Rhubarb Skillet Crisp

Every year, the heirloom rhubarb pushes up little red crowns through the ground, and I get excited, dreaming of strawberry-rhubarb everything. Of course a pie would be best…but it’s just as rewarding and faster to make rhubarb crisp. Best of all, we have an old “Taste of Home” recipe that is made in a cast iron skillet. We love our skillet. 

It’s too bad the strawberries don’t come on as quickly as the rhubarb, but then I’d be unable to contain myself. As it is, we are down to our last jar of strawberry jam from 2019. I can’t wait to make jam again! 

So, here I am, trying to focus. In the midst of COVID-19 and lockdown, there are so many parts of our life which remain oblivious. One of them is the garden. As we uncover little shoots of strawberry plants emerging, we ask God’s blessing on the garden. It springs forward each year, feeding our souls and promising the taste of sunshine on warm tomatoes as we pop them into our mouths.

And back to the rhubarb. We were finally able to take our first harvest last night. We made our first “skillet.” Fresh or frozen rhubarb can be used, but I’m a big fan of fresh. I’m unashamed to say I ate two servings before bed. And I’m sure you can guess what I had for breakfast. It’s gone, already, and I did share with my husband. 

I’m going to put the recipe here before I head out to the garden to speak encouraging words of love to the rhubarb. I will tell it how great it tastes, warm, with vanilla ice cream.

Skillet Rhubarb Crisp 

Credit: C.E. Adams, Charlestown, New Hampshire

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

3 cups sliced rhubarb

2 cups sliced strawberries 

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more to taste)

Directions: 

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

2.) In a large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add rhubarb and strawberries; toss to coat. 

3.) Spoon into 8” or 10” cast iron or other ovenproof skillet.  

4.) In a small bowl, combine the oats, butter, brown sugar, butter, flour and cinnamon until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

5.) Sprinkle over fruit.

6.) Bake about 45 minutes until fruit is tender and crisp is bubbly.