Rhubarb Recipes

So, what do you do with all the rhubarb that is growing like a weed in your yard?  If you ask my kids, they would say, "dip it in sugar and take a bite!"  I however, would prefer to make some pie and jam!  These two recipes are my favorites (thus far) for using rhubarb.  They also include strawberries which are in season at the same time.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
(This came from my mom who got it from who-knows-where)


Pie Crust: (makes 1 double crust pie)      

1 ½  cup flour

2/3 cup shortening

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup ice water

 Mix dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening with fingers.  Stir in water with fork until all of mixture is moistened and dough holds together in a ball.  Roll out and place in dish. 

Filling:

Mix and place in pie crust:

1 cup sliced strawberries

3 cups rhubarb

Mix together and pour over strawberries and rhubarb:

1 ¼ cups sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup flour

3 oz. sugar free strawberry Jello

Put a few slices of butter on top

Cover with top pie crust (I put a couple of little chicken scratch slits in the top).

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.


Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam
(From the "Ball Blue Book: Guide to Home Canning, Freezing, and Dehydration") 

4 cups crushed strawberries
2 cups chopped rhubarb (about 4 stalks)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
5 1/2 cups sugar

Combine strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice and pectin in a large saucepot.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.  Return to a rolling boil.  Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Skim foam if necessary.  Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.  Adjust two-piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.  Yield: about 6 half-pints. 

*My sister, who knows alot about canning, says that if you are bottling something with enough acidity in it, you can skip the water bath and just turn the jars upside down.  I don't know how to test for the level of acidity but she did say that jam has enough.  So, instead of doing the boiling-water canner for this, instead, I turn the jars upside down for 10 minutes.  Then flip back to right side up.  As they cool they will seal on their own.