October 2010

Fall is definately here; colors are spectacular. This has to be my favorite time of year!

Food Fact From UK 50+ Health Club

Arthritis sufferers should avoid rhubarb. The oxalic acid inhibits the body's ability to absorb calcium and iron from other foods.

Rhubarb can aggravate arthritis and may even cause an attack if eaten to excess. It can also cause kidney stones in some patients. Be careful not to indulge too much!


Last newsletter, I talked about some prizewinners for their rhubarb recipes. I would love to supply those recipes, but they aren't always available until a later date. If you like coffee-cake or cupcakes or both, these were winners in previous contests.

Deborah Wohlleben of Pewaukee won first place for Coffee Cake with Filling

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

1 2/3 cup sugar (divided)

1/3 cup cornstarch

2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 package (10 ounces) frozen strawberries sliced

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 capful vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 or 10" springform pan.

In saucepan, combine 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in rhubarb and strawberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.

In another bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir quickly into flour mixture until just combined. Don't over-mix.

Spoon about 2/3 of cake batter into prepared pan. Top with fruit mixture. Cover with remaining batter.

Prepare topping (below) and sprinkle over top of batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean and cake top is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Topping - Makes 1 cup

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

¼ cup cold butter

Combine all ingredients until crumbly.

This recipe was a runner-up for the "Dutchbakers Daughter"

Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcakes

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tblsp. all-purpose flour
1 tblsp. butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch salt
1/3 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter or soft margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tblsp. butter or margarine, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tsp. milk

Over medium heat, cook strawberries, rhubarb, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tblsp. flour and 1 tblsp.butter, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled.
Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. In the small bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons strawberry mixture for the frosting.

In another small bowl, stir together remaining strawberry mixture, 1/3 cup milk and the vanilla.

In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Add egg and beat until blended. Add half the flour mixture then half of the strawberry mixture beating well.

Repeat with remaining flour and strawberry mixtures. (Batter will be thick.) Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon softened butter and the reserved 2 tblsp. strawberry mixture with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and enough milk until frosting is of desired consistency. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

Heard the term "rest" rhubarb?

Occasionally this term is used, but some people aren't sure what it means. In the UK, it simply means to not force it every year. It will also have the "rest" period in the very low temperatures, unlike warmer climates where rhubarb will continue to grow over the winter.

Wine of the Week

Written up recently in the LA times, "Domaine Faury SYRAH" is a red wine with hints of rhubarb, spice, sour plum, and smoke.

Twenty dollars per bottle, and is to be enjoyed with ham, or a pork roast meal. Check for it at your local wine shop.

Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadian friends and for us, this busy weekend is about pumpkin pie and turkey.

If you make your own pumpkin pies from scratch, here's a salad to try with your rhubarb and pumpkin seeds.

Kilee's Kitchen, Just Scroll Down


Until next time,

Elizabeth