Rhubarb Cream-Cheese Pie (And So Much More!!!)

Feeling a bit tart? A bit saucy? In the mood to wear a bit of naughty--as in "red?" Then I've got a pie for you. Oh, yea!!! Pucker up, baby! Slap one on this tasty little number! YUM! And then lick your lips. Pout a little. This isn't a date. It's a rendezvous. Don't look back.... Just go for it and enjoy.

Did I really just write that? Oh, well . . . this is a "pie with possibilities." Don't stop at the rhubarb layer. Think blueberries when they are in season. Or mix things up a bit--add a bit of strawberries to that rhubarb. Raspberries would be sheer bliss!

But for now, we're sticking to the rhubarb which is in season. If you like things a bit tart, you will love this pie. It's a beautiful blend of fruit married to a light cheese layer and topped with heaven itself--whipped cream (yea, I know....rhubarb is a veggie but it just doesn't act like one. I love a rebel, don't you?).

A kitchen scale is indispensable for cooking.

This is pretty straight-forward. Make your own crust or buy a pre-made one. If the latter, roll it out a bit on a floured surface to make it a tab bigger than the 9-inch pie plate.

Fruit Layer:

• 1 pound fresh rhubarb or 2 cups that have been cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons corn starch

Cheese Layer:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Stabilized Whipped-Cream Layer:

• 1 cup cold whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (such as Knox)
• 4 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Roll out pastry dough to fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Flute the edges. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, mix together the cut-up rhubarb, sugar and cornstarch. Stir over low/medium heat. At first, nothing will happen. Just keep mixing around. Eventually, the heat will cause the rhubarb to begin "sweating" and release its juices. Just keep mixing. As more liquid is released, up the heat a bit. After about 8 minutes or so, the rhubarb chunks will suddenly break down and turn to mush. That's what you want. Stir until bubbly. It will be the consistency of a thick jam. Pour into pie crust.

Bake in oven for ten minutes. This will form a skin on the fruit layer so the cheese layer doesn't bleed through.

As it's baking . . .

In a medium bowl mix the softened cream cheese with the sugar. Add the eggs and flavoring. Beat just until smooth. Do not over beat.

Remove pie from oven. Dial down to 350 F. Pour cheese filling over rhubarb filling. Return to oven and bake 25-35 minutes or until set.

I should have taken this out of the oven about five minutes earlier,

hence the crack around the edge. Not to worry. At first,

the edges of the pie will be higher than the center.

That's okay. It will level down as the pie cools.

Remove pie from oven and allow to cool then chill in refrigerator before applying whipped cream.

Heat some water in a small saucepan. In a heat-proof custard cup, mix the gelatin with the water. Allow to dissolve. When dissolved, place in the water bath until melted. Remove. Pour whipped cream into a cold bowl. Begin beating on low, then medium, upping the speed a bit as you go. When it starts to get thick, stop. Add dissolved gelatin and begin beating again as you add the powdered sugar. Beat until path marks are left by the beaters. Do not overbeat or it will a) turn into butter or b) curdle.

Spread on cooled pie. Refrigerate until entire pie is cool and set. (I set a 10-inch glass pie plate over it.) Cut with a sharp, wet knife.

Notes: Stabilized whipped cream prevents it from getting watery as it sets and allows for piping if you are so inclined. If you change the fruit layer to berries, you will probably have to adjust the sugar and cornstarch amounts to accommodate the extra juice, so be careful.

Strawberry -Rhubarb Crisp with Ginger and Orange

As a child, rhubarb is one of the first things I remember growing in my small garden patch. It was one of the first things to pop up from the cold, spring ground. I hated it, but my big sister loved it and would suck the sour stalks like a stick of candy. As I got older, and wiser, I discovered the magic relationship between rhubarb and strawberries. "Rhuberry Pie" is one of my most favorite desserts: Kitchen Bounty: rhubarb-strawberry-blueberry pie.

Sadly, many people don't know about this wonderful plant and the great things you can make from it (stay tuned!). This crisp is pretty straight forward. You can omit the ginger and orange (or add a shot of Tripe Sec). Either way, it's really important to serve it with vanilla ice cream or vanilla frozen yogurt. It just ain't the same without it. Really.

• 1 pound rhubarb, diced, (about 2 cups)
• 2 pounds strawberries, sliced, (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 to 1 cup granulated sugar*
• 1 tablespoon minced, candied ginger
• 3 tablespoons corn starch (or 2 tablespoons flour and 1 tablespoon cornstarch)
• Grated orange peel (about 1/2 orange)

TOPPING:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup "old fashioned" rolled oats
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Sprinkle of cinnamon and dash of allspice

Slice the stalks of rhubarb down the center and then cut into chunks about the size of your small fingernail. Place in a large bowl.

Slice your berries. If large, slice in thirds then in half. Add to cut-up rhubarb. Add diced ginger and several grates of fresh orange peel. Do not mix.

Mix together your sugar and cornstarch or cornstarch flour mixture. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, oats, spices, baking soda, baking powder. Mix in melted butter. Mixture will be lose. When squeezed in your hand, it should hold its shape but fall apart when prodded with your finger.

Pour sugar mixture over strawberry/rhubarb mixture and gently mix with a spatula until well incorporated. Pour into a 10 x 7 x 2 dish. Crumble the topping over the surface.

Bake in a 375 F oven for about 25-30 minutes. Open oven door and dial temperature to 325. Close door and bake for another 15 minutes to allow juices to thicken. The crisp will be bubbly all around the edges and the top golden.

Remove and allow to cool completely before serving.

*The amount of sugar you use is your preference, but you should use at least 1/2 cup. I like a ratio of more strawberries to rhubarb, so I don't use the full 1 cup. If you like more rhubarb, you may want to add more than 1/2 cup.

NOTES: Do not use generic brown sugars since many have less molasses and don't hold together as well. I would have preferred a baking dish maybe a tad bigger. This recipe is easily adapted to your needs. For example, you could do one cup rhubarb and two cups strawberries and simply adjust the sugar to your taste and cut the thickening agent to 1.5 tablespoons. For the "crisp," reduce flour, oats and brown sugar to 1/2 cup each and use only 4 tablespoons butter.

Baked Shrimp

I get off work at five o'clock which means I won't be home until at least 5:30 or, if I do some quick errands, around six. What to do for dinner? Lately, it's been shrimp. At around seven bucks a pound, a half-pound will give me a dozen--not a bad dinner for only $3.50. Add an avocado or fresh broccoli and voila! A dinner fit for a king.

Snazzy appetizer? Dinner? You choose. Either way,

you can't go wrong!

Adapted from a Jacques Pepin recipe, this is also a knockout appetizer. And it can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated, then baked in no time.

Unlike a shrimp scampi, it's not swimming in butter. Feel free to play around with different herbs. On one occasion I used half fresh chives with the green onions. On another, a bit of chopped rosemary. Sometimes I add several good shakes of Old Bay's. Or a light dust of Cayenne. If you like things spicy, I could see a bit of finely diced jalapeno pepper. I also add a bit of grated Parmesan to the bread-crumb topping. But one thing is certain: don't skimp on the garlic! And I always add a bit of grated lemon zest.

Having said that, my new favorite way is to add one tablespoon dried 'fines herbes' with a bit of dried dill. (Click here for info about how to make fines herbes: Kitchen Bounty: Fines Herbes--OR use heaping teaspoon each of the following dried herbs: chervil, parsley, chives and tarragon.)

(Serves 2 as a main course or 4-6 as an appetizer)

• 1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 12) 26-30 size
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (see "notes" at end of post)
• 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon finely-chopped or pressed garlic (I use 2-3 teaspoons)
• Several grates of fresh lemon zest (optional)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter mixed with 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt, pepper, and/or Old Bay's Seasoning or seasonings of your choice--to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs or Panko break crumbs (not dried!)*
• 1 tablespoon melted butter and/or oil
• 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 2 tablespoons dry, white wine

In a small bowl, toss the shrimp with the onions, mushrooms, fresh herbs if using or  fines herbes (recommended) garlic, and powdered seasonings of your choice. Add the two tablespoons melted butter and one tablespoon olive oil. Mix well.

Spread in a shallow pan that is large enough so the shrimp form a single layer. I use an 8 x 8 pyrex dish. I've used a pie plate but don't recommend it since the juices congeal around the sloped edges and don't cook with the shrimp.

Mix the Parmesan with the bread crumbs. Add just enough melted butter and/or oil to coat them and still leave "fluffy." Sprinkle over the shrimp. Sprinkle white wine over all, if using.

Bake in a 425-degree oven (F) for about 15 minutes. Cool a bit and serve with lemon wedges.

*I'm not an advocate of dried bread crumbs. It's a cinch to make fresh in the food processor and even easier to buy Panko-style bread crumbs--both are light and fluffy, absorb juices well, and add a crispness without being dried and grainy like the traditional dried bread crumbs. If you live in a country where green onions are not readily available, I'd suggest one tablespoon of chopped shallots.

Easy Rice with Spinach and Parmesan Cheese (Company Rice)

I love "green rice," but it's complicated and takes time. You have to cook the rice first. Saute onions. Assemble it and then bake it. And I love rice. So, years ago, I began experimenting with all the basic ingredients of green rice but in one pan. It's now a standard recipe for me. When served to guests, it's always a hit, hence my real name for this recipe, "Company Rice." It's just too easy not to make!

Use chopped frozen spinach in a bag--not the box!
Fresh Parmesan works best for this recipe.

• 1 cup raw, white rice (I prefer Uncle Ben's Par-Boiled)
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach (maybe a tad more)
• 1 tablespoon dried, minced onion flakes (I use McCormick)
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 scant teaspoons Kosher salt
• Pepper to taste
• 2 cups water less 2 tablespoons
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff, not canned)

Add all ingredients except for butter and cheese in a 1 1/2 quart pan. Stir. Bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover until water is absorbed and rice is done, stirring once or twice during the process, about 15-20 minutes or so.

Remove from heat. Stir in the butter until melted. Taste for seasonings adding more salt and/or pepper if necessary and/or butter. Mix in the cheese using a fork. Re-cover and allow to sit about ten minutes. Re-fluff and serve.

Notes: I've also used half water and half chicken stock to cook the rice. If serving with a beef dish, use half beef broth and half water. This dish is easily made ahead and re-heated in the oven or microwave.