Rhubarb Crisp ~ For Chris

Pin It This is a post for my husband, Chris. He is my best friend, my rock, my shoulder to lean on, my world. There have been a few things in our almost three years of marriage that I don't think I could have made it through without him and I am thankful for him every day! You may be wondering why I am being so sentimental and sappy, but the truth is I don't think we say these things often enough.

Last Friday, my sister sent me this link from fellow food blogger, Jennifer, who blogs at In Jennie's Kitchen. The post was titled For Mikey, and before I even started reading, I had a bad feeling. Mikey, Jennie's husband, passed away last Sunday from a heart attack; they have two young daughters. Jennie posted that she had been meaning to make her Creamy Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey and included the recipe on her post. She asked everyone to make the pie and share it with someone they love. This hit very close to home as I was reading it because I have been telling Chris all summer that I would make him a rhubarb crisp. It's something he told me he liked a long time ago, and I had put it off for long enough! I got the ingredients this weekend and made it for him yesterday. Before I served it, I took a minute and told him how important he is to me and how much I love him.

Reading that post again this morning brought tears to my eyes. My heart goes out to Jennie and her daughters, Virginia and Isabella. Jennie, you are in my prayers! Thank you for reminding me to how precious like is!

Rhubarb Crisp

I have never made anything with rhubarb before but I knew it was very tart. I was a little nervous to "make it up as I go" for my first time using it and I wanted to get the sweetness to tartness ratio correct, so for the filling, I used the exact filling from Kitchen Simplicity's website. For the topping, I altered the recipe that I use in my blueberry apple crisp. I was surprised how much I liked it! Once cooked, and mixed with the sugar, it was not too tart at all and it was wonderful! (Why did I put this off for so long??)

Rhubarb Crisp
     serves 8

Filling 

from kitchen simplicity 

4 C rhubarb, cut into small pieces

1 C sugar

2 T corn starch

1 C water

1 tsp vanilla

Topping

1/2 C whole wheat flour

1/2 C rolled oats

1/4 C splenda brown sugar (or 1/2 C light brown sugar)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 C chopped walnuts

3 T canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small sauce pot, combine sugar and corn starch, add water and heat stove to medium-high heat. Once mixture is boiling, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Meanwhile, pour chopped rhubarb into a 9 inch pie dish (or an 8X8 baking dish).

Pour sugar mixture over rhubarb.

In a medium bowl, combine whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and walnuts together. Add the canola oil and combine (use fingers to breakup big clumps if desired). Mixture will be slightly crumbly. Pour mixture over rhubarb and cover. Bake for 35 minutes, take foil off and bake for 5 additional minutes. Broil for 2 minutes at the end to brown top even more (optional).

Let rest for a few minutes and serve. Go ahead and get the vanilla ice cream....you won't be sorry!

Chris said that this reminds him of the candy, sweet tarts. :) If you want, you can make these into individual desserts, like I did on these individual blackberry walnut crisps. Basically any berry or fruit will work (or combination of berries or fruits), so use your favorite!

Chris is my Mikey, and rhubarb crisp is his peanut butter pie.  I love you, Chris!

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