I'll bring the vanilla ice cream & be there in a few minutes! LOL!!

Arline this is my favourite pastry crust. It works for both sweet and savory pies. Can be made with half butter and half lard/shortening or with all butter. I hand-cut the leaves and draw on the leaf veins using the back of a knife. I like the more rustic look of the leaves made by hand. But you could use your favourite shape leaf cutter. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Butter-Lard Pastry ================== 2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup lard (or shortening- Crisco) 5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water For sweet pies add 1 to 2 teaspoons white sugar. Mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard. An easy way to cut in the fat is to use a food Processor. Cut the butter and lard into cubes add to the flour and pulse. Butter/lard should be the size of peas. Pour mixture into a bowl and add the icewater, mixing quickly with a fork, just until the dough comes together. Turn out on to floured board and form into a ball. Cut into two pieces, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour. Another way to cut into the butter is to use a box grater. Makes the perfect size pieces of butter. Just make sure that the butter is very cold. NOTE: This crust is also perfect made with all butter. Edited: May/2009

I live in Massachusetts and my rhubarb is still quite small. My brother-in-law has rhubarb plants that are over 50 years old-- they get huge in the spring! I was happy to have frozen some from last year. This past weekend I used some to make rhubarb bread. It was yummy, but I think I will add a little white sugar the next time I make this recipe. Rhubarb Bread Yields: 20 servings INGREDIENTS: 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 2/3 cup vegetable oil 1 egg 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon butter, melted DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together milk, lemon juice and vanilla; let stand for 10 minutes. 2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, oil and egg. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda, stir into sugar mixture alternately with the milk mixture just until combined. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. 3. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the unbaked loaves. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean. Yum!

I've seen and heard of people calling rhubarb "pie plant". I kind of like that name. It's accurate. So many people give names to things that approach stupid and it kind of bugs me but I like that. My plant had great rhubarb but it was in the shade and died off apparently. I have to see if any of it is left. If it is, I'll move it. If not, maybe I can get some of the plant I gave to my neighbor. I haven't had rhubarb bread in years and I so enjoy that. I grew up being told to PULL, not cut rhubarb and Buddha help us if we broke a stalk off and didn't pull the rest of that stalk! They believed it would kill off the plant (it'd smother). From what I've read that's a myth and I believe that it is since I have friends who have always cut the rhubarb, being told that they'd kill the plant if they pulled it out by the roots. Here's a couple recipes I want to try. I had 2 or 3 other recipes for BBQ sauce but I can't find them now. They sounded great but I never got the chance to try it. The thing I like about these is they do not use ketchup so you avoid some unnecessary sugar and salt. Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce A slightly sweet barbecue sauce with a lot of tang. Great on grilled pork or chicken. Safflower Oil - 2 Tble Onion, diced - 1 cup Rhubarb, chopped (½” pieces) - 4 cups Light Brown Sugar - ¾ cup (lightly packed) Tomato Paste - ½ cup Bouquet Garnii - 2 bay leaves, 6 peppercorns, 1 dried chili, 2 cloves Dijon Mustard - 2 Tble Apple Cider Vinegar - 2 Tble Honey - 2 Tble s+p - to taste Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sweat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until it is translucent and soft. Watch it closely to make sure it does not brown. Add the rhubarb, brown sugar and tomato paste and saute for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water and the bouquet garnii, and bring the mixture to a low boil. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until reduced and thick. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 30 minutes. Remove the bouquet garnii, then stir in the dijon, vinegar and honey. Puree with an immersion blender or food mill until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust the seasonings. Use as a baste for grilled pork or chicken. Serve extra sauce alongside for dipping. Keep leftovers, covered and in the fridge, for up to 2 weeks. Notes: I use safflower oil, because I prefer to avoid GM oils like canola and soy. I use a large tea ball to keep my bouquet garnii all together and in one place when I’m flavouring stocks and sauces. I found some extra-large tea balls at a market in Victoria’s Chinatown. You can also use a square of cheesecloth or unfilled tea bags (also available in Chinatown) A food mill fitted with the medium plate will produce a smoother sauce than an immersion blender. Preparation time: 15 minute(s) Cooking time: 1 hour(s) 30 minute(s) Yield: approx 3 cups Easy Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce 4 c. chopped rhubarb 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste 2 c. water 2 onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 c. brown sugar 1/4 c. honey 3 Tb. Dijon mustard 2 Tb. cider vinegar 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1/2-1 tsp. hot pepper sauce or red chili flakes (or to taste) Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring often (especially towards the end of cooking), until the rhubarb is tender. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender or food processor to blend). Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for about a week or freeze for longer storage. Makes about 6 cups