The summer after my freshman year of college I worked as bank teller. At some point that summer a nice man I worked with brought rhubarb bars into work to share. I must have been impressed because I asked for his recipe and passed it on to my mom.
Fast forward several years and my mom made these bars for us and when I asked for the recipe she reminded me that I had brought it home from the bank. Fortunately for me, she saved it. Apparently back in my college days I didn’t realize the value of holding onto a good recipe!
Now every spring this is one of my favorite desserts to make. They’re sticky and gooey and really more like a crisp than a bar… best served warmed up in a bowl with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Rhubarb Bars
Make a pie filling consistency using:
3 cups chopped rhubarb
3 T. cornstarch
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir together in heavy pan over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.
Crust:
1 ½ cups oatmeal
½ tsp. soda
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup melted butter
1 ½ cups flour
½ tsp. salt
Mix well.
Line a 9” square pan with foil (so the bars can be easily pulled out and cut). Press most of the crust mixture on the bottom of the pan. Pour the cooled rhubarb mixture over the top and crumble the remaining crust on top.
Bake at 375 for 30 min. Serve at room temperature cut into bars or warmed up with vanilla ice cream.
What a fabulous idea for rhubarb as I never know what to do it with it. Awesome idea with the scoop of ice cream on top!
ReplyDeleteI just had my first rhubarb pastry at Pike's Place recently and it was fabulous. Who knew? Delilah talks about it all the time. I might have to pass this one to her.
ReplyDeleteI never liked rhubarb until I had a rhubarb bar. Definitely the best way to have rhubarb. Wifey...I think we are out, time to make some more!
ReplyDeleteMmmm. Bringing back memories of walla walla last year!
ReplyDeleteRhubarb is one of the first things out of my garden every year and I just love to make strawberry rhubarb pie out of my first batch. As an interesting ingredient substitution side note, I was searching for a strawberry rhubarb pie recipe with a filling that doesn't call for corn starch and tried tapioca and it worked great.
ReplyDelete