Rhubarb Strawberry Cake With Cinnamon and Nut Topping

Many years ago, more than I want to admit, I made a rhubarb and strawberry pie. My daughter raves about the pie to this day. Yes, it was good, but I think it was the pairing of rhubarb and strawberries that made it good. Grocery stores in my town don't have any fresh rhubarb yet, but produce stands do. Since I don't have time to drive around to these stands, I use frozen rhubarb for this recipe.

This is a seasonal product and you may wish to buy several packages and stash them in the freezer. A one-pound package will make two dessert cakes or one large pie. One cup of these fleshy leaf stalks contains 25 percent of your daily calcium and only 30 calories. To reduce calories, you may wish to make this recipe with half sugar and half sugar substitute.

The original recipe came from a local grocery store. The store used to give away free recipe cards to its customers and every recipe I tried was excellent. Still, I thought the recipe could use some updating, so I used half white and half wheat flour. A true vanilla fan (vanilla ice cream is my favorite), I doubled the amount. I also used reduced fat buttermilk. But the best change is adding sliced, fresh strawberries.

I keep meeting people who are allergic to walnuts. Pecans or almonds may be substituted for the walnuts. Hankering for a taste of summer? Make this cake. Although it may seem like "gilding the lily," as the saying goes, you may garnish the cake with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco (half a stick) 
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (or dark) 
1 large egg, room temperature 
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
1 cup pre-sifted white flour 
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1/2 teaspoon salt (or reduced sodium salt) 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 cup reduced fat buttermilk 
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces 
1/2 cup strawberries, quartered 
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans, or sliced almonds)

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13 x 9 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl cream Crisco and brown sugar together with electric mixer. 
3. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. 
4. In a large bowl whisk together white flour, wheat flour, salt, and baking soda. 
5. Add dry ingredients to wet in batches, alternating between buttermilk and flour. 
6. Fold in rhubarb and strawberries. 
7. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan. 
8. Set pan on center oven rack and bake for 45 minutes, until cake starts to pull away from sides of pan. Makes 12 servings.

Quick Father's Day Desserts You Can Make Using Your Grill

Dessert is an important part of any party menu. This year for Father's Day, take it up a notch and serve scrumptious sweet treats to your guests made using your grill. Here are a few Father's Day dessert recipes you can try for your barbecue this weekend:

Tropical Butterscotch Sundae

What you need:



2 fresh pineapples, peeled, cored and sliced into 6 spears
3 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup + 6 tbsps. butter
1/2 cup heavy whipped cream
2 tbsps. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt


In a saucepan, heat 6 tbsps. butter, white sugar and nutmeg over medium heat. Stir until ingredients are well-combined and sugar has dissolved, about 4-5 minutes. Brush pineapple pieces with sugar mixture. Cook pineapple spears in a pre-heated grill over medium heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned. Place pineapple in a platter and set aside. Heat remaining butter in a saucepan then add brown sugar and whipped cream. Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and salt. Top grilled pineapple with brown sugar mixture and ice cream.

Gingersnap Grilled Peaches

What you need:



1 peach, halved and pitted
4 scoops frozen vanilla yogurt
2 gingersnap cookies, crumbled
2 tbsps. brown sugar
1 tsp. canola oil


Brush peach pieces with canola oil then cook on a pre-heated grill over high heat for 10 minutes, or until tender. Place peaches on a serving plate skin side down then sprinkle with brown sugar. When sugar has melted, place 2 scoops of vanilla yogurt over each peach half then top with crumbled gingersnap cookies.

Grilled Banana Split

What you need:



6 large bananas, unpeeled
2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
6 scoops ice cream (works best with chocolate or vanilla)
Strawberry syrup


Slice the banana peel from stem to bottom, slicing the fruit inside lengthwise. Place bananas in a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil, enough to wrap bananas. Carefully open each banana peel and distribute chocolate chips and marshmallows into six. Wrap bananas in aluminum foil and cook on a pre-heated grill over high heat for 5-6 minutes. When chocolate chips and marshmallows have melted, unwrap bananas and place each in a serving plate. Open the peels wide, drizzle with strawberry syrup and serve with a scoop of ice cream.

End your Father's Day meal with these scrumptious desserts and it will surely be an unforgettable party!

Adrian T. Cheng is a food blogger and a BBQ expert. Through years of grilling experience, reviewing various grill gadgets and trying delicious and unique recipes, he is sharing his knowledge with everyone through his blog. For more grilling secrets, tips, recipes and more, head over to Adrian's website where he has an ongoing giveaway.

How to Choose the Best Tasting Cakes

Cakes come in different sizes, shapes and flavours. They are now creative wonders and bakers are like master craftsmen, who can make any wish come true when it comes to cakes. A few years ago, this was not the scene with fewer options in cake flavours and designs. All you could order was a butter cream cake or a plain dry white cake that honestly was just not worth the calories. With plenty of options available, customers are also perplexed how to order the best tasting cake. We help you with a few tips.

Choosing the right flavour for the special occasion is critical and perplexing. Besides choosing the colour, size and tiers, choosing the flavour is also an important task. Before jumping into conclusion and deciding a flavour, it is necessary to do your homework and know how many types of relishing flavours are available other than conventional choices.

Taste the cake

Tasting is the best part of choosing a cake. You probably already have an idea of what the cake will look like on the outside, but it's also important to know what it tastes like on the inside. If you're going to have a combination of flavours, taste them all - don't presume that chocolate cake will be good no matter what. However, it is better not to taste too many combinations or flavours at one sitting. It can be overwhelming to your taste buds and it can also be too rich for your tummy.

White cakes

For weddings the first choice is a white cake. It is a classic cake and the good thing is you do not have to compromise on the flavour. You can choose a white almond cake or a simple vanilla cake. They have a hint of the nuts. Include white chocolate chunks inside the cake for a surprising taste.

Light coloured cakes

Light colours like light pink, lemon yellow and nutty green are flavoured like fruits depending on the colour. There is nothing wrong in choosing fruits for flavours. However, the downside is sometimes the flavour will not go well with the icing on the cake.

Chocolate cakes

Chocolate cake is a popular choice for any event. You can order a dark or rich chocolate or truffle. Since chocolate is a universal favourite, the cake will certainly be appreciated by the guests.

Multi-flavoured cakes

These are also preferred by many. You can go for a marble cake and give flavoured batters in the form of swirls. The cake will look pretty with distinct colours. The cakes can be multi-layered, too with each tier having varied flavours.

Carrot cakes or fruit cakes

A carrot cake or fruit cakes are a good choice and gives a surprise taste for the guests. The cakes should have good icing layer and cream. However, do not expect all the guests to appreciate it. Cheesecakes and Tiramisu are also a popular choice and you can select a variety of flavours. If you are choosing a cheesecake, serve it with toppings of fruits and cream. It will look and taste wonderful.

Making Lavender Ice Cream for Your Solo Birthday Celebration

You woke up this morning feeling a little bit older. Yes, you are a year older. It is your birthday and you are hoping that you are also a little bit wiser. And being wise starts with a low-key celebration with just yourself and a well-deserved gift for making it to another year in this crazy world.

But, as it is a special day, why don't you ditch buying yourself expensive presents like birthday flowers, and try making your own ice cream with fresh floral elements? Here is a simple recipe for lavender ice cream made from fresh lavenders.

What are the ingredients needed?

4 cups of milk

2 cups of whipping cream

8 egg yolks

1 cup of fine white sugar

1 tablespoon of salt

1 cup of honey

stalks of fresh lavenders or dried lavenders (used for cooking)

What materials do I need?

ice cream maker (borrow from Mom or from the lovely neighbor)

mixing bowls

sauce pans

strainer

whisk

How to make all these into ice cream?

Step 1: Pick lavender petals from the stem. Set aside.

Step 2: Pour in honey, and half of the lavender petals into a sauce pan. Allow it to cook and simmer on medium heat. Set aside.

Step 3: Once the lavender and honey mixture simmered, set them aside for an hour for the honey to steep the lavender petals.

Step 4: After an hour, pour and strain lavender and honey mixture into the mixing bowl with the whipping cream. Set aside.

Step 5: Bring together milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and allow to simmer.

Step 6: Use the whisk to beat the egg yolks.

Step 7: Whisk together the milk mixture and beaten egg.

Step 8: Pour the milk and egg mixture into the saucepan and allow to simmer until thick. This will take approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside after.

Step 9: Pour and strain the milk and egg into the lavender, honey and whipping cream mixture.

Step 10: Add the other half of the lavender petals.

Step 11: Stir. Stir. Stir.

Step 12: Transfer the mixture to a bowl covered with cling wrap and place it in the freezer for 5 hours.

Step 13: After five hours, pour and strain the mixture into the ice cream maker. It is important to strain the lavender petals.

Step 14: Follow instructions on how to use the ice cream maker.

Step 15: Transfer the mixture into a container and chill it for a few hours.

Viola! 15 easy steps to ice cream heaven and just in time for your afternoon movie marathon. Now serve and surprise yourself with what you can do now that you've grown up. Happy Birthday!

Do You Like Fudge?

I love fudge and last week I made 5 lbs. of it. Don't ask me why so much because I don't have a good answer. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

My love for fudge has no discernible beginning as I review memories of decades past. It's one of those low-level cravings seldom satisfied due to the prohibitive prices for fudge in stores.

Why do stores charge so much for this delicacy? It seems to me they would sell more if the prices were lower, but I shouldn't complain because my consumption of sugar is already too high.

But fudge is more than good to eat, and to experience an over-abundance is truly delightful!

As I write these thoughts, my fudge is in the kitchen, patiently waiting on the counter for me to come and appreciate its beauty. It's wrapped in clear plastic revealing its deep brown color with occasional specks of white where chunks of walnut poke through to the uneven surface.

After adding chopped walnuts to the recipe I declare my fudge to be "health food." And that reminds me of a question I read yesterday that asked, "If your grocery store has a section labeled 'Health Food' then what does that say about the food in the other sections of the store?"

Nothing will dissuade me from my health food declaration as I place another oversized chunk of fudge into my waiting mouth.

You may be surprised to learn that fudge goes well with any meal. It compliments my early morning hot chocolate and is the perfect appetizer for lunch as well as dessert for a dinner of any kind.

It even competes well with peanuts while watching sports on TV. One minute there is a piece of fudge in my hand and another a few peanuts.

Speaking of peanuts reminds me that some people prefer to make peanut butter fudge.

Please allow me to point out that I eat more peanuts than anyone I know or have ever known, but I can't get excited about mixing the two flavors. People put peanut butter on various other foods, and think it's great, but to me the traditional peanut butter sandwich or just salted peanuts is preferable.

There are probably hundreds of fudge recipes containing various other ingredients, but I'll stick with plain old vanilla and walnuts.

While you're reading this, I also know what you're thinking. You're thinking about all the weight I'm gaining. You're thinking that I'm putting on 2-3 pounds per day while overindulging during the holiday season, and I won't argue or debate the issue. I'll only say that some things in life are worth the price, and that spring is just around the corner where I'll be outside sweating and losing weight. I'll also say that during my annual physical last summer my physician told me to not lose any weight. She said I was at just the right spot with the correct ratio of body fat, even though most of it is located in one place.