getting warmer, rhubarb is here

babies are around the corner...

got my bike out... had my first fall of the season - would you believe it (yes)
standing still, right in front of little C - who should be off training wheels soon...
Decided to try something different...
Oatmeal Strawberry Rhubarb bars
Wanted something more portable than a rhubarb crisp or pie.

Here's a recipe that I found on the internet and tweaked...
( I prefer tapioca flour to cornstarch and added some Meyer Lemon juice)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars

Filling
1/4 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
4 tablespoons tapioca
1 lb rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup strawberries
Juice of one meyer lemon

Crust and Streusel Topping
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, slightly chilled, almost room temp, cut into pieces

Stir together the sugar, rhubarb, strawberries, water, and lemon juice in a pot and bring to a simmer.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the rhubarb begins to soften, about 8 minutes.
Next, add tapioca and simmer x 3-4 minutes (dont overboil!)


What's a Meyer Lemon, you ask...The Meyer lemon is a varietal that is noticeably sweeter (and larger, right, above) than other lemons.
Noticeably.
It looks like an orange and a lemon hooked up and produced a sweet love child.
Quite delicious, but also a little more pricey - but it allowed me to cut back on the sugar in the recipe.


Place the oven rack in the lower two-thirds position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with two strips of parchment paper.
You dont have to do this, but it makes removing the bars later so much easier.

In a bowl, mix the flour, oats, granulated and brown sugar, baking soda, salt together.
You can do this is a stand mixer, but I like using my hands.
Add the butter, and knead it into the dry mixture (i do this is about 4 installments)
The mixture now should have the consistency of sand and gravel - some large pieces, mostly sand like - sort of like concrete...

Press 1/2 of the dough into the bottom of the pan and bake until it starts to brown, about 20-25 minutes.(note the parchment paper slings here)
Spread the strawberry-rhubarb filling over the crust and
sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the filling.
Bake until the filling bubbles around the edges and the top is golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack about 1 hour.
I put mine into the fridge overnight, then cut mine the next day into bars.
They really did hold up well (and people at work like them)

I dont have a pic of the finished product... guess i'll have to make them again!