Rhubarb is in the house...

http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/: "Rhubarb is a vegetable with a unique taste that makes it a favorite in many pies and desserts. It originated in Asia over 2,000 years ago. It was initially cultivated for its medicinal qualities. It was not until the 18th century that rhubarb was grown for culinary purposes in Britain and America. Rhubarb is often commonly mistaken to be a fruit but rhubarb is actually a close relative of garden sorrel, and is therefore a member of the vegetable family. Rhubarb is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber." Here in Maine rhubarb has been ripe now for the past month. I am typically a rhubarb scrounge this time of year, calling on friends and strangers to let me pick some of their rhubarb for my mother and me. Best used within a day or so of picking, rhubarb also freezes quite well. When using rhubarb for recipes or freezing, you should peel off most of the skin on the stalks - this eliminates having stringy fruit pieces in your rhubarb dish. My mother is a big fan of either rhubarb pie or strawberry rhubarb pie. The tart of the rhubarb is offset by the sweet of the strawberry and this makes a delicious combination. The past few years I have been fond of a recipe I found online for Rhubarb Strawberry Crunch. The combination of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture on the bottom with the crunchy oat/brown sugar/flour/butter (I swear by Smart Balance as a tasty and good substitute for butter) topping makes for a yummy dessert that people go crazy for when I make it. Try it yourself!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 3 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup rolled oats

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix white sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, strawberries, and rhubarb. Place the mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, butter, and oats until crumbly. You may want to use a pastry blender for this. Crumble on top of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture.
4. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and lightly browned.

Note: I like a stronger intensity of rhubarb in this recipe and so I adjust the measurement to 4 cups of rhubarb and 2 cups of strawberries.