Taste of berry season
Nothing spells summer like S-T-R-A-W-B-E-R-R-I-E-S. I was fortunate to get out the first day of this year’s strawberry season. The warm berries juicing every time I bit down kept my taste buds screaming for more the entire drive home (and then when I arrived home until I finally got them out of reach in the fridge). Yum, yum, yum!
For a list of Central Wisconsin berry farms, check out the City Page’s Summer Fun Book or Wausau Mama. If you want to grow your own, here’s some tips, (but then you miss out on the lingering aroma in your car after returning from the berry fields!)
Before and after: From being repulsed by strawberries to asking for thirds!
(Dis)taste of the season
When I returned from Kamenick’s Berries last year with two flats of delicious strawberries, I was shocked when my daughter ran up, took one bite and spit it out. The year before she had loved strawberries. She informed me she no longer liked strawberries since she ate too many the year before!
Kamenick Farms has peas, raspberry, and blueberry picking too!
Over the past year she remained consistent on her story. This week, when I announced that I was going to Krautkramer Berry Farm to pick strawberries, she just said, “Yuck!” I pointed out since she didn’t have any since last year, maybe she’d like strawberries this year. When I set the strawberries on the counter, her pinched nose was all the answer I needed to dash my hopes.
Before and after: strawberry rhubarb crisp bars and the 1/16 that remained.
Turning the corner
But then the unexpected happened. When I pulled these strawberry rhubarb bars out of the oven, my daughter initially had a look of disgust on her face; however, she still wanted a taste of the scrumptious-looking dessert. And the verdict after putting her plate in the dishwasher: “That was pretty good,” she said with a giant smirk after three helpings!
More reviews
She wasn’t the only one with a positive rating of these strawberry rhubarb bars. My youngest didn’t even have his last bite swallowed before announcing “More!” My middle child and slowest eater announced, “No more eating, save some for me!” (A legitimate concern in our household.) My husband who had left the table prior to dessert (since he has completely given up desserts), inquired shortly thereafter, “Did you guys seriously eat all that crisp…except for 1/16?!?” Looks like glowing reviews to me!
No shortage of helpers (and taste testers) for baking dessert!
Perfect pair
Rhubarb is often paired with strawberries to sweeten the tart fruit. The pairing is especially perfect as both are in-season at the same time. I couldn’t fit any more diced rhubarb in the fridge (due to all the strawberries in the fridge), so I figured a strawberry rhubarb dessert would be the solution!
Since I’ve been trying to reduce consumption of unhealthy treats (and limited on time for baking), I’ve rarely baked items in the past year. When my kids saw that I was baking a dessert, they all swarmed like bees around a fragrant flower.
Strawberries and rhubarb makes a great summer pairing.
The quick recipe below can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. By the time I can set the table, eat, and clean up the crisp is ready to pull out of the oven. Not only are crisps quick to make, they can be eaten immediately after taking them out of the oven…and they disappear just as quickly!
For heathier and less traditional uses for rhubarb, check out my earlier blog post here.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Bars Recipe
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups oats
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 t salt
6 T melted butter
1 t cornstarch, divided
1 T lemon juice, divided
2 T sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb (fresh or thawed frozen rhubarb)
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries (fresh or thawed frozen strawberries)
Directions
Grease a 9”x9” pan.
Stir the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter until clumps form. Add more flour if needed.
Press half of the mixture into the 9”x9” pan for the crust and reserve half for the topping.
Spread half of the strawberries and rhubarb onto the crust.
Sprinkle half of the cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar onto the fruit.
Repeat the fruit layer and sprinkle with the remaining cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar.
Top with remaining crumb mixture.
Bake 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Yield: 4 servings plus 1/16!
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