pina colada

i'll be away from this space for a little while longer but i wanted to thank you for all the amazing love, prayers and well wishes for b. you have helped brighten many challenging days.

i'm wishing you lots of beautiful hot summer days full of snow cones and rootbeer floats. yum!

orange-rhubarb

good morning. i just wanted to stop in and share a few photos of this delicious bread i made last night. ever since i brought home two big bags of freshly harvested rhubarb from grandpa's garden i've been collecting recipes. it's so good almost a cake...just the perfect mix of sweet and tart with a bit of cornmeal. oh, how i love rhubarb. it always brings up delightful memories of childhood trips to knott's berry farm for thanksgiving...always a small dish of sweet stewed rhubarb served with dinner.

wish i could share a slice with each of you. have a good day!

**orange-rhubarb quick bread
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/4 c yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 c milk
2 tsp finely shredded orange peel
2 tbs orange juice
2 c finely chopped rhubarb
streusel topping (optional)

lightly coat two 8x4x2 inch baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. set aside.

in a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. set aside.
in a medium bowl stir together sugar, butter, eggs, milk, orange peel, and orange juice until combined; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

gently fold rhubarb into batter. divide and spoon into prepared pans; sprinkle streusel topping evenly over tops. bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 - 45 minutes. cool in pans for 15 minutes and then turn out on wire racks.

streusel topping: combine 1/2 c flour, 1/2 c packed brown sugar, 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg. with a pastry blender, cut in 1/4 c butter until mixture is crumbly. stir in 2 tbs sliced almonds, if desired.

a sneak peak

more to come soon!

the garden needs my attention today and primarily stage four.