My cousin Rita, (I call her Ritabelle since I always seem to add belle to the end of every woman’s name I know!!!) is coming to visit in a few weeks and she is going to bring a great rhubarb recipe from her Mom, my Aunt June who was an excellent cook.  My Dad can’t wait, he just loves anything rhubarb and does not get to enjoy eating much of it, even though he planted several rhubarb plants in various spots on the property.  Hurry up and get here Ritabelle, your room at the Okoboji Country Inn  is waiting for you!!!

Here is Rita’s recipe.  Enjoy!!!

   2 cups flour   1 cup softened butter   4 tbsp. sugar   Mix all together and bake in a sprayed larger glass pan and bake 20 min or until light brown. When that is cooking mix the following in a stove top pan.   2 1/2 cups sugar   6 tbsp flour   1 cup heavy whipping cream   6 egg yolks   7 cups diced finely rhubarb pieces.   Cook this until very thick and rhubarb literally falls apart when poked with the stir spoon.   Many people quit cooking it when it gets thick but then it is tart and the rhubarb will be tough.  Keep cooking until rhubarb chunks fall apart.  Then pour hot mix over crust.  Then make meringue with the 6 egg whites you have left.  Put them in cold mixer bowl and add 12 tbsp sugar to them one at a time on high-speed.  This meringue should be perfect with these directions and I add a tsp. vanilla to it before I spread it over mixture. Then I return it to oven on 400 until it is brown and beady. Refrigerate and enjoy. Believe me you will….