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Tag: dessesrts

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp II

The bright, tart taste of rhubarb and the iconic, sweet taste of strawberries is a classic spring and summer combination. This strawberry rhubarb crisp gets some subtle variety with a splash of lime juice in the filling and chopped pistachios in the topping–a recipe that is high on flavor and relatively low on sugar.

You may be thinking, do we really need another recipe for strawberry rhubarb crisp?  Well, if you like making fruit crisps like I do, then the answer is yes!  I make crisps all summer long, and I rarely make them the same way twice.  There are endless variations on the basic theme, and the variations are what make fruit crisps fun and personalized.  You can tailor them to your own tastes, and they always taste best when they feature fresh, in-season fruit.  As much as I love rhubarb pies (I have made two already this month, thanks to a nice big armful of rhubarb from my aunt), crisps are easier and quicker to make.

strawberry rhubarb crisp and grassThis most recent version of strawberry rhubarb crisp is similar to one I posted about a year ago, but with the twist of added lime juice and chopped pistachios.  (I seem to be on a bit of a pistachio kick lately, as my last posted recipe contained them too). The lime juice just adds a bit more brightness to the fruit (which was very bright already!), and the chopped pistachios add texture a bit of saltiness, and protein.  I’m always looking for ways to add protein!  I also like this recipe because the topping is light on the flour, leaning more heavily on the old fashioned rolled oats, and as I mentioned above, not much sugar–just 1/4 to 1/3 cup of brown sugar.

With rhubarb season in full swing and strawberry season finally upon us, this is the perfect time to be making this type of dessert.  It’s so nice to see fresh strawberries, and the daylight lasting into the evening is beautiful.  Because the weather has been so dry lately, we have very few mosquitoes to contend with, so we can be outside in the evenings much more easily than we often can at this time of year.  To be able to walk outside in the evening, barefoot, with a bowl of warm strawberry rhubarb crisp in one hand and a spoon in the other, looking for a quiet place to sit and enjoy it–that is one of the joys and luxuries of summer.  I hope you are all having a great week!strawberry rhubarb crisp in handstrawberry rhubarb crisp outside DSC_0782 strawberries and rhubarb in green bowlI will share this recipe at Angie’s weekly Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Margy @ La Petite Casserole and Linda @ La Petite Paniere.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp II

  • Servings: about 6
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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of fresh rhubarb, finely chopped
  • 2 cups of fresh strawberries, sliced
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of flour (I used all-purpose flour, but you can use any kind)
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • 1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons of roasted, salted pistachios, shelled and chopped
  • 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup (depending on how sweet or tart you want it) of brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a 9-inch pie plate, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, lime juice, and flour.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, and pistachios.  With a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture forms crumbs about the size of peas.  Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the fruit.  Bake in your 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling.  Serve warm.  I like it just as it is, but you can serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if you wish. Enjoy!

 

This recipe is adapted from My Father’s Daughter by Gwyneth Paltrow

 

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Bites

These little cookies hit the spot if you are looking for something sweet, yet full of protein and nutrition.  Peanut butter and oats give the cookies lots of nutrients, taste, and texture, and they are easy to eat as a satisfying snack or dessert.  These peanut butter-oatmeal bites are going so quickly around here, next time I make them I’m going to double the recipe!

peanut butter cookies 3-5With my kids’ spring sports schedules starting, I am once again looking for snacks that taste good, can be eaten quickly, and that also have nutrients to give my active kids good energy.  I am very happy with this recipe, which I adapted from one in my Dr. Cookie Cookbook by Marvin Wayne and Stephen Yarnall.  There’s just enough sweetness from the brown sugar to make the cookies taste like a treat, but enough substance to make them more than just sweet.  If you are looking for an easy, protein-rich cookie, this is a great recipe to try.

peanut butter cookies 2-1It is the very last day of March today, and I must say I am really looking forward to April!  Although it’s still chilly here, it’s such a great time to be outside, with the fresh wind, green grass, and trees and bushes budding.  The spring peepers have been peeping really loudly at night, and I love to sleep with the window cracked open so I can listen to those frogs all night long.  There is a feeling of new life and excitement in the air–I can sense it just from watching the birds in the sky.

Yesterday evening, I picked our first herb of the season–chives to chop and put on top of our macaroni and cheese.  I had forgotten how convenient and fresh it is to walk outside and snip some herbs to add to our dinner.  Soon there will be more and more things growing and blossoming, and more and more recipes to make!  In the meantime, these little peanut butter-oatmeal bites are tiding me over very nicely.

I hope you all have a great weekend! I’m going to take a plate of these cookies over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday #113, co-hosted by two bloggers whose blogs I really admire:  Sonal @ Simplyvegetarian777 and Laurie @ ten.times.tea.peanut butter cookie doughpeanut butter cookies 3-9

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Bites

  • Servings: about 24 cookies, depending on size
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Ingredients:

  • 1 large egg
  • 2/3 cup of packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup of natural peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 cup of unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, vigorously stir the egg, brown sugar, butter, peanut butter, and vanilla until well combined.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, and baking soda.  Add the dry ingredients to to wet ingredients, and stir until well combined.

Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet, about 12 cookies per baking sheet.  Bake in your 350-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are golden.  Cool the cookies on a wire rack.  Repeat until all the cookies are baked. Enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from the Dr. Cookie Cookbook by Marvin A. Wayne and Stephen R. Yarnall.