Rhubarb Oatmeal Crumb Bars

Rhubarb was abundant on my parent’s farm and on the farms where both of my grandparents that lived in Stafford County. Considered a staple in our family, we used it for sauces, pies, and bars.               Unfortunately we seem to lack the green thumb needed for rhubarb plants to thrive. Ours did well for a time, then turned spindly and finally went to seed. This year a plant has started up again . . . but it will be a season or two until it thrives.                                                                                                            Nevertheless, spring is here and as my taste buds yearn for seasonal foods, I was on the lookout for fresh rhubarb, even frozen would do. Stopped at several grocery stores only to discover no rhubarb in the frozen food section or fresh in the produce section. Luckily a couple of friends were nice enough to share a bit of their small plots and I had a chance to try out these bars that both Barry and I consider to be EXCEPTIONAL – definitely a taste of spring.

Now if only I could convince Barry to read up on rhubarb crops, and then to turn a three-acre plot into a field of rhubarb!  

 

Rhubarb Oatmeal Crumb Bars      Makes one 8 x 8-inch pan 

Crust & Topping:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Rhubarb Filling:

3 cups diced fresh rhubarb (about 1/2-inch pieces)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

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1. Pre-preparation: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil - allowing for overhang that insures easy removal. Lightly spray the foil with pan release .
2. Crust & Topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chopped pecans.
3. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture for the topping.
   
   
   
4. Press the remaining mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
   
   
   
5. Rhubarb Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the diced rhubarb, granulated sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb softens and releases its juices, about 8to 10 minutes.
   
   
   
6. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the rhubarb mixture and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
7. Assemble the Bars: Spread the cooled rhubarb filling evenly over the crust.
   
   
   
8. Sprinkle the reserved oatmeal mixture over the rhubarb layer, pressing it down lightly to help it adhere.
9. Baking & Cooling: Bake the bars in preheated 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes , or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
   
   
   
10. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
11. Slicing & Serving: Once cooled, use the foil overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into squares or rectangles for serving.
12. Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for longer storage. Can also be frozen,

Recipe without photos . . .Rhubarb Oatmeal Crumb Bars      Makes one 8 x 8-inch pan 

Crust & Topping:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Rhubarb Filling:

3 cups diced fresh rhubarb (about 1/2-inch pieces)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

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1. Pre-preparation: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil - allowing for overhang that insures easy removal. Lightly spray the foil with pan release .
2. Crust & Topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chopped pecans.
3. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture for the topping.
4. Press the remaining mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
5. Rhubarb Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the diced rhubarb, granulated sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb softens and releases its juices, about 8to 10 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the rhubarb mixture and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
7. Assemble the Bars: Spread the cooled rhubarb filling evenly over the crust.
8. Sprinkle the reserved oatmeal mixture over the rhubarb layer, pressing it down lightly to help it adhere.
9. Baking & Cooling: Bake the bars in preheated 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes , or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
10. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
11. Slicing & Serving: Once cooled, use the foil overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into squares or rectangles for serving.
12. Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for longer storage. Can also be frozen

Ruth Friesen’s Roasted Rhubarb Biscuit-style Sweet Rolls

After seeing this recipe posted on Facebook, my mouth was watering. Ruth Friesen graciously shared her recipe—her adaptation of a Roasted Rhubarb Scone recipe on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook website. She combined that recipe with another technique that adds hot syrup to a biscuit dough mixture, similar to the method used when making apple dumplings. For an added flavor boost, Ruth used a box of strawberry gelatin as part of the one cup of sugar called for when roasting the rhubarb; the gelatin also helps thicken the syrup that develops as the rhubarb cooks. (Mennonite Girls recipe calls for one cup of granulated sugar rather than the gelatin and sugar combo.) Ruth also grates (versus cubes) the cold butter called for in the recipe; this results in a butter-flecked dough that is visible in the second photo, step # 6 below.

Since there is no yeast involved, there is no rising involved in this recipe that is sure to please! 

Roasted Rhubarb Biscuit-style Sweet Rolls     Makes 9 or more rolls, depending on size and thickness

Roasted Rhubarb 

8 cups diced rhubarb (about 1/2 inch dice)

1 box strawberry-flavored gelatin added to a 1-cup measure + granulated sugar added to to the l-cup fill line

1. Wash and dice rhubarb and spread onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar-gelatin mixture. (The rhubarb will lose about 1/2 the volume during the roasting.  You should end up with about 4 cups.)
   
2. Roast in a 350° F oven for about 45 minutes to one hour.  Remove from oven to cool until needed; mixture may be made ahead and refrigerated.  
3. Note: Refrigerate leftover Roasted Rhubarb as you’ll use just about 2/3 of it to spread on cinnamon rolls.

Biscuit-style Sweet Rolls

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, grated using largest holes of a box grater

1 cup buttermilk (I started with 3/4 cup and added a little more as needed)

1 egg

Meta's extra addition: about 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Syrup

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Stir together dry ingredients in a bowl.  
   
3. Grate butter into dry ingredients and mix. (I used my hands to mix the ingredients.)
   
   
   
   
4. Stir together buttermilk and egg and gently stir into flour mixture. (I started with 3/4 cup milk mixed with the egg and added a little more milk as needed; I also added the liquid in about 3 batches, mixing with a fork after each addition.)
   
5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a few times.  
6. Pat out the dough to measure approximately 14" x 9". Enough so you can get 9 slices. Note: I rolled my dough to measure approximately 14” x 8” as I used two 8-inch baking pans, thinking I’d make two pans of 4 each but after stretching roll slightly to even it out, I ended up with a 10” log that I cut into 10 rolls. It could be easily stretched to 12” creating 12 rolls. By the way, we ate one batch and froze the other. 
   
   
   

   

   Above - Notice the fleck of butter in the dough!
7. Spread a thin, even layer of roasted and cooled rhubarb over dough, using about 2/3 of the fruit mixture. Top with chopped nuts if using.
   
8. Roll up up like jelly roll, rolling from short end. Use your hands to slightly stretch or even out the roll so it is uniform in space. (I used a bench knife to help roll the dough; the straight edge of a dough scraper would work, too.) 
   
   
   
   
9. Cut rolls into 1” thick slices (Ruth cut her 9” roll into 9 slice; I cut my 10” roll into 10 slices—5 rolls per each pan)
10. Meanwhile make syrup by combining 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar. Boil for 5 minutes.
    
11. Pour hot syrup in 9" x 13" pan. (I divided it between two 8” x 8” pans.)
12. Place rolls in hot syrup, three to a row in  9" x 13" pan. There will be a fair bit of space in between, but rolls will expand as they bake.
    
13. Bake in preheated 375° F for 30 to 35 minutes.
14. Pour Sweet Roll Glaze over warm (not hot) rolls.
    

Sweet Roll Glaze

  2 cups powdered sugar 

  Cream or whole milk  to make a smooth runny glaze

Combine ingredients and pour over cinnamon rolls while they are still warm.

ABOUT RUTH . . . Barry and I met Ruth and Peter in New Braunfels,TX several winters ago. We were there as “winter Texans” and lived in the same vacation condo complex. Ruth did a lot of  cooking and baking in Texas and I enjoy keeping track of her kitchen adventures in Canada via Facebook. Her timeline is always full of yummy looking recipes and we both belong to a  Facebook group—Red Star Yeast Bakers. 

Above: Peter and Ruth Friesen.
Below: Ruth's 9" x1 3" pan of r Roasted Rhubarb Biscuit-style Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe without photos . . .

Roasted Rhubarb Biscuit-style Sweet Rolls     Makes 9 or more rolls, depending on size and thickness

Roasted Rhubarb 

8 cups diced rhubarb (about 1/2 inch dice)

1 box strawberry-flavored gelatin added to a 1-cup measure + granulated sugar added to to the l-cup fill line

1. Wash and dice rhubarb and spread onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar-gelatin mixture. (The rhubarb will lose about 1/2 the volume during the roasting.  You should end up with about 4 cups.)
2. Roast in a 350° F oven for about 45 minutes to one hour.  Remove from oven to cool until needed; mixture may be made ahead and refrigerated.  
3. Note: Refrigerate leftover Roasted Rhubarb as you’ll use just about 2/3 of it to spread on cinnamon rolls  

Biscuit-style Sweet Rolls

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, grated using largest holes of a box grater

1 cup buttermilk (I started with 3/4 cup and added a little more as needed)

1 egg

Meta's extra addition: about 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Syrup

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Stir together dry ingredients in a bowl.  
3. Grate butter into dry ingredients and mix. (I used my hands to mix the ingredients.)
4. Stir together buttermilk and egg and gently stir into flour mixture. (I started with 3/4 cup milk mixed with the egg and added a little more milk as needed; I also added the liquid in about 3 batches, mixing with a fork after each addition.)
5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead a few times.  
6. Pat out the dough to measure approximately 14" x 9". Enough so you can get 9 slices. Note: I rolled my dough to measure approximately 14” x 8” as I used two 8-inch baking pans, thinking I’d make two pans of 4 each but after stretching roll slightly to even it out, I ended up with a 10” log that I cut into 10 rolls. It could be easily stretched to 12” creating 12 rolls. By the way, we ate one batch and froze the other. 
7. Spread a thin, even layer of roasted and cooled rhubarb over dough, using about 2/3 of the fruit mixture. Top with chopped nuts if using.
8. Roll up up like jelly roll, rolling from short end. Use your hands to slightly stretch or even out the roll so it is uniform in space. (I used a bench knife to help roll the dough; the straight edge of a dough scraper would work, too.)
9. Cut rolls into 1” thick slices (Ruth cut her 9” roll into 9 slice; I cut my 10” roll into 10 slices—5 rolls per each pan)
10. Meanwhile make syrup by combining 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar. Boil for 5 minutes.
11. Pour hot syrup in 9" x 13" pan. (I divided it between two 8” x 8” pans)
12. Place rolls in hot syrup, three to a row in  9" x 13" pan. There will be a fair bit of space in between, but rolls will expand as they bake.
13. Bake in preheated 375° F for 30 to 35 minutes.
14. Pour Sweet Roll Glaze over warm (not hot) rolls.

Sweet Roll Glaze

  2 cups powdered sugar 

  Cream or whole milk  to make a smooth runny glaze

Combine ingredients and pour over cinnamon rolls while they are still warm.

Saucy Rhubarb Crunch

Barry harvested the rhubarb and I made another yummy rhubarb dessert! We served it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  

Saucy Rhubarb Crunch   Yield: 7"x11" or 8.5"x11" baking dish.

4 cups rhubarb (chopped into ½ to 1” chunks)

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup oats

3/4 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Chopped pecans (1/2 to 3/4 cup) to place on top of crumble

Sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1. Chop rhubarb and set aside. 
2. Mix together the flour, oats, cinnamon, brown sugar and melted butter.
   
3. Press one-half of crumb mixture into a sprayed 7"x11" or 8.5"x11" baking dish.
   
4. Sauce: Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a microwave safe bowl; add water and mix thoroughly.

   

   Mix sugar and cornstarch thoroughly before adding water  to avoid lumps in the sauce.

   
5. Microwave until thick, clear, and bubbly, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from microwave; then whisk in vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon. 
   
6. Assembly: Place chopped rhubarb on top of crumb crust. 
   
7. Top with remaining crumb mixture, and chopped pecans if desired. 
   
8. Bake in a preheated 350° oven until edges are bubbling and crumb topping is browned, about 30 to 40 minutes.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Saucy Rhubarb Crunch   Yield: 7"x11" or 8.5"x11" baking dish.

4 cups rhubarb (chopped into ½ to 1” chunks)

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup oats

3/4 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Chopped pecans (1/2 to 3/4 cup) to place on top of crumble

Sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1. Chop rhubarb and set aside. 
2. Mix together the flour, oats, cinnamon, brown sugar and melted butter.
3. Press one-half of crumb mixture into a sprayed 7"x11" or 8.5"x11" baking dish.
4. Sauce: Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a microwave safe bowl; add water and mix thoroughly.
5. Microwave until thick, clear, and bubbly, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from microwave; then whisk in vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon. 
6. Assembly: Place chopped rhubarb on top of crumb crust. 
7. Top with remaining crumb mixture, and chopped pecans if desired.
8. Bake in a preheated 350° oven until edges are bubbling and crumb topping is browned, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Spring Rhubarb Tapioca - delicious!

Inspired by Jeanette Myers’ Spring Fruit Tapioca, I made a Spring Rhubarb Tapioca due in part to the fact that I had no fresh pineapple.  I basically followed Jeanette’s recipe with just a few adjustments.  Delicious! 

I am also including her original recipe below my version – it appeared in the December 27, 2011 cooking column I wrote for the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle.

Spring Rhubarb Tapioca      Makes 6 servings

¼ cup Minute tapioca

1½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2½ cups diced rhubarb (½” pieces)

2½ cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Combine tapioca, sugar, salt, rhubarb and water in saucepan.
   
2. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until the rhubarb in tender, about 3 minutes.
   
3.  Remove from heat and cool, stirring occasionally. I used a wooden spoon to break up most of the larger pieces.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
   

Jeanette Myers' Spring Fruit Tapioca

Jeanette used to keep a bowl of this in the refrigerator all spring long for her sons to snack on.

¼ cup Minute tapioca

1½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2½ cups diced rhubarb (½” pieces)

2½ cups water

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

Combine tapioca, sugar, salt, rhubarb and water in saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool, stirring occasionally. Add pineapple and chill.

Meta's recipe without photos . . .

Spring Rhubarb Tapioca      Makes 6 servings

¼ cup Minute tapioca

1½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2½ cups diced rhubarb (½” pieces)

2½ cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Combine tapioca, sugar, salt, rhubarb and water in saucepan.
2. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until the rhubarb in tender, about 3 minutes.
3.  Remove from heat and cool, stirring occasionally. I used a wooden spoon to break up most of the larger pieces.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Rhubarb Cake

This moist, tender & tasty pastry can be
 usedas a dessert or as a coffee cake.

I grew up eating rhubarb sauce—my mom and Grandma Newell both made it once the tart stalks of rhubarb were ready to harvest. Mom also made delicious rhubarb desserts.  So when Joanna Berry told me about this recipe it seemed logical to give it a try. 

Rhubarb Cake  Makes an 8x12" cake

1½ cups packed brown sugar

½ cup shortening (butter flavored Crisco®)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ to 2 cups diced rhubarb – fresh or frozen

Topping: ¼ cup granulated sugar & ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon + I added ½ cup chopped pecans

1. Cream together the brown sugar and shortening.
2. Add vanilla, eggs and buttermilk and mix to combine.
   
3. Add baking soda, salt and flour and mix thoroughly.
   
4. Fold in rhubarb.
5. Pour mixture into a greased or sprayed 9”x13” baking pan or dish.
   
6. Mix together: granulated sugar and cinnamon + pecans, if desired; sprinkle over the top of the cake.
   
7. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
   
8. After cake is partially cooled, drizzle with powdered sugar frosting.

Powdered Sugar Frosting for drizzling

1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 ½ teaspoons milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon soft butter

1. Add ingredients to a food processor and blend.
2. Add more milk or powdered sugar depending on desired consistency.

Other Rhubarb Recipes at this site:

Rhubarb Crumble Pie 
Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie

Recipe without photos . . .

Rhubarb Cake    Makes an 8x12" cake

1½ cups packed brown sugar

½ cup shortening (butter flavored Crisco®)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk 

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ to 2 cups diced rhubarb – fresh or frozen

Topping: ¼ cup granulated sugar & ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon + I added ½ cup chopped pecans

1. Cream together the brown sugar and shortening.
2. Add vanilla, eggs and buttermilk and mix to combine.
3. Add baking soda, salt and flour and mix thoroughly.
4. Fold in rhubarb.
5. Pour mixture into a greased or sprayed 9”x13” baking pan or dish.
6. Mix together: granulated sugar and cinnamon + pecans, if desired; sprinkle over the top of the cake.
7. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. After cake is partially cooled, drizzle with powdered sugar frosting.

Powdered Sugar Frosting for drizzling

1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 ½ teaspoons milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon soft butter

1. Add ingredients to a food processor and blend.
2. Add more milk or powdered sugar depending on desired consistency.