Easy Baked Rhubarb Dessert

This is a very tasty and attractive dessert. It’s great served warm with ice cream.

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 1 hour YIELD: 16-20 servings.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb
• 1 package (3 ounces) raspberry gelatin
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 package yellow or white cake mix (regular size)
• 1 cup water (or milk)
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• Ice cream, optional

Directions

1. Place rhubarb in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with the dry gelatin powder, sugar and cake mix. Pour water evenly over dry ingredients; drizzle with butter.

2. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until rhubarb is tender. Serve with ice cream if desired.

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Here are some of the Rhubarb Dessert some of our 4-H members have made!

Pink Rhubarb Punch

Rhubarb is the featured ingredient in this blush-colored punch. A friend passed the recipe on to me, and we enjoy it so much that I thought others might, too. —Rebecca Mininger, Jeromesville, Ohio

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. + chilling YIELD: about 5 quarts.

Ingredients

• 8 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
• 8 cups water
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 6 cups ginger ale, chilled
• Optional: Fresh pineapple wedges, sliced strawberries and sliced lemons

Directions

• 1. In a Dutch oven, bring rhubarb and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid (save rhubarb for another use).
• 2. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and gelatin powder in boiling water. Stir in pineapple and lemon juices. Stir in rhubarb liquid; refrigerate until chilled.

3. Just before serving, pour into a punch bowl and stir in ginger ale. If desired, garnish with fruit.

This week’s recipe for Simple Scones is from Allrecipes.com. Please try the recipe, take a picture and submit it to your 4-H Educator. Notice that the butter is frozen and then a grater is used to grate the butter into the flour mixture. This technique is used for items such as biscuits and pie dough. Can you explain why?

Simple Scones

Yield: 8 scones

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen

½ cup raisins

½ cup sour cream

1 large egg

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.

3. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.

4. Using a fork stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)

5. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7-to 8-inch circle about ¾ inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookid sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry-Orange Scones

Follow the recipe for Simple Scones, adding a generous teaspoon of finely grated orange rind (zest) to the dry ingredients and substituting dried cranberries for the raisins.

Lemon-Blueberry Scones

Follow the recipe for Simple Scones, adding a generous teaspoon of finely grated lemon rind (zest) to the dry ingredients and substituting dried blueberries for the raisins.

Cherry-Almond Scones

Follow the recipe for Simple Scones, adding 1/2 tsp. almond extract to the sour cream mixture and substituting dried cherries for the raisins.

Here are some scones that some of our 4-H members have made!

This week’s recipe is a mix which can be used to create a number of different muffins. Please try a couple of variations and tell us the results!

All-Star Muffin Mix (Taste of Home Website)

I like to keep this basic muffin recipe mix in a handy place, like the pantry or cupboard, so I can mix up muffins quickly for dinner or if a friend is stopping by for coffee. —Nancy Mackey, Madison, Ohio

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 20 min. YIELD: 1 dozen per batch.

Ingredients

· 8 cups all-purpose flour

· 3 cups sugar

· 3 tablespoons baking powder

· 2 teaspoons salt

· 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

· 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

· ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

· 1 large egg, room temperature

· 1 cup 2% milk

· 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

· 1. In a large bowl, whisk first 6 ingredients until well blended. Store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place or in the freezer up to 6 months. Yield: 4 batches (11 cups mix).

· 2. To prepare plain muffins: Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk together egg, milk and melted butter. Add 2-3/4 cups muffin mix, stirring just until moistened. Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-21 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

• For Blueberry Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, folding 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries into prepared batter.
• For Rhubarb-Orange Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, adding 1/3 cup orange marmalade to egg mixture and folding 3/4 cup diced fresh or frozen rhubarb into prepared batter. For Banana Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, adding 1 cup mashed ripe bananas to egg mixture.
• For Cranberry-Pecan Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries, 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 3 tablespoons sugar with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture.
• For Apricot-Cherry Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 1/2 cup each chopped dried apricots and dried cherries with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture.
• For Cappuccino Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture.
• For Carrot-Raisin Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 3/4 cup shredded carrots and 1/3 cup golden raisins with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture.
• For Apple-Cheese Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 1/2 cup each shredded peeled apple and shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture.

Nutella-Stuffed Strawberries

Total Time: Prep ~ 15min. + ChillingYields: 1 Dozen

Ingredients

• · 12 large fresh strawberries
• · 1/4 cup Nutella
• · 1 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
• · 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
• · Confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1.  Remove stems from strawberries. Using a paring knife, cut out centers; pipe Nutella into strawberries.
2.  Insert a toothpick into the side of each strawberry. Holding toothpick, quickly dip stem end of strawberry into melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle with hazelnuts; place strawberries on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, point side up. Remove toothpicks; refrigerate strawberries until set. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Rustic Strawberry Galette

Prep Time: 30 mins.

Total Time: 1 Hour 10 mins.

Yields: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. Granulated sugar
• 1/4 c. Granulated sugar
• 1/2 package cream cheese
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter
• 2 lb. strawberries
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 Egg
• 2 tbsp. Turbinado sugar (substitute Light Brown Sugar but do some research on Turbinado sugar)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to combine. Add cream cheese and butter and pulse until large crumbs form. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons water and pulse just until dough begins to come together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead until dough comes together evenly. Pat into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
2. Unwrap dough disk and roll between 2 sheets of parchment to create a 12-inch-diameter circle that is 1/8 inch thick. Transfer dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss strawberries with cornstarch, vanilla-bean seeds, lemon zest, and remaining granulated sugar. Arrange strawberries atop dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold border up and over strawberries to create a 1-inch-wide rim. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake galette until crust is golden, 40 to 45 minutes.

Tuscan-Style Roasted Asparagus

This is especially wonderful when locally grown asparagus is in season and so easy for celebrations because you can serve it hot or cold. Feel free to substitute the asparagus for another vegetable (broccoli, green beans)

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 15 min. YIELD: 8 servings.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place the asparagus, tomatoes and pine nuts on a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Mix 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, salt and pepper; add to asparagus and toss to coat.
2. Bake 15-20 minutes or just until asparagus is tender. Drizzle with remaining oil and the lemon juice; sprinkle with cheese and lemon zest. Toss to combine.

This recipe from the Pierce County 4-H Cookbook is a great way to use some of the zucchini that we have in our gardens now.

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ¼ cup cocoa
• ½ cup sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter, oil and sugar until fluffy.  Mix in eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Mix together in a separate bowl the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  To the butter/sugar mixture, alternately ad flour mixture with buttermilk.  Stir in zucchini.  Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan.  Sprinkle top with walnuts, chocolate chips and sugar.  Bake for 55 minutes or until tests done.  If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 tsp. vinegar to ½ cup milk and use in place of the buttermilk.

Grilled Marinated Chicken Brochettes

Recipe shared by Owen Bauman

Ingredients

• Heated 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), cut into ¾ to 1-inch cubes
• Skewers

Directions

• In a large mixing bowl, add the cilantro, cumin, paprika, and cayenne.  Generously season with salt and pepper.  Moisten with the olive oil and blend well.  Add the chicken and turn to coat.  Cover, refrigerate and marinate for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
•  Prepare skewers with six to eight cubes of chicken on each.  The pieces should be just touching, but not squashed tightly together.
•  If using a grill pan, skillet, or griddle, lightly oil and heat over medium high heat.  If using a barbecue, prepare a fire and heat until the coals are glowing.  If using a broiler, preheat the broiler.
•  Cook the brochettes, nudging them from time to time with the help of a spatula in order to cook evenly on all sides, until the meat is cooked through and firm to touch, 4-5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Blueberry Cobbler

Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond, Food Network

Ingredients:  Blueberries     

• 8 cups fresh blueberries
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces

Dough:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ heaping tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ sticks cold salted butter, cut into pieces
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 large egg
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the blueberries:  Place the blueberries in a large bowl and sprinkle in the sugar and lemon juice.  Add the flour and stir to combine.
• For the dough:  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Stir it around, then add the cold butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
• Whisk together the milk and egg in a small bowl, then drizzle it into the flour-butter mixture and stir until the dough just comes together.  It should be lumpy and clumpy.
• Pour the blueberries into a 9-by 13-inch baking dish and dot them with the butter, then tear off pinches of the dough and dot them all over the top.  Sprinkle the top with extra sugar.
• Cover lightly with foul and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until lightly browned, about 25 more minutes.  Serve warm or a room temperature with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tomatoes are in season at our local markets. Try this Caprese Salad from Taste of Home. You could even make your own fresh mozzarella.

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 15 min.YIELD: 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• Arrange the tomatoes, cheese and basil on a serving platter. Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients; drizzle over salad. If desired, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper.

Wondering what to do with all that zucchini in your garden? Owen Bauman shared this delicious zucchini recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 to 4 medium size zucchini, thoroughly washed and shredded, unpeeled (about 5 cups)
• 3 to 4 medium size carrots, peeled and shredded (about 2 cups)
• ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• ½ cup vegan mayo
• ½ cup grapeseed or avocado oil

YOGURT SAUCE:

• ½ cup plain unsweetened coconut or cashew yogurt
• 1 ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and cut into small dice
• Parchment Paper

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and working with 1 cup at a time, wring the excess water from the shredded zucchini.
• Transfer to a large bowl, add the shredded carrot, parsley, garlic powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper and mix well. Add the chickpea flour and vegan mayo and mix until well combined.
• Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scoop ¼ cup of the mixture into the hot oil, carefully flattening it with the back of a spatula. Repeat with as many scoops as will fit, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter.
• Transfer the fritters to the lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes
• To prepare the yogurt sauce, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. Add the diced cucumber and min well. Refrigerate until you are ready to use.
• Serve the fritters topped with the sauce or with the sauce on the side.

We’ve got donuts on the brain. But sometimes you just don’t want to leave the house, even if it is for a perfect, sugary treat. Thank goodness for this recipe from Cook’s Country. You just pop the dough in a muffin tin — no special equipment needed for these fantastic crowd-pleasers. Recipe from the KTEC website: https://www.kcet.org/food/weekend-recipe-muffin-tin-donuts

Muffin Tin Donuts Makes 12 donuts

Donut Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups (13 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk

Coating:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in bowl.
4. Whisk buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs and yolk together in separate bowl.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just combined.
6. Scoop batter into prepared tin.
7. Bake until doughnuts are lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 19 to 22 minutes.
8. Let doughnuts cool in tin for 5 minutes.
9. Whisk sugar and cinnamon together in bowl.
10. Remove doughnuts from tin. Working with 1 doughnut at a time, brush all over with melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar, pressing lightly to adhere.
11. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.

This recipe by Judy Roemer appeared in the August-September 2020 issue of Our Wisconsin magazine. The editors of Our Wisconsin would like to receive pictures of you and the dish that you make. We hope everyone will try this final challenge and submit your picture with a review of the recipe. We will forward pictures and comments to Our Wisconsin.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1-pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs (or combination), cut into pieces
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 ring andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked bomba rice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 1-pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ cup frozen peas

Directions:

1. Add oil to paella pan, heat over a gas grill. (If you don’t have a paella pan, substitute a large skillet that is safe to use on the grill.)
2. Brown chicken and onion hot oil.
3. Add sausage and red pepper; cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add rice; cook and stir until rice begins to turn golden. A
5. dd broth and saffron; cook for 10-15 minutes, without stirring, until rice is tender.
6. Add shrimp and peas, cook for 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Cook’s Notes: Bomba rice is a short-grain white rice, also known as Valencia rice. Arborio rice can be substituted. Don’t be afraid of the rice getting crispy and brown in the bottom of the pan—this is a sign of a good paella.