Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

When I was little, my cousins and I would sneak into my grandmother's rhubarb patch grab a few stalks, and then run into the woods to enjoy our prize. At the same time, one of my other cousins would sneak some sugar out of the kitchen. For years we thought this was a completely covert operation, only to find out that my grandparents, aunts, and uncles were onto us the entire time. They just didn't complain because we were eating something healthy. Rhubarb will always have a special place in my heart, it reminds me of careless summer afternoons as a kid.

My mom used to make strawberry rhubarb pie. Strawberries and rhubarb are the perfect combination, the sweetness of the strawberries pairs perfectly with the tartness of the rhubarb. They are also conveniently ripe at about the same time. My mom's recipe used fresh rhubarb and a packet of strawberry jello mix. Don't get me wrong, the recipe is amazing and crazy easy to make. Thom and I avoid processed foods, so I decided to find a recipe that utilized real strawberries, and I would say I was successful.

My recipe is based off of this recipe I found on epicurious.com, and can be found here. I made a couple of modifications.

What you need:

Filling:
Your favorite recipe for a 9 inch pie crust.
3  1/2 cups sliced rhubarb, about one pound
3 1/2 cups sliced strawberries, about one pound
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold butter cut in pieces

What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line 9 inch deep dish pie plate with pie crust.

2. Combine remaining filling ingredients, combine gently do that you do not crush the strawberries. I used a large fork and tossed everything like a salad. Fill the pie crust.

3. Combine the topping ingredients, and cut the butter in with a pastry fork or two forks. We are going for a mixture with the consistency of damp sand that will hold its shape when squeezed together. Sprinkle topping over filling. It may seem like a lot of topping, but some of it will be absorbed by the filling, so be sure to use all of it.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden. I strongly recommend placing the pie plate on a cookie sheet in the oven, my pie bubbled over a little.

5. Allow the pie to serve completely before cutting it to allow everything to set.

Lemon Brownies (Blondies)

I am a huge fan of the taste of lemon, especially in the spring time. My sister and I can eat lemons like oranges, and there is no such thing as lemonade with not enough sugar. When I saw this recipe floating around on Pinterest and Facebook, I had to try it. A baked good with lemon, that is topped with more lemon? It has to be a winner. 

The finished product is very good. A nice light and tart dessert that is not too sweet. I will definitely be making them again. I just have a couple of critiques. First of all, the name is misleading. Brownies imply that chocolate is involved, blondies are the non-chocolate cousin of brownies. Technically, these should be referred to as lemon blondies, not lemon brownies. Name issue aside, the original recipe recommends serving after the second application of glaze. The glaze never sets hard, but I would still recommend giving it an hour or two to set up. This is definitely a dessert that requires a fork, but it is slightly less messy once the glaze sets. Anyways, without further ado: 

What you need: 

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp lemon zest

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

4 tbsp lemon juice

8 tsp lemon zest

What you do: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

2. Cream together flour, sugar, salt, and butter. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and 2 tbsp lemon zest. 

4. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture, beat with an electric mixer for about two minutes, until batter is smooth and creamy. 

5. Pour batter into baking dish and back for 23-25 minutes until edges are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Allow the blondies to cool completely before making the glaze, combine powdered sugar, 4 tbsp lemon juice, and 8 tsp lemon zest. Pour half of the glaze over the blondies, allow to set for about half an hour.

7. Pour remaining glaze over the blondies, they are now ready to serve. For bet results, allow to set for an hour or two. Slice into bars and serve.

 

Based off a recipe found on Ziplist, which can be found here.