STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PUFF

I love rhubarb and I love strawberries.  We grew both in our gardens when I was a kid.  Loved all the ways my mother and grandmother would fix them.  This is a recipe using both these Spring garden goodies that you can make year-round.

1 pkg (16-oz) frozen rhubarb, thawed
1 pkg (10-oz) frozen strawberries, thawed
1/2 cup sugar + 2 tbsp sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup cooking oil
2/3 cup sweet milk
butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, and 1/2 cup sugar in a 9-inch square baking pan or dish; place in the oven.

Place the flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Pour the oil and milk together in a liquid measuring cup but do not stir.  Pour all at once into the flour mixture.  Stir until the mixture leaves the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.  Drop by 9 spoonfuls onto the hot fruit.  Make an indentation in each biscuit and dot with the butter.  Mix the last 2 tablespoons of the sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle on the dough.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 450 degrees.

Best served warm.

Yield: 9 servings.

Note:  You can make with fresh rhubarb and fresh strawberries by substituting 3 cups fresh sliced rhubarb and 1 pint fresh strawberries, cut up, for the frozen.  Increase the 1/2 cup of sugar to 1 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup water to the fruit mixture.

Photo credit - The Henry Ford