Rhubarb Crumb Squares

It can't get much simpler than this!  This was originally my Aunt Kay's recipe...it was called 'apple squares' and was made with tart cooking apples.  A crumb mixture is packed into a pan to form the base...with reserved crumbs sprinkled over the fruit. If you still have rhubarb in the garden, you might want to try these simple rhubarb squares.  If not...wait for the early apples (coming soon) and whip up some apple crumb squares.

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chopped rhubarb
• sprinkling of sugar
•  dash of nutmeg

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt and butter and mix to form uniform crumbs.  
2. Use slightly more than half the crumbs to form base, pressing into a greased 9" x 12" pan.
3. Top with a layer of rhubarb.
4. Sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg.
5. Spread remaining crumbs evenly over rhubarb.
6. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes.
7. Cut in squares and serve.

*Substitute chopped or sliced cooking apples for the rhubarb and sprinkle with cinnamon instead of nutmeg.

Cinnamelts

While doing road trips in the USA, we like to stop at McD*'s for coffee on occasion.  It's always a quick stop and the coffee is not bad.  And every once in awhile we order their cinnamon melts to go with the coffee.  Very tasty!  I decided that I would attempt a copykat version in my own kitchen one day...to have with a good cup of home-brewed coffee.  It was all good!  So now I'm sharing the recipe with you.

 
Dough

• 2 cups very warm water 
• 1/4 cup potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes) 
• 2 Tablespoons yeast (instant, fast rising) 
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 1 Tablespoon salt 
• 2 eggs beaten 
• 1/2 cup butter (or margarine) 
• 6 1/2 cups flour 

  Cinnamon Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 cup butter (or margarine) melted

 Icing

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon white vanilla extract 

 Method

1. Stir together the water, potato flakes and sugar. 
2. Add eggs, softened butter, and yeast mixed with 3 cups flour. 
3. Beat with mixer on high speed. 
4. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a kneadable dough is obtained.
5. Knead well. 
6. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours), before forming cinna-melts. 
7. Prepare cinnamon sauce by mixing the ingredients together.  Set aside.
8. Grease mini pie plates or over sized muffin pans.
9. Roll out dough (1/2 at a time) to about 1/2" thick.
10. Using a pizza cutter, cut 1/2" wide strips. Then slice these strips into chunks about 3/4" long.
11. Drop 6 chunks into the bottom of each 'cup'. Spoon over about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sauce  over the dough.  Top with another 7 chunks of dough.  Drizzle over 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon sauce. Repeat for each cinna-melt cup.  Cover and allow to rise in warm spot for 30-60 minutes.
12. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes...until golden.
13. For icing, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Spoon icing over warm cinnamelts. Double the icing recipe if you like more than a drizzle!
14. Serve warm.  (Or wrap well, freeze to enjoy later.)
15. Yields 16 large cinnamelts.

 * This is actually a refrigerator dough, so it is a simple thing to use only half and place the rest in a greased, covered bowl in the refrigerator for later use.  It will be good for several days.

Peach Ice Cubes

When I came across a photo of peach ice cubes recently...I knew that was something I would like.  It seems others do as well...and have requested the recipe.  So I'll share my method...though I'm sure you can tweak it any way you like. Peach ice cubes are a most refreshing addition to ice-tea, lemonade or (my favorite) Fresca. 

• 3-4 cups of sliced peaches
• 1/4 cup sugar
• juice of 1 medium lemon

1. Put all ingredients in blender and pulse until smooth.  
2. Pour into ice-cube trays and freeze until firm.
3. Remove from trays and store in Ziploc bag.

Enjoy!