Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

My parent's rhubarb plant is thriving this spring and so they gave me a cooler full of this fruit. (I think it's a fruit anyway).

Since my jelly supply from last summer has been completely depleted, I decided that jam was my first item that I would make.

I had this recipe tucked into my recipe box and thought I would try it.

I really like how there are still chunks of fruit in the finished jam. The strawberry flavor really complements the rhubarb.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

4 cups strawberries, washed, stemmed and crushed

2 cups chopped rhubarb

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 pkg. powdered pectin

5 1/2 cups sugar

In a large saucepan, combine first four ingredients. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add sugar and return to a rolling boil. Boil hard one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim foam if necessary. Pour into sterilized jars. Seal in a hot water bath.

ooohhhh Crumb Topping!!

What's the best part of anything crumb-topped? Obviously the crumb topping! I was excited to find Big Crumb Cake at Smitten Kitchen. It lived up to its name! The crumb topping was not only amazing, but it was the feature of the coffee cake. The next time I make this, I will increase the amount of rhubarb since I didn't think the flavor of the fruit was pronounced enough. But all in all it was fabulous and one of the best coffee cakes I've ever made. I know, that's a pretty bold statement!
To see photos and the recipe visit Smitten Kitchen.

Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp

I am so glad that it's rhubarb season! There's something about the tartness that I love. Each spring I like to try at least one new rhubarb recipe. I found this recipe in my new cookbook "Baking From My Home to Yours" by Dorie Greenspan. Everything that I've tried so far in the cookbook has been fabulous, and so I was excited to try this one. Let me tell you, it does not disappoint. I love how the sweet strawberries and the rhubarb create a great fresh flavor. I've made this a couple of times already and minus accidently dropping it when I was getting it out of the oven, it's easy to assemble and prepare.


If you have fresh rhubarb and are not sure what to do with it - try this!!




Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp

"Baking from My Home to Yours"

For the crisp mix:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 c oatmeal

pinch of salt

tiny pinch of ground cinnamon

1 stick (8 T) butter, melted and cooled

For the filling:

1 lb (5-6 stalks) rhubarb, trimmed and peeled

3 T cornstarch

1/2 cup cold water

3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp vanilla

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put a 9-inch square baking pan on a baking sheet.

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, ground ginger, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. With a fork, stir the ingredients until they are thoroughly moistened. Spoon half the mixture into the pan and pat it down lightly to form a thick crust; set aside the remainder for the topping.

Slice the rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces and scatter them over the pressed-in base. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water; set aside. Put the strawberries, sugar and ginger in a medium saucepan and, with a fork, crush the berries. Place the pan over medium heat and , stirring occassionally, bring the mixture to a full boil. Pour the dissolved cornstarch into the pan, and stirring with a whisk, bring everything back to a boil. Keep cooking and stirring until the strawberry filling is thick and no longer cloudy, about 3 minutes. Pull the pan from the heat, stirin the vanilla and pour the filling over the rhubarb. Scatter the remaining crisp mix over the filling.

Slide the crisp into the oven and bake for 60 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the strawberry jam is bubbling up all around the edges. Cool until only just warm or at room tempurature.