Friday I began cutting and freezing surplus rhubarb, to use next winter in sauce, oatmeal and pie. Each time I prepare rhubarb for a recipe, I chop an extra few stalks and fill Cool Whip containers for the freezer. There's so much rhubarb this time of year, I have to create new ways to use it.
If you are tiring of the usual rhubarb dessert, here's a mousse-like recipe that changes things up. My family says that it reminds them of cheesecake.
Creamy rhubarb jello mousse (and pie filling)
2 to 2 1/4 cups (less rhubarb - firm mousse, more rhubarb - softer mousse) prepared and sweetened rhubarb sauce, still warm from cooking (if using leftover rhubarb sauce, warm in the microwave for a minute and a half)
1/4 cup water
1 packet Knox unflavored gelatin
4 oz. cream cheese
Soften gelatin in the water for about 20 minutes.
In a blender, whirr together about 1/2 the warm rhubarb sauce with the softened gelatin. Add remaining rhubarb and cream cheese. Blend until smooth.
Pour into a bowl and chill for 4-6 hours, or overnight. Serve. That simple, and it uses up more rhubarb. Most of the time we eat this just as is, in bowls, but it also makes a deliciously creamy pie filling for a graham cracker crust, (top the whole thing with whipped cream).
