Rhubarb Bread

I was going to make Rhubarb Muffins, but then thought I'd try something different.  So I searched Pinterest for Rhubarb Bread recipes.  There were several that looked delicious, but I settled on this one from Hoot-n-Nanny.  The oatmeal on top was what sold me.  I cut down the sugar and oil just a bit and used some white whole wheat flour. 

Rhubarb Bread
adapted from Hoot-n-Nanny

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup soured milk *
• 2-1/2 cups flour (part whole wheat)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb

Topping:

• 3 T. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup rolled oats

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.   While oven heats, place butter for topping in an oven-proof mixing bowl and place it in the oven to melt.
2. In a large bowl, mix together egg, oil and 1 cup brown sugar. Stir in soured milk and vanilla.  Combine flour, salt and baking soda and cinnamon and stir into sugar mixture until combined.  Fold in rhubarb.  Pour batter into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans.
3. Remove bowl with melted butter from the oven and add the rest of topping ingredients.  Sprinkle over the unbaked loaves.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 
5. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes then remove from pans. 

* to make soured milk, put 1 T vinegar or lemon juice into measuring cup; add milk to make 1 cup, stirring to combine, and let sit for a few minutes at room temperature.

I used 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour and 1 cup unbleached flour.  I buy the Wheat Montana Prairie Gold flour at Walmart.  It's made from hard white spring wheat and finely ground so it's lighter than traditional whole wheat flour but still has all the whole grain benefits.  I think traditional whole wheat flour would add a bit more flavor and texture to this, but I'd probably switch the measurements and use only 1 cup of whole wheat and 1-1/2 cups unbleached. I might add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed for flavor, too.

Other than that, I don't think I'd change a thing about this bread.  It's really good, and I especially like the brown sugar and oat mixture on the top.  It kind of bakes down into the bread in places and gives it a kinda of crunchy/gooey bite, and it's yummy. It does make the bread a bit crumbly, so it's best to use a plate when eating this - or stand over the kitchen sink, so you don't make a mess.

I suppose you could put butter on this, but so far I've just been slicing it and eating it.  Or there was another recipe on Pinterest that included a recipe for Honey Rhubarb Butter - which would probably be great on this and other things too.  I may just need to pull another package of rhubarb out of the freezer...

Update: I had to make the Honey Rhubarb Butter.  I used 1 package of frozen rhubarb (2 cups, mostly thawed), 2 T water, about 3 T raw honey, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. cloves.  I cooked the rhubarb and water until mushy then stirred in the honey and spices.  I did not blend it because it didn't seem to need any blending.  It's really good on the rhubarb bread, and I think it will be really good on other things like toast and biscuits.  I'm thinking I'll cut the cloves in half and only use 1/4 teaspoon next time, because they're a bit strong - not bad, really; I just think I'll like it better with less.

Puffed Oven Pancake with Banana Sauce

I made this for breakfast Saturday morning. It was yummy! But so rich.

Puffed Oven Pancake with Brown Sugar Banana Sauce
adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

Ingredients:
Pancake:

• 2 T butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 t salt

Banana Sauce:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 medium bananas, sliced
• 2 T rum
  

Directions:

1. Place butter in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet.  Place in a 400° oven for 3 to 5 minutes or till butter melts.
2. In a medium mixing bowl use a wire whisk to beat eggs.  Add flour, milk, and salt.  Beat till mixture is smooth.
3. Pour into the hot skillet and bake 20-25 minutes or till puffed and well browned.
4. For brown sugar-banana sauce, in a small saucepan combine the 1/2 cup butter and the brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until melted. Add bananas; cook about 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring gently. Carefully stir in rum; heat through. 
5. To serve, spoon sauce over pancake. If desired, sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream. Serve warm.

Like I said, this was very good but very, very rich.  I want to try it again but cut down the butter and only use 1/2 of what it calls for.  Also, I think I could use a teaspoon of vanilla instead of the rum.  (I used spiced rum)  Yes, the rum was good, but it seems to be more of a dessert than a breakfast.  The original recipe said you could use 2 T of apple juice, but I didn't notice that until now.  Of course, I didn't have any apple juice.  I wonder how orange/pineapple juice would have worked?  I may just try that next time!

This made a lot of sauce, probably enough for two pancakes.  I poured all of the sauce onto the uncut pancake for picture purposes, but next time I'll just cut and serve the pancake and let everybody spoon the banana sauce on top.  And, yes, this sauce would be good on other things, like waffles and pancakes.  And ice cream.

I used my regular recipe for the Puffed Oven Pancake, which is pretty much the same as the Better Homes & Gardens recipe, just with one less egg and less flour, mostly because I wanted to bake it in my cast iron skillet, which is a 10-inch and not a 12-inch. 

Coconut Lemon Bars

When I was posting that last recipe for Cranberry Coconut Pecan Bars, I was planning to link to this recipe.  That's when I realized that I never posted it here.  I have it on my old recipe site, but since I never use that one anymore, I really need to get all the recipes copied over here.  I thought I had, but I guess I got distracted by new recipes before I brought all my old favorites over.

Anyway, these Coconut Lemon Bars are some of my favorites.  I'm going to have to make them again soon, because I don't have any pictures, but trust me - they're good.

Coconut Lemon Bars

Ingredients:
Crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4cup brown sugar

Filling:

• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grated lemon rind

Directions:

1. Mix flour, butter, and 1/4 cup brown sugar together and press firmly into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan.
2. Bake 10 minutes @ 350°.
3. Mix the eggs, 2 cups brown sugar, and salt thoroughly, then stir in the coconut, walnuts, lemon juice, and lemon rind.
4. Spread evenly over partially cooked bottom layer.
5. Bake about 25 minutes until lightly browned.

Cut bars when cool - Makes 24

  Looking at the recipe card, I see that the original recipe called for raisins - 1/2 cup raisins stirred in with the coconut, walnuts and lemon juice.  My mom never used the raisins, so I've never used the raisins.  That, and nobody here seems to like raisins except me.  But now I'm thinking maybe raisins next time...  Probably I will split this into two separate pans and put raisins in one of them, just to see how it turns out.

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• Cranberry Coconut Pecan Bars

Cranberry Coconut Pecan Bars

The Food section of our newspaper recently held a Holiday Cookie Contest and published the winning recipes along with several runners-up.  There are some really good looking cookies here, but the ones that caught my eye were these Cranberry Coconut Pecan Bars. (can you guess why? yep, it's the cranberries!)

I just had to make these today.  My whole kitchen smelled amazing, and then I was required to taste them, right?  So good!  The perfect combination of crunchy and chewy, sweet and tart - I'm in love!

I pretty much followed the recipe, only cutting down the sugar just a bit, but there are a couple other changes I will make next time (there will be a next time!) and those changes are reflected here.

Cranberry Coconut Pecan Bars

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1-1/4 cups flour (part whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

Filling:

• 2 lightly beaten eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cranberry juice (or orange juice)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Glaze

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon cranberry juice (or orange juice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Prepare crust by stirring together flour, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Mix in melted butter and then stir in pecans and cranberries. Press mixture onto bottom of ungreased 13-by-9-inch pan. . Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown around the edges. Leave oven on.
3. While crust bakes, in bowl, beat together eggs, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cranberry juice, the orange peel and vanilla. Stir in pecans, cranberries and coconut. Pour over hot crust and spread evenly.
4. Return to oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack and let cool slightly (about 10 to 15 minutes) in pan. Cut into bars while warm.
5. While bars cool, mix together powered sugar and 1 tablespoon cranberry juice. Add more sugar and juice as needed to achieve drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cut bars.

Makes 24  

The original recipe called for cutting the butter for the crust into the flour and sugar until it resembles course crumbs.  A lot of bar cookie recipes seem to be written that way, but when I make my mom's Coconut Lemon Bars, I always just melt the butter and mix it in.  It's much easier and works just fine - so I will be making this crust that way from now on.  I used 1/4 cup whole wheat flour in the crust and brown sugar instead of granulated for more flavor - cut down from 3/4 cup to 1/2 cup.  I think even 1/2 cup whole wheat or even half whole wheat and half unbleached flour would be fine.

The original recipe called for mixing the eggs, sugar, juice, orange peel, and vanilla for the filling, pouring that over the hot crust, and then sprinkling it with the pecans, cranberries and coconut.  That worked fine, but next time I'm just going to mix the pecans, cranberries and coconut in and then spread the whole thing over the crust - again like those lemon bars.  It will be less messy and easier to spread evenly.  It will still bake up just fine.  I used the cranberry juice this time because I had some in the fridge (cranberry apple, actually), but I think this would be great using some fresh-squeezed orange juice.  You're already using the orange for the peel or the zest, why not squeeze it and use the juice too?

Ready to bake

Also, the original recipe says that it makes 30-35, but I can't imagine anyone actually cutting them that way.  That would be 5 one way and 6 the other or 5 one way and 7 the other.  I have a hard enough time getting things even when I can first cut down the middle.  Cutting them into 24 pieces makes very nice-sized bars - and I still couldn't stop at just one.

 
For more cookie recipes, be sure to check out the Holiday Cookie Contest.

Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp

I've never tried rhubarb and raspberries together. Why? I don't know, but for some reason the idea popped into my head the other day - probably because I was thinking about what I have in my freezer and need to start using. 

So I went looking for a 'raspberry rhubarb dessert' and this is what I found. 

Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cut rhubarb
• 2 cups raspberries, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (or pecans)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks

Directions:

1. In a shallow 2- to 3-quart baking dish, combine rhubarb, raspberries, granulated sugar, and cornstarch and mix gently to coat.
2. In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. With your fingers or a pastry blender, rub or cut butter into oat mixture until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle evenly over rhubarb and raspberry mixture.
3.  Bake in a 350° regular oven until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, about 45 minutes. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.

original recipe

As noted, I used frozen rhubarb and raspberries, mostly thawed and undrained, but this would of course be great with fresh fruit, too.  I only used half the raspberries the original recipe called for and cut the sugar in the fruit down from 3/4 cup to 1/2 cup because I want to taste the tartness of the rhubarb.  I think it turned out great.  A nice dollop of vanilla ice cream would be great on top, but it was yummy just by itself.

Rhubarb and raspberries go very well together.

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Cinnamon and Honey for Good Health

This is more a health post than a recipe post, but it involves items we all have in our kitchens, and besides - I need to save this someplace!

I copied this from Facebook:

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. What it will do is what some call 'turning to sugar'. In reality, honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will "crystallize". When this happens loosen the lid, boil some water and sit the honey container in the hot water, but turn off the heat and let it liquefy naturally. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. This will kill the enzymes in the honey.

Cinnamon and Honey

Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around. Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without side effects for any kind of diseases.  Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, when it is taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm even diabetic patients. Researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply it on bread instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, when they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily (morning and night) one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain -- and within a month, most all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis now started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from its root.

GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals

INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of boiling water to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

RASPY OR SORE THROAT: When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip until gone. Repeat every three hours until throat is without symptoms.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it off the next morning with warm water. When done daily for two weeks, it removes all pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin Infections.

WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before
breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week.

BAD BREATH: People of South America, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water first thing in the morning so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

You might want to share this information with a friend, kinfolks and loved ones. Everyone needs healthy help information ~ what they do with it is up to them. You may also want to share this with your email buddies... They deserve to be healthy too!

I think it's time for some cinnamon and honey. I do not want to get this cold!

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