"RHUBY TUESDAY'S" Dream Bars

Rhubarb Dream Bars

During this season of plentiful Rhubarb, I would like to share some of my favourite Rhubarb recipes on "RHUBY TUESDAYS"!  Join me by posting your favourite Rhubarb recipes on Tuesdays during the months of May and June, if you will.....FOR THE LOVE OF RHUBARB!

Rhubarb Dream Bars

1 Cup Flour

5 Tbsp. Sugar

¼ Cup butter

Topping:

2 Eggs

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

¼ Cup Flour

3/4 tsp. salt

2 Cups Rhubarb – cut fine

Combine flour and sugar.  Cut in butter.  Press into a 9 X 9 cake pan.  Bake at 350F for 10 minutes.

Combine Eggs, sugar, flour, and salt.  Fold in rhubarb.  Spread over hot crust and bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes until lightly browned.

Those of you who know me well, know my passion for Rhubarb and how we've developed this into one of our church's annual community festivals - it's so much fun and the festival is coming up soon. Here is the poster for this year's event (designed by my talented "marketing director daughter" Becky).

Forget-Her-Not!

Forget-Me-Nots grow like weeds

(maybe they are weeds)

in all my flower beds this time of year.

I think they are so pretty but once they've bloomed

I "weed" them out of the beds and

tend to throw the dead plants over the fence

into the orchard
They've seeded themselves and

Now my whole orchard looks like a sea of 

blue - so lovely!

I always think of my Mom when these little flowers

bloom because it's always around Mother's Day.

I will pick a nice bouquet and lay it on

her headstone tomorrow on my way to church.

She gave me a love for flowers

and for the ocean

She loved nothing more than to visit her brother and sister-in-law

in Sarasota, Florida

Beside a sea of blue!

It's almost ten years that she's been gone

but I'll "forget-her-not" EVER!

Precious Child

PRECIOUS CHILD

It’s every mother’s dream to have a little girl like you

God smiled on me and granted my wish

I couldn’t believe how beautiful and perfect you were

Your bright shiny eyes, your perfect fingers and toes

The overwhelming love that I felt was impossible to describe

I loved every minute watching you grow and develop

Into a very smart and social little butterfly

Though you have no siblings, you have made many wonderful friends

And have loving cousins galore

Now you have chosen a life partner

What a wonderful wedding that will be!

You are more precious than gold to me

I feel so blessed to be a mother

And especially to be your mother!
You are my only one - my limited edition!

Like the Robert Munsch book says…

“As long as I’m living, your mother I’ll be”

Love you forever!

Till next time.........HAVE A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MY FRIENDS!

4 for 4 and Favourite Rhubarb Pie

Mrs. Robin's 4th egg 

She did it!  She has been a busy bird.  The eggs are so beautiful!  I did a bit of research and read that the eggs will hatch in 12-13 days. Due date = May 19th??  I hope we are able to avoid disturbing her too much between now and then, however, she picked the busiest entrance of the house......will do our best!

Oriole in the Apple blossoms

We have so many beautiful birds around here right now.  An oriole that sings like a robin who's had voice lessons, hummingbirds constantly at the feeder  like whirling dervishes, the nesting cardinal couple, and way too many bluejays!










Today was a busy Monday.  The fields got cultivated and fertilized - this means that things are pretty "rammy" around here with no time to eat, talk, or stop for even a minute.  Alas, it started to rain this evening screeching everything to a halt - oh well, there are hockey games to watch after all!  For me it was one of those days where I wished I had gone to work - would have been a lot less stressful - smile. In spite of the busy day I got some planting done in the garden, took a quick trip to the nearby village for some fresh bread and sliced meat to make quick sandwiches, delivered them to the "back forty", dabbled a bit in my rhubarb craft (to be revealed later this month) and last but not least - made two fresh rhubarb pies - first of the season!!  Recipe below:

Favourite Rhubarb Pie

This makes 1 pie - I usually double the recipe to make two pies (why make one??)

1 Egg – slightly beaten                         

1 tsp. vanilla                                          

1 Cup White Sugar

2 Tbsp. Flour

2-3 Cups Rhubarb – chopped

Add vanilla, white sugar and flour to egg.  Stir in the rhubarb and pour into an unbaked pie shell.

Crumb topping:

¾ Cup Flour

½ Cup Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Butter – soft

Put topping onto the rhubarb/egg mixture

Bake for 10 minutes at 400F.  Reduce to 350F and bake for another 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Till next time ............ treading softly around the main entrance!

Day three makes three

Between 10 a.m. to 12 noon seems to be her "laying" time.  Will there be one more tomorrow?

Dos on Cinco de Mayo!

And then there were two ............ to be continued.

She did it!

I left the house at 10 a.m.  Returned at noon AND
guess what I found in the nest!!!!!

I was so surprised........

The rest of my day was great!  I took a picture of a cardinal's nest (top left).  

We've been watching this pair for some time

and realized that they were busy nesting too!

Unlike the Robin, they have built their nest high 

and well hidden.

How I wish I could see into that nest too - have you ever

seen a cardinal egg?  I haven't.

It will be fun to observe

My parrot tulips are blooming - I love those.

And

I made my "trip to the coast" for a 

much needed hair cut.

I always go a bit early so I can hang out at the beach for a few minutes.

The lake was calm and lovely today.

Lake Huron is my favourite of the Great Lakes!

Thanks Jo for another great visit and cut.

Tomorrow we will be attending the wedding

of my cousin's and my husband's cousin's daughter, Alison.

Confused?  Alison's mom is my first cousin and her dad 

is H's first cousin.  Cool eh?

She's a beautiful young lady and I was her mentor 

during some of her teen years.  There are many 

family and church connections and we look

forward to celebrating this day!

Now I'm ending the day with a nice cup of camomile tea - life is good!

Till next time ................ I'll keep watching the nest and I want to wish everyone a HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO tomorrow!!

Rhubarb and Robins!

The nest has been padded - however, haven't noticed much action lately and I'm afraid we may have disturbed Mrs. Robin too much?  Maybe she changed her mind and doesn't like all the traffic and the bright porch lights!  That would probably be a blessing.

The Rhubarb is at 8 weeks and I'm so excited.  I think I can pick some now.  I will be making a pie this weekend for sure!  Do you wonder why the row is so crooked?  Well that's another story.....

Watch for a special Rhubarb craft that I'll be making in the next few weeks for our church's annual Rhubarb and Rhummage Sale!

Persistence Pays Off

We tried to discourage it

That messy nest on the front porch again

We noticed signs of building

put some obstacles in her chosen spots

but

her persistence paid off

and today while we were away at work

she was busy 

and look what appeared!!!!

Right in the middle of the pansies

12 inches away from the front door!

A perfect, amazing nest.

I guess if I was a robin 

I would choose that spot as well

I don't have the heart to 

tear it down.

Till next time.........we'll be using the side door?

BBQ Rib Roast

BBQ'd ribs is one of our favourite meals

Today I made it for our busy Saturday

early supper

We weeded and mulched the flower gardens all morning

and afternoon whilst the ribs roasted

in the oven!

The recipe for this is adapted from one 

I have had for many years from my sis Evelyn!

My husband once told me to throw

away all my other rib recipes and just 

always make this one - so I guess it's the one 

I'll always make?  It is an easy - fall off the bone - recipe!

BBQ SAUCE:

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. celery salt (or celery seed)

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/4 Cup vinegar

1 Cup ketchup (great way to use up the "almost" empty bottle)

2 Cups hot water

2-3 cloves garlic - crushed

1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix the above ingredients and pour over the ribs.  Bake covered at 350F for 3 hours (basting occasionally).  Uncover and broil a bit in the last 5 minutes, if needed, to get a nice glazed coating.  Enjoy with your favourite side dishes and treat your best little pal with at least one bone :).

After dinner we treated the birthday boy to 

one of the most moving films I've seen in a long while

at the Princess Theatre

"Monsier Lazhar"

It's a must see, awarding winning

Canadian Film!

 I still have a lump in my throat!

Till next time..........heating up the sauna to sooth these old aching muscles - too much gardening for one day!

Maple Chiffon Birthday Cake

Another milestone in the family - my husband's 62nd birthday is today!  I decided to make one of my favourite cakes for the occasion.  This recipe comes from my sister-in-law Charlene who is a fabulous cook.  Some of my best recipes come from her kitchen!  This cake is easy to make and always seems to  turn out - in spite of me.  The biggest problem for me is figuring out how to "hang" the cake after it comes out of the oven!

Maple Chiffon Cake

2 Cups Cake and Pastry Flour
1½ Cups White Sugar
3 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. salt

½ Cup Oil

6 Egg yolks

¾ Cup cold water

2 tsp. Maple Flavouring

6 Egg whites and ½ tsp. Cream of Tartar – beaten till stiff peaks form.  I did this with my KitchenAid - love that machine!

Beat ingredients and then fold in the beaten egg whites.

Pour into an ungreased  tube cake pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and hang upside down for 1 hour until completely cooled.  This is easier said than done!  I always forget to get something ready to invert it on so this time I was ready - a wine bottle!  Well guess what, the hole in the top of the tube cake pan was too small so I held it upside down and called for help!  Finally we figured out that it could be inverted onto a wine glass.  Not ideal since we had to walk lightly around the kitchen stove for the next hour as to not topple the cake.

Does anyone out there have a great tip or an invention on how to successfully hang a Chiffon Cake????
Do I need to go out and buy a new tube cake pan that has those little legs on it???  There must be a way.

Hmm - looks like a modern Ikea lamp!

When cake has completely cooled, run a knife around edge of cake and remove from pan.

Maple Icing:

¼ Cup Butter – softened

1 lb. Icing Sugar

1 Egg - beaten

¼ Cup milk or cream

1 tsp. Maple Flavouring

Garnish with toasted pecan pieces - optional



Till next time ........... happy birthday to all the April 27thers - you know who you are!!