Rhubarb Crisp

If you are new to the wonderful and extremely tart vegetable called rhubarb, this is the perfect recipe to introduce this flavor to your palette. Rhubarb is a vegetable that is somewhat similar in look (and look alone) to celery. It is a tall, skinny stalk that is usually green and/or red. It is super tart and unless you sweeten it with sugar, it will make your lips pucker and eyeballs water. I personally love it raw and can eat it straight out of the garden, but other than my family, I've never met anyone else that likes it that way!

Now, on to the delicious recipe! Which, FYI, I usually double the crisp part (only 1.5 the butter) because I like that crisp to rhubarb ratio better.

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups oats

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup melted butter

5 cups diced rhubarb

1.5 cups sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

Mix the first 4 ingredients together. Mix in melted butter. (I usually just dig in with my hands to make sure it all gets incorporated.) Layer half of this mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan, then cover with rhubarb.

In a small sauce pan, bring sugar, cornstarch and water to a boil. Boil until liquid thickens and turns clear. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour this mixture over the rhubarb, then sprinkle the remaining crisp over the top. 

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes.

Serve warm (or straight out of the oven) with vanilla ice cream!