am leaning heavily towards the topping, it was divine!! This was a fairly simple recipe and easy to whip up right before our small group!


Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Serves 6 (I don't know where she comes up with these numbers - it served 11 adults with two servings left over)

Ingredients
4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1 inch diced (4-5 stalks)
4 cups fresh strawberries, bulled and halved, if large
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 table spoon cornstarch (Ina's note: The amount of cornstarch you add depends on the juiciness of the berries and the ripeness of the rhubarb. Green rhubarb has more pectin, so the juices will set better. This is delicious any way it comes out!)
1/2 cup freshly squeeze orange juice
1 cup all purpose four
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal
12 tablespoons (YES!) cold unsalted butter, diced (1 1/2 sticks)
Vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*.

For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 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 x 11 baking dish and place it ion a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

For the topping, int eh bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 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 gold brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

Bon Appetit!