Garden Fresh

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb Custard Pie

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Rhubarb Custard Pie (Recipe & Photo from Food Network Kitchen)

Rhubarb Custard Pie
As previously discussed I am not a huge cake fan. For most of my life I either had dairy queen ice cream cakes or cheesecake as my birthday cakes. It should come as no surprise that I decided to not bake a cake for my birthday. Instead I decided to bake a pie.
Specifically a rhubarb custard pie since I had exactly 4.5 cups of rhubarb left in my fridge to use up from my first harvest. I find that using rhubarb fresh is much easier than previously frozen as you don’t have to deal with draining excess fluid or adding more flour or corn starch to thicken it.
This pie is delish and super easy to make. I ended up eating 1/4 of the pie for my birthday.
 Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Fit the pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate, fluting the edges, and chill until set, about 15 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork, and then line the crust with aluminum foil.
  • Fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake until the edges of the crust are just golden, 20 minutes.
  • Remove the foil with the pie weights and continue to bake until the bottom of the crust is dry and lightly browned, another 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely.
  • Toss the rhubarb with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the lemon juice until well combined. Transfer to the crust and spread to form an even layer. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Whisk the eggs with the evaporated milk, flour and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar until smooth, and then pour over the rhubarb.
  • Line with edges of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent over browning.
  • Bake until the pie is lightly browned, puffed and no longer wet in the center, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Before serving, lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb Pudding Cake

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I am very picky about cake. I will almost always pass on a store bought cake or even a cake baked by someone and brought into work. You’d think I would bake a lot of cakes but I don’t do that either. Most cakes are only good for a day or two (at most 4 days), so then I am stuck with a large amount of cake not eaten or I have to bring it to work.

With it being summer and my rhubarb in full swing, I decided to try a rhubarb pudding cake. I actually enjoyed it although I preferred the rhubarb blondies I made previously. I did end up bringing 1/2 the cake to work and it disappeared. Everyone loved it so give this recipe a try.

 

Rhubarb Pudding Cake (recipe from common sense home)

Ingredients
  • 2 cups chopped rhubarb
  • 1 3/4 cup sugar, divided
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk (I used evaporated milk)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup sifted flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2/3 cup boiling water

Instructions

  1. Cover the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch square pan with fruit. (I used a glass pie plate.)
  2. Mix 3/4 cup sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, extracts, milk and flour together (add a little more milk if it is too thick to pour); pour over fruit. Mix remaining sugar and cornstarch; sprinkle over mixture in pan. Pour boiling water over the top.
  3. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes

 

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb Blondies

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One thing you can always count on is your rhubarb coming to life in the summer. It’s a short window when everyone in Minnesota bakes their hearts out with this beloved vegetable. Most people call it a fruit due to the way it is used in desserts but it’s actually a vegetable.

It is one of my favorites in the summer season. I love being able to bake or cook with what is fresh during the seasons so harvesting and baking up my rhubarb is no exception. I try to make new dishes every year (as well as the classic ones we love), so I decided to give a blondie recipe a try. These bars are delicious. So buttery and caramel-like in flavor from all the brown sugar. I’ve already made two batches of these bars this year so it’s quickly become a new favorite rhubarb recipe of mine.

Rhubarb & White Chocolate Blondies (recipe from goodness gracious)

INGREDIENTS
  • 8 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups diced rhubarb
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray or grease with butter.
  2. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl.
  3. Whisk in brown sugar until smooth.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla extract, whisk again until combined.
  5. Add the flour and mix until no lumps are visible.
  6. Fold in the diced rhubarb and chocolate chips.
  7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread it out to make even.
  8. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
  9. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

50 States, 50 Cookies: North Dakota

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I loved the concept of these cookies but unfortunately mine didn’t turn out that well. The shortbread was too thick & resulted in too much cookie & not enough filling. I might try to adapt these in the future to use up my garden fresh rhubarb.

Rhubarb Linzer Cookies (from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp almond
  • 3 cups flour
  • 10 tbsp rhubarb jam
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºf and line two cookie sheets with parchment.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and extracts. Gradually mix in the flour until combined.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. (alternatively you can wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before proceeding to the next step.) Roll out the dough until it’s 1/4-inch thick.
  4. Cut out 3-inch circles using a cookie or biscuit cutter. Place half of the cookies on the baking sheet 1 inch apart. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out a shape from the center of the remaining cookies. Place those on the cookie sheet 1 inch apart (you may have to bake in batches).
  5. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges of the cookies turn slightly golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
  6. Once cooled, place about 2 tsp of jam in the center of a cookie and then squish into a sandwich with one of the cutout cookies. Repeat with remaining cookies and then let set overnight.
  7. Dust with powdered sugar before serving and enjoy!

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb Meringue Dessert

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I made this awhile ago with my first harvest of rhubarb from this summer. Summer came & went super quickly. I won’t complain. Fall is my favorite time of year. The majority of people in Minnesota would agree with me. Fall is the best season with the cooler weather, leaves changing, pumpkins, Halloween, etc. Other people would add football to the list and I suppose I will too. Not because I like watching it but because I like making food for other people and using that Sunday time to bake. A time for me to relax in the kitchen & try new things. While I am exited for the pumpkins, squash, & root veggies to take over, I have to say I will miss being able to go pick fresh rhubarb from the garden. Gardening is the main thing I enjoy about summer. At least I have a little stockpile in the freezer which I will probably use to make this dish again. It may just be my new favorite rhubarb recipe.

Rhubarb Meringue Dessert (from Betty Crocker)

  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup half & half or whipping cream
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup flaked coconut

Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix butter, 1 cup flour and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press evenly in ungreased square pan, 9x9x2 inches. Bake 10 minutes.

Mix egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, the salt and half-and-half in large bowl. Stir in rhubarb. Pour over hot crust. Bake 45 minutes.

Beat egg whites in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Beat in vanilla. Spread over rhubarb mixture; sprinkle with coconut. Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown; cool about 30 minutes. Cut into about 3-inch squares.

Breaded & Baked Walleye

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My guy likes to joke that all we eat is walleye and venison. This is far from the truth but for a good portion of the year we eat them roughly once a week but for sure every other week. I don’t mind. I love them both. They are nice to rotate with your standard chicken, pork, beef, etc. It’s also a nice feeling to be able to say that you caught your own dinner or harvested it during hunting season. To make it even better it’s a great feeling to add in fresh veggies from the garden. Roasted green beans & tomatoes are one of my favorite side dishes and they go perfectly with baked walleye. We might not be living off the grid but I’d say we are fairly self-sufficient and that makes cooking dinner extra enjoyable and satisfying.

 

Breaded & Baked Walleye (serves 2)

  • 2-4 fillets walleye
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
  • 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
  • 1-2 tsp Blackened Seasoning
  • salt to taste
  • cooking spray, olive oil, or melted butter

Mix mayonnaise & mustard on a plate. Mix breadcrumbs & seasonings on a plate. Coat the walleye on both sides with the mayo/mustard mixture. Dip in the seasoned breadcrumbs to coat & shake to get rid of excess crumbs.

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet & spray with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil or melted butter. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes. Serve with sides of choice (I chose creamy rice and roasted green beans & tomatoes fresh from the garden).

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Crispy Walleye Sandwich

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Yesterday was the official start to Baking Sunday. I do tend to bake year round on Sundays but since football season started yesterday my true Baking Sunday began as well. I don’t just bake on these “Baking Sundays.” I use them for various activities. I try to blog, make new recipes in general, meal plan, do canning, etc.

I did actually bake something yesterday. I made an apple quick bread. I was going to make pepper jelly as well but didn’t get around to it. I also made lunch for my guy who happened to have the day off which was a nice surprise.

He rarely has weekend days off as he is a fishing guide. Sounds awesome in theory but as a consequence we don’t get many weekends together in the summer. We do get to eat walleye on a fairly regular basis though. Normally I make cajun walleye which is baked in the oven so it’s very light. He eats a lot of fried fish while working so we tend to stay away from beer battered walleye as delicious as it is.

I decided to make a crispy walleye sandwich. I thought it would be the perfect Football Sunday lunch. I have to say I was very pleased with how it turned out. The walleye was perfectly crispy & the garden fresh lettuce & tomatoes gave it just the right touch. Of course the tartar sauce is absolutely necessary as well. I make mine to be a smidge spicy but of course the sweetness of the relish shines through and pairs amazingly well with the pan fried fish.

 

Crispy Walleye Sandwich (serves 2)

  • 2 walleye fillets
  • Blackened Seasoning
  • all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • panko breadcrumbs
  • vegetable oil (for frying)
  • brat buns (or hoagie buns)
  • lettuce & tomato
  • tartar sauce
    • You can use store bought but homemade is so much better. Mix 2 tbsp mayo, a few splashes lemon juice, 1 tbsp relish, onion powder, garlic powder & dill to taste, 1/2 tsp hot sauce (I used asian chili sauce). Adjust seasonings as needed.

Season the fillets liberally with blackened seasoning (if using salt free seasoning add salt as well). Dredge the fillets in flour, followed by the egg, and finally the panko breadcrumbs.

Place enough oil in a large frypan to be about 1/2 inch deep. Heat oil over medium heat. Place fillets in hot oil and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low & cook for an additional 3 minutes. Flip fillets over and cook for about 5 minutes (you may need to turn the heat back up for a minute or so to get a nice crisp & golden color).

Bake or broil buns until warmed through & slightly crispy. Slather with tartar sauce. Top with lettuce, tomato & crispy walleye.

Venison Fajitas

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Last year we counted 13 deer in our front yard. We both had a feeling that our garden was going to be in trouble. Surprisingly it wasn’t really in trouble from the deer too badly. It wasn’t doing as well as we hoped but the deer seemed to leave it alone.

Until they found it. I’m not sure where they were all season but they destroyed our garden once it was getting close to harvest. They dug up the beets. We got 2 beets! 2! That’s it.

They dug up the carrots. We had about 10 total. They ate all my grape tomatoes, early girls, and romas. It’s super frustrating. I love fresh produce and we had a minuscule harvest. Next year we will have to beef up our garden protection. Until then I will keep practicing with my bow and hopefully harvest one of them this year.

I’ve been fortunate enough to harvest a deer the last 2 years of hunting. This year with a bow opportunity and rifle season being hunter’s choice I am hoping the streak will continue. If it does I will enjoy all the benefits that come from hunting which includes putting meat on the table.

One of my new favorite ways to cook venison is venison fajitas. It is so easy & of course you don’t get that gamey flavor. The venison steak is also way more tender than breakfast steak which is what I normally use for fajitas. Give this a try & it  might convert you to actually loving venison.

Venison Fajitas

  • 8oz venison steak
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • worcestshire sauce
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • taco seasoning, salt free (note I just add roughly these amounts in a dish & keep on hand. Amounts are estimates. Sometimes more or less of each depending on my mood)
    • 2-3 tsp chili powder
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp onion powder
    • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper or cayenne
    • 1/4 tsp oregano

 

  • Brine 8 oz venison steak in 3 cups of water & 1 tbsp table salt for about 6 hrs
  • Rinse off the brine & cut into thin strips
  • Marinade the venison for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hrs in oil, lime juice, worcestershire, taco seasoning, salt, & pepper (note I am not sure how much of everything I added. I drizzled the steak with oil, gave a few splashes of worcestshire sauce, smidge salt & pepper, and 2-3 tsp salt free taco seasoning
  • Cook over medium high heat for about 30 seconds per side

  • Serve with tortillas, sautéed peppers & onions, lettuce, cheese, salsa, & sour cream

 

 

Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb Drop Scones

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The summer of rhubarb has begun! Rhubarb screams summer and Minnesota cooking to me. I have grown up with rhubarb & have always loved it (no berry mixing required). These drop scones are not like your traditional scone in texture but are perfect for breakfast or with a coffee or tea.

 

Rhubarb Drop Scones

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
1 egg yolk

1 cup sour milk ( 1 tbsp lemon juice with 1 cup milk & let stand for 5 min)
raw sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter pieces and, using a pastry blender & your hands, mash it all up until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the butter is worked throughout. Add the rhubarb.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk and sour milk. Add this to the flour-fruit mixture. Stir until combined.

Drop large spoonfuls of the dough onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pat them down slightly until they are a uniform thickness (about 1/2 – 3/4 inch). Sprinkle the tops with raw sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes (a little less if you opt for smaller scones) or until the scones are golden and the edges beginning to brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

 

Summer of Rhubarb: Vanilla Pudding with Rhubarb Sauce

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My guy asked me the other day if I quit blogging. It’s not so much that I quit it’s just that it’s been hard to try and actually write. I made this dish earlier in the summer when my rhubarb was fresh and never got around to posting it. Now all I can think about is the fact that my cat Oedipus loved this dish and he is no longer with us. Which brings me to my point of why it’s hard to write.

I started a post a few weeks after his death and have not been able to bring myself to finish it. It’s called Saddle Thrombus. Enough said. Now every time I try to blog I get teary eyed. In fact I’m crying a bit right now.

It’s been over 2 months and yes I am doing better but every now and then I still get incredibly sad. I have quit reliving that terrible day in my head and have started to just think of all the good things he brought to my life and the fond memories I have of him, but I still get sad here and there.

Most people out there are thinking…’what the hell? He was just a cat’. Well you people are wrong. He wasn’t just a cat. I’ve had other pets before and still have other pets but it’s not the same. He was special. I’ve had other pets pass before and yes I was sad but it wasn’t a debilitating sadness that consumed me when my honeybun passed.

He was the most personable animal I ever knew. Some cats are stupid and ditzy

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& others are more wise and exhibit more human traits.

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The blank page ones or ones that aren’t as aware aren’t any less lovable but I loved Oedipus the most. He was my baby boy. I know he wasn’t a real child but he acted like one. I treated him more like one. That’s why his death has been so hard. He was the closest thing I will ever have to an actual child as children are not in the cards for me.

There will never be another one like him. One of his favorite things was dairy products. He loved all things dairy…cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, milk (he especially loved it when you ate cereal so he could get a few laps of the leftover milk in your bowl), ice cream, etc. He loved it all.

I made this vanilla pudding and he could smell the dairy in it. He’d sit right beside you begging for some. Obviously he wanted nothing to do with the rhubarb sauce but he liked the pudding part.

Vanilla Pudding with Rhubarb Sauce

Rhubarb Sauce

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 1/2 cups rhubarb (if using frozen make sure it is thawed & drain out excess liquid)
  • lemon juice to taste

In a small saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil. Add the rhubarb. Cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice to taste.

Vanila Pudding

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp corn starch
  • 3 cups milk (I used 2%)
  • 3 beaten egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a medium heavy saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Add milk. Cook and gently stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of the milk mixture into egg yolks.
Slowly whisk egg yolk mixture back into milk mixture in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter & vanilla. Pour pudding into 4 individual serving bowls. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Chill in fridge for 1 hour or up to 24 hrs before serving.

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Top with rhubarb sauce if desired.

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