Rhubarb Blueberry Crumble

As I was relaxing in my newly fenced in back yard I started checking out the garden and wound up harvesting a small bunch of rhubarb from my garden. Believe it our not, I did have a recipe in the back of my mind. The latest edition of Everyday Food had a crumble recipe in it with a variations chart so you could switch out other fruits for the one used in the original recipe.

As I was chopping up the rhubarb, I only had four cups of the yummy stuff so I turned to my trusty freezer which just happened to have some blueberries nestled away inside. I adapted the recipe somewhat. Since the blueberries were so sweet, I was able to reduce the amount of sugar in the fruit. I also added some oats to the crumble topping because I always use oats in crisps and crumbles...I just do.  As a matter of fact, a few years ago, the Boy took his first foods class in middle school and came home completely appalled.  Absolutely disgusted to tell you the truth.  You see, after years of making apple crisp our way (leave the peels on, oats in the crust, butter....) The Boy had to make apple crisp in foods class the way their book said so he unhappily peeled apples and chopped them (rather then small wedges), used margarine (GASP) in the topping, had no oats to add, nor did they add nearly enough cinnamon... He really was unhappy with the foods teacher that day. (Poor kid, I've wrecked him for 'normal' foods classes....tee hee)

Rhubarb Blueberry Crumble (adapted from Everyday Food, July/August 2012)
Preheat oven to 375F

Fruit filling:

4 cups rhubarb, sliced
2 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch

Mix all 4 of the above ingredients gently in a bowl.

Topping:

6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/4 light brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup rolled oats

Cream together the butter and sugar.
Add the flour salt and oats and continue creaming until it all comes together into a clumpy lumpy texture.

Pour the fruit filling into an 8 inch baking dish.

Scatter the topping over the fruit.

This is a pile, make sure to spread it out evenly over the fruit.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

Allow to cool for about 20 minutes before serving (or allow to cool and heat before serving).

We actually waiting until AFTER dinner to eat this tasty treat....of course we had some frozen vanilla yogurt with it.
Soooo good.  Go make some.  Right now. Do it.
Trust me.

Until next time, stay warm and eat well.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - An Oldie but a Goodie!

Today the temperature actually reached above 0!! Let me tell you, 2 degrees celsius is almost shorts weather after the cold we've been getting!!  I actually wrote this the other day when it was still completely and abolutely frigid outside!

There was a windchill warning today...not a big suprise considering we are in the middle of the prairies...very flat and very conducive to wind.  brrr...although I must admit that I did not leave the house today, at all.  I also 'got dressed' by putting on clean pjs and fuzzy warm socks.  The only other thing this day needs is some cookies!!! This recipe I think originally came from the back of a package of oats.  It is one that I have written down in my book by hand (the old fashioned way) and it has been around for ages but I haven't made them for so long, I have missed them tremendously...

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar, granulated
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp water (or apple juice, or another liquid of your choice)
• 4 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour (you can use whole wheat if you'd like)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 6 cups oats
• 3 cups raisins, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained

 Now get ready to bake!!

In a large bowl, mix together and set aside:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 6 cups oats

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a bowl with a hand mixer, or with a bowl and a wooden spoon) cream together the 1 1/2 cups butter, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, and 1 cup white sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between.

Add the water and vanilla and continue to mix.

Add the oats and flour mixture one cup at a time.

Once the oats are mixed in, add the raisins and mix until just combined.

You may want to chill the dough for an hour or so before baking but I just couldn't wait.  They did spread a little more, but that will just give you a cookie that is a little more crisp.

Bake 12 - 15 minutes at 350 F until browned.

This batch turned out both crisp and chewy, which was the exact perfectness in an oatmeal raisin cookie that I was looking for!!

 Until next time, stay warm and eat well!

A Week's Worth of Brekkies

A great way to get going on these cold winter mornings in is a hot bowl of oatmeal! I don't have time every morning to make a pot of good old fashioned oatmeal but I am not a fan of the prepackaged instant oatmeals, they just aren't the same. The oats have been so over rolled there isn't nearly as much fibre left in them as there should be and I can make my own flavours with natural ingredients.  If I want maple flavoured oatmeal, I will just add maple syrup!

My breakfast is happy to see me!

 I generally buy the generic brand of steel cut oats or multigrain oats and cook up a week's worth of oatmeal on Sunday afternoon or evening.  Follow the instructions on the box to cook up the oatmeal and divy the oatmeal out into single serve portions into bowls (with plastic wrap) or containers with lids if you have.  All you have to do in the morning is pop it into the microwave for a minute or two and you are ready for the day! (Or grab it to take to work, use the  microwave in the classroom/staffroom and let the kids watch you enjoy your oatmeal!)

Cook the oatmeal according to package instructions.





Here's where you can adjust the flavours to suit your mood:

• Switch out the water for another liquid such as juice, coconut milk, soy milk, milk....even tea

 
While cooking add to the pot the flavours of your choice:

• 1 chopped apple (keep the peel), handful of raisins, 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• handful of chopped dates (sweetness), shredded coconut,
• pumkin pie spices and smow pureed pumpkin
• chopped pineapple, coconut, and some rum extract (Do you like pina colodas?)
• a handful of chopped dried apricots, some chopped walnuts...
• dried blueberries

The possiblities really are endless, just use your imagination.
Today I felt like apples, dates, and cinnamon!

Lately I have been adding some frozen strawberries and a gulp of maple syrup before popping it into the microwave for 2 minutes.

Being prepared for the week ahead helps keep morning mayhem to a minimum.  Get up, get ready, have breakfast, and go.

One for each day of the week!! This batch has apples, dates, and cinnamon in it but I will most likely add some maple syrup and strawberries in the morning!  This really does save so much time in the mornings.