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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 2007)
Page 6 The INDEPENDENT, April 5, 2007 Food for Thought We know spring has arrived in the northwest when the bright red and green buds of rhubarb start breaking through the soil. This cool weather plant is especially ap- preciated by winter-weary gardeners because it’s one of the first edibles to appear in the spring garden. In the kitchen, it adds a zippy signature to pies and tarts that only rhubarb can do. When combined with strawberries, raspberries, apples, and other fruits, the flavor only gets better. Adding diced rhubarb to muffins and biscuit recipes makes them sing with flavor without making the batter runny. Rhubarb, like apples, hold moisture well in recipes. Here, for your culinary enjoyment, are a few wonderful rhubarb recipes. RHUBARB CAKE 3/4 cup margarine 2 cups sugar 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. nutmeg 2-1/2 cups flour 2-1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped Topping: 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1/8 tsp. salt Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, tapioca and orange rind. Pour into the pie shell. In a small bowl, beat together eggs and 1/3 cup sugar for 2 min- utes. Add remaining ingredients and beat one more minute. Pour over rhubarb mixture in pie crust. Bake for 40 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and the batter is cooked. EASY RHUBARB JAM 5-1/2 cups rhubarb, finely diced 3-1/2 cups sugar 1 (3 oz.) package strawberry gelatin Mix rhubarb and sugar, allow to sit overnight. The next morning, boil the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add gelatin and mix until it’s dissolved. Pour into sterilized jars. Cool, and keep in refrigerator. RHUBARB BREAD 1-1/2 cups brown sugar 2/3 cup oil 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla 2-1/2 cups flour 1-1/2 cups finely diced rhubarb 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts Heat oven to 325 degrees. Stir together in order given. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake 40 to 60 minutes or un- til an inserted toothpick comes out clean. RHUBARB COBBLER 1 cup flour 2 Tbls. butter 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 2 Tbls. milk 3 cups rhubarb, chopped 3 oz. pkg. strawberry gelatin 1/2 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1/2 stick butter Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 2 tbl. butter into the flour until crumbly. Add eggs, milk, baking powder and salt. Make a soft dough and press into an 8”x8” pan. Press dough up the sides of the pan. Place rhubarb evenly in the bottom of the pan and sprin- kle with the dry strawberry gelatin. In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and 1/2 stick butter to make a topping. Sprinkle over the gelatin. Bake 30-35 minutes or until rhubarb is tender. SPRINGTIME SALAD 2-1/2 cups rhubarb (cut into 1-inch pieces) 1 cup sugar 1 Tbls. lemon juice 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup boiling water 1 cup chopped walnuts In a medium saucepan, boil rhubarb in 1/2 cup water until tender. Add sugar to dissolve. Add lemon juice and chill. In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin with boiling wa- ter and cool. Blend all ingredients together and chill. RHUBARB COOLER 1 cup rhubarb, cut up 1 cup water 3/4 cup sugar 1 (6 oz.) can frozen pink lemonade 16 oz. lemon-lime soda Cook all ingredients except soda. Strain and chill. Just before serving, add lemon-lime soda. Recipe can be tripled for a large crowd. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together all cake ingredients and pour into a greased and floured 9”x13” pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. RHUBARB SPONGE PIE 1 unbaked pie shell 3 cups rhubarb, chopped 1-1/2 tsp. tapioca 2 tsp. grated orange rind 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup flour 1 tsp. baking powder 2 Tbls. orange juice 6-oz. pkg. raspberry gelatin 2 cups celery, chopped RHUBARB COOKIES 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup oil 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup rhubarb, cooked, unsweetened 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1-1/3 cups flour 1/4 tsp. salt 2 cups oatmeal (not instant) 1/2 tsp. soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar and oil together. Add egg, vanilla, rhubarb and oatmeal. Sift soda and baking powder together and add to first mixture. Stir in walnuts. Drop from teaspoon onto cookie sheet. Bake for 15 min. or until golden brown. RHUBARB MUFFINS 1-1/2 cups brown sugar 2/3 cup oil 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla 2-1/2 cups flour 1-1/2 cups diced rhubarb, diced 1/2 cup chopped nuts Topping 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1/3 cup sugar 1-1/2 tsp. flour 1 Tbls. melted butter Heat oven to 400 degrees. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full, or pour batter into 9”x13” cake pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over unbaked muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins. RHUBARB NUTRITION FACTS One cup of diced rhubarb contains Vitamin C (10 mg), Folate (8.5 mcg), Calcium (105 mg), Magnesium (14.5 mg), Phosphorus (17 mg), Potassium (351 mg). The roots and leaves of rhubarb are toxic to humans. Eat only the leaf stalks. Church Directory C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS Jeff Cheney, Branch President 1350 E. Knott Street, Vernonia 503 429-7151 Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m. Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m. Relief Society, Priesthood and Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m. S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST John Aitken II, Pastor, 396-1856 2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia 503 429-8301 Morning Worship, 9:15 a.m. Bible Study 10:30 a.m. V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH Grant Williams, Pastor 957 State Avenue, Vernonia 503 429-6790 Sunday Breakfast 9:00 a.m. Morning Worship 9:45 a.m. Children and Nursery 10:00 a.m. Youth Group 6:00 p.m. Preschool Tues. & Thurs. 9:00 a.m. Friday Adult Volleyball 7:00 p.m. S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH A SSEMBLY OF G OD Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator 960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia 503 429-8841 Mass Schedule Sunday 12:00 Noon Religious Education Sunday 10:30 a.m. Wayne and Maureene Marr 662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia, 503 429-0373 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH Carl Pense, Pastor 850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia 503 429-1103 Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Children’s Sunday School F IRST B APTIST C HURCH 359 “A” Street, Vernonia 503 429-5190 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m. S T . A UGUSTINE (C ANTERBURY ) E PISCOPAL C HURCH 375 North St. (Vernonia Grange Hall) Vernonia, 503 705-2173 Please call for service schedule. N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH Gary Taylor, Pastor Grant & North Streets, Vernonia 503 429-5378 Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Nursery available Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m. V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH Sam Hough, Evangelist 410 North Street, Vernonia 503 429-6522 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Every Wednesday: Ladies' Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Ladies’ Worship 10:00 a.m. Children’s Choir 3:00 p.m. Family Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
