Ingredient SpotLight

April has my garden growing and no springtime treat is more anticipated than rhubarb in my house. It's a great ingredient that brings a combination of tanginess and sweetness to my favorite baked goods, jams and sauces. This month, we're taking a closer look and I'm sharing some of my favorite recipes.

You can store cut rhubarb in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks wrapped in plastic. But an hour before you use your rhubarb, put rhubarb stalks in a container of cold water to hydrate them. When you are ready to work with your rhubarb stalks, trim both of the ends of the stalk. Pull off the fibrous strings by peeling down the stalk, but try not to remove the flavorful skin. Cut any stalks that are wider than one inch into halves or thirds. Slice them lengthwise and trim off any blemishes. A pound of cut rhubarb makes three to four cups of chopped rhubarb. To chop rhubarb, cut the width of the stalk into quarter-inch or half-inch pieces, depending on what your recipes requires.

Remember that home-grown rhubarb is stronger in flavor and brighter in color than hothouse varieties. If you harvest rhubarb late in the season, you might need to add more liquid to your recipe or reduce the thickener. Late stalks may not be as juicy. Rhubarb is acidic and, as such, you don't want to cook it in aluminum, copper, or iron pans that react. In reactive metal pans, rhubarb turns brownish and the pan discolors. Instead, cook rhubarb in coated pans or glass baking pans.

Rhubarb can be substituted for cranberries in recipes; both are tart. If you combine rhubarb with sweeter fruits, you won't need as much sugar to sweeten the final dish. Rhubarb also has a tendency to sweeten when it's cooked. It's best to add the sugar slowly. You can always add more, but you can't remove it.

Below are a couple recipes featuring rhubarb that my family loves. The bread makes a great quick breakfast and the cobbler gets made at least once a week during the height of rhubarb season.