Thayer in the Kitchen

This is a new smoothie recipe that I found on The View from Great Island blog. Sue typically has great recipes and this one is no exception. I particularly like it because it is quick and easy; you use raw rhubarb which is quite unusual.  I think you could also use frozen rhubarb after the season for fresh rhubarb was over. I  doubled her original recipe to make a blender full which is the right amount for breakfast for my husband and myself. 2 cups sliced raw rhubarb 2 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen) I usually use frozen 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (dairy milk would be fine as well) 1 cup yogurt of your choice, I usually use whole milk vanilla yogurt 1-2 tablespoons honey (optional) taste before adding 1 scoop protein powder of choice (optional) Add all the ingredients into your blender and blend until thick and smooth.  If necessary you can add more liquid depending on your blender.  

This is a delicious easy rhubarb cake that I found on one of my favorite recipe blog sites, The View From Grand Island. You can hardly ever go wrong with one of Sue Moran's recipes and this one is true to form, yummy as my daughter said after leaving her half of the cake. She was supposed to save it for breakfast. It never made it. She said they finished it off while watching TV that evening. Well, you wouldn't want it to go to waste.   Ingredients: 1/2 cup buttermilk (you can substitute 1/2 & 1/2 or cream) 1 tsp. lemon juice if you use something other than buttermilk 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling on top of the cake 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla  2 cups flour, save 1 tablespoon to toss with the rhubarb 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb 1/2 cups roughly chopped nuts (optional) Instructions: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter or spray a 9X9 in...

This is a recipe that I found on Chowhound and decided to try since I had a bunch of rhubarb. It is really very tasty. If you decide to make it you should be aware it makes a lot of servings. INGREDIENTS: 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds) Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper or Penzey's coarse ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil (or organic sunflower oil) 2 medium shallots, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger * 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 cup dry sherry 1 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup orange juice  1 pound rhubarb, thinly sliced * I have been known to substitute The Ginger People Organic Grated Ginger in a jar  1 Instructions, adapted: Brown the chicken thighs until brown on both sides and season with salt and pepper. 3 Reduce the heat to medium and remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the shallots, ginger, and cardamom, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the shallots soften, about 2 minut...

  This is a recipe for a pie that I made for Arthur's birthday and took to a Memorial Day gathering at Victoria and Mike's. It was very well received. I got the recipe from a book, Pie for Everyone, Recipes and Stories from Petee's Pie, New York's Best Pie Shop by Petra "Petee" Paredez. It was slightly adapted here and there. I did not use her pie crust recipe since I didn't have the correct kinds of flour. I used a recipe from an excellent baking website, Sally's Baking Addiction:  https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/baking-basics-homemade-buttery-flaky-pie-crust/ I already have a number of pie crust recipe on the blog which would also work fine for this recipe. Here are the ingredients needed for the filling for the pie: 1-1/4# rhubarb, cut into 1/2" slices 1 tsp. lemon juice 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons + 2 tsp. cornstarch 1/4 tsp. salt Combine the rhubarb and lemon juice. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt and pour it over the rhubarb....

These pancakes are a great way to use some of the rhubarb that may be growing in your backyard or you got in your CSA box (which is how we got ours).  We love pancakes and I like to find different versions which this one is.   Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups rhubarb, chopped fairly small 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 cup buttermilk 1-1/4 cups flour (I used half whole wheat and half unbleached white) 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg, separated and at room temperature 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled For the crumble: 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons brown sugar pinch of salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 3 tablespoons butter, melted Melt the butter and add the rhubarb and sugar.  Cook until the fruit is tender.  Add a spoon of water if the mixture gets too dry.  Mine didn't. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk the ...

This recipe is a great way to use a substantial amount of rhubarb.  I made it for my book club when the meeting was at our place and everyone really liked it.  There is one caveat--the recipe uses a cake mix!  I never use store bought cake mixes but did make an exception with this recipe.  You could probably use homemade yellow cake batter, but I caved in and used a cake mix.  The three yellow cake mixes receiving the best reviews were: King Arthur Flour All-Natural Golden Vanilla Cake Mix - I think this is only available through the King Arthur catalogue Betty Crocker SuperMoist Golden Vanilla Cake Mix (reviewed well on Good Housekeeping.com; this is the one I used) Pillsbury Moist Supreme Classic Yellow Cake Mix (reviewed the best on Epicurious) 1 yellow cake mix 5 cups chopped raw rhubarb 1 cup sugar (or a bit less) 1 pint heavy whipping cream (2 cups) Additional whipping cream for serving Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare cake mix ...

A few weeks ago I tried a recipe for rhubarb pancakes.  I will not be posting this recipe.  I guess rhubarb needs sugar to bring out its flavor.  The pancakes with chopped raw rhubarb didn't have any rhubarb flavor so why bother.  However, these pancakes topped with rhubarb compote made for a very pleasant breakfast.  Although rhubarb season has now passed, it will come again and I'll be ready for it with this yummy breakfast recipe.  Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes •3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour •3/4 cup yellow cornmeal •2 tablespoons sugar •1/2 teaspoon baking powder •1/2 teaspoon baking soda •1/2 teaspoon salt •1 1/4 cups buttermilk •2 large eggs •3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled Combine first 6 ingredients into large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs and melted butter in medium bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until blended. Preheat oven to 300°F. Cook the pancakes on a griddle or...

This new recipe was a favorite of my husband's that he wanted me to post so that it wouldn't be lost--never to be located again.  This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart's website.  There are a number of other very tasty sounding rhubarb recipes there that you might want to check out. Rhubarb Recipes 1/2 cup dried cherries 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 8 to 10 ounces rhubarb, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups) 3 tablespoons sugar Pinch of ground nutmeg Coarse salt and black pepper 4 pork loin chops, (each 1/2 inch thick and 6 to 8 ounces) Combine cherries with vinegar and 1/4 cup hot water; let stand 10 minutes to soften.  In a small...

Anyone who follows my blog, will get the idea that we really like rhubarb.  We do!  I think it is so versatile.  It keeps quite well, it can be frozen, combines well with other fruit, and so on.  This recipe is for an easy quick bread. 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed) 2/3 cup canola or safflower oil 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour 1 1/2 cups chopped uncooked rhubarb (if you don't have quite enough rhubarb you could add some strawberries or whatever other fruit you might have available) 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange rind 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 8 1/2 X 4" loaf pans.  Combine brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and beat well.  I blended mixture in my food processor.  Mix the flour with the baking soda and salt.  Add to liquid mixture and blend...

I made this yummy coffee cake for my book last week. Its very moist and is delicious served warm.  If you want to be truly decadent serve with softly whipped heavy cream to which you can add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  No cool whip please! 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup white sugar 2/3 cup canola oil 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 2-1/2 cups flour 3 cups diced rhubarb, fresh   Streusel Topping   1/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup flour 1/3 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 cup butter Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, oil, and eggs. Beat well with electric mixer. Add buttermilk, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Beat well. Add flour and mix just until blended. Stir in rhubarb. Spoon into baking pan. In a small bowl, combine topping in...

I've posted a lot of recipes using rhubarb, but we really like it. Plus its readily available early in the produce season and rather inexpensive as fruit goes. It combines beautifully with strawberries. I liked this recipe because it has a very generous crumb topping which really compliments the tangy fruit filling. Filling 2 pounds rhubarb stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Topping 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups rolled oats 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup pecans (optional) MAKE THE FILLING: Preheat the oven to 375°. In a bowl, toss the rhubarb with 3/4 cup of the sugar and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and let stand for 10 m...

This is great recipe to use two fruits (rhubarb and strawberries) you may find in your CSA box at this time of the year, especially in southern Wisconsin. It is supposed to be a diabetic friendly recipe--perhaps because it doesn't call for much sugar. I just tried it because it sounded good--and it is! Filling 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 4 cups coarsely chopped (3/4-inch pieces) rhubarb 2 cups sliced strawberries Topping 1 cup all purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut in bits 2/3 cup low fat buttermilk Preheat oven to 400°F. In bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add rhubarb and strawberries; toss to mix. Spread mixture in an 8-cup greased shallow glass or ceramic baking dish (do not use metal); bake covered for 15 minutes. Topping: In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in but...

All I can say is YUM! This recipe is a combination of a couple of recipes I found on the web. I tried adding some lemon verbena to the muffins because I was taking the muffins to an herb society board meeting. I guess I would have needed to add a lot more because I didn't taste the lemon verbena at all. Basic recommendation--skip it and stick to the recipe. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 cup buttermilk 2/3 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups finely chopped rhubarb (a little more is OK) 1/2 cup pecan or walnut pieces TOPPING: 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Combine egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muff...

My husband loves, I mean really loves bread pudding. I wanted to make him a treat for his birthday and this is what I made. Freeze leftover slices of bread, and when you get enough, make a bread pudding. We had rhubarb from our CSA spring share so this seemed like a good recipe to try. 7 slices bread, cubed 1 1/2 cups milk 1/4 cup butter 5 eggs 1 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups diced rhubarb 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place bread cubes into a buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Combine the milk and butter in a saucepan, and heat just to the boiling point. Pour over the bread cubes, and let stand for 15 minutes or until the bread is soggy. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Stir in rhubarb. Pour over the soaked bread, and stir gently until evenly blended. Sprinkle walnuts over the top. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until nicely browned on the top. L...

Yesterday was a totally beautiful day in southern Wisconsin. Our friends called us bright and early Sunday morning to invite us to come and see the last of the apple blossoms in their orchard. Ellen and Bob have a a wonderful orchard in Ridgeway Wisconsin where they grow certified organic apples, pears and plums. They have a fruit CSA as well as selling at the farmers' markets: http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M7074 . After touring the orchard, Ellen and Bob prepared a wonderful meal, including asparagus and morel mushrooms from their land. I contributed dessert. Some of the ingredients such as the rhubarb were local--the mangoes unfortunately were not. Rhubarb-Mango Crumble 1 1/2 pounds rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 mangoes, preferable Champagne mangoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes--this is picture of the Champagne mango. They are very sweet, have smaller pits and are less fibrous then regular mangoes. I usually find them at Whole Foods. 3/4 cup sugar 1 1/3...

Catching up on another recipe posting. This is a good recipe for a very moist pleasantly sweet and spicy quick bread using rhubarb. It makes two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 size loaves. Avondale Rhubarb Bread 2 1/4 cups sifted unbleached white flour 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon allspice (the original recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon--so if you're a fan use this amount) 3 eggs 1 cup canola or sunflower seed oil 1 3/4 cups packed dark or light brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 1/2 cups diced rhubarb (about 1#) 3/4 cups walnut pieces (or whatever nuts you prefer) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2" loaf pans. Combine flours with other dry ingredients. Beat eggs, oil, brown sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer or in a food processor until fluffy and smooth. Combine the dry and and wet ingredients. The batter will be VERY stiff. Don't over mix but...

In case you're wondering what to do with baby turnips and their greens, the following is a very good salad with interesting flavor contrasts. Baby White Turnip Salad With Toasted Pecans And Bacon 4 small white turnips with their greens attached (or 1 bunch of baby white turnips) 1/4 c. pecan halves or pieces 3 oz. bacon 1 green garlic stalk and 1 green onion, sliced on the bias (a garlic scape is also a nice addition if you happen to have them available) salt and pepper, to taste 1-2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil Toast pecan pieces. I usually do mine in the microwave. It take 1-2 minutes. Otherwise toast them in a 350 degree oven. Make sure they don't burn. Remove the greens from the turnips. Tear the leaves with your hands into medium to large pieces and set aside. Slice turnips as thin as possible. I used my food processor using the thin slicing disk. Put into a bowl of iced water. In a non-stick pan, saute the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan and crumble, ...

I needed to bring a contribution to work for another "food" day. I had rhubarb from my Harmony Valley CSA box so I decided to try these muffins. They are not especially healthy, but they are very tasty. Rhubarb Muffin Delights 1 1/4 cups brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 cup oil 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt) 2 cups rhubarb, diced small 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts 2 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt For topping: 1/2 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Combine the brown sugar, egg, oil, vanilla and buttermilk. Stir in rhubarb and nuts. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir dry ingredients into liquid mixture until just blended. Do not overbeat. Pour batter into greased or lined muffin cups. Mix topping ingredients together and spoon over filled cups, press lightly. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for ...

We had friends join us for dinner on Monday, a couple and their three teenage sons. What a joy to cook for. They are very adventurous eaters and willing to try anything and eat it with gusto! I made marinated roast pork loin served with a citrus sauce. The flavor was great but the cut of meat made it very difficult to carve. The meat was not from one of my usual farmers and I won't buy a roast from this one again. We had a sweet and spicy red pepper chutney. The silly recipe called for 3/4 teaspoon of jalapeno pepper--I mean why bother. I used a whole pepper and left in the seeds. We all loved it. Delightfully spicy. I made a side dish of fingerling potatoes, mushrooms and peas seasoned with marjoram. My friend brought a wonderful asparagus salad with morel mushrooms. I also made a double batch of the Buttermilk Biscuits with Goat Cheese and Chives that I previously posted the recipe for. The guys really loved these. I didn't have so much as a crumb left. For dessert we had App...