Rhubarb Pudding Cake

3-4 cups diced fresh or frozen rhubarb
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING:
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place rhubarb in a greased 8-in. square baking pan. In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, milk, butter, baking powder, salt and vanilla (mixture will be stiff). Spread over rhubarb. For topping, combine sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle over dough. Pour water over all; do not stir. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes or until pudding tests done.

The pudding forms a nice crispy top with a moist flavourful bottom! This can be served with ice cream but it tastes delicious on it's own! I think that this would also taste great as a strawberry-rhubarb pudding. I'll have to try it out come strawberry season.

Saskatoon Pudding

3 cups saskatoons (I used 2 cups saskatoons and 1 ripe peach sliced into bite sized pieces)
juice from 1/2 a lemon ( about 1 1/2 tbsp. bottled juice)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup margarine
heaping 1/3 cup granulated sugar (original recipe asks for 1/2 cup)
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 8 x 8 inch cake pan. Wash and sort saskatoons and drain well. Place fruit in bottom of pan. Squeeze lemon juice over fruit. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tbsp. flour and sprinkle over top. Set aside. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla and almond extract until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in batter alternately with milk ending with flour mixture. Spread batter over fruit. Bake about 30-35 minutes or until top of pudding golden and tests done.

Vanilla Pudding

Today my Grandma Esau went home to Heaven to be with her Lord. This recipe was originally hers and passed down by my mom. I love this pudding to make coconut or banana cream pies. It's also good for just plain eating!

5 tbsp. flour (heaping)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks or 1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix flour, and sugar in microwave safe bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the milk and the eggs, stir with whisk. Heat the rest of the milk in the microwave until hot (not boiling). Add hot milk slowly to mixture, stirring well. Place in microwave, cook on high at 2-3 minute intervals until mixture thickens. Let cool 5 minutes, stir in vanilla. Cover bowl and let cool.

Note: use 2 egg yolks if you want to put a meringue on top of pudding, otherwise I just use a whole egg.

Rice Pudding

3/4 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries (I prefer cranberries)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
about 1 tsp. cinnamon or to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg, cinnamon and raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. If pudding is not thickening 1 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp. water can be added, heat until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.