My High School Pal Nancy’s Rhubarb Crumble Dessert- Delish!

We’re finally back in Iowa, and springtime here means it’s time to head to the back yard and pick a big batch of rhubarb. Nothing screams Springtime like a Rhubarb Crumble!

What exactly is a Crumble?

The sweet version of a crumble usually starts with some sweetened fruit compote that is topped with some kind of crumbly mixture of fat and flour and sugar. But in this lightning fast version it’s a real “Dump from Boxes and Don’t Stir!” It really is that simple.

And who shared this easy peasey recipe with me? Well…my old high school chum Nancy! She posted this recipe on her Facebook page.

I don’t use many box mixes in my cooking, but this week I didn’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen since we’re still trying to get resettled in our house after being away all winter. But I felt as if I owed Peepaw a dessert. (I felt guilty when he asked me after lunch if we had any cookies…and I had to tell me the answer was NO.)

When I realized how fast this recipe could be created I headed outside and picked a few stalks of our just-emerging rhubarb. And I made a quick trip to the store to buy a box of Jell-O and a yellow cake mix. Then I literally threw this dessert together in minutes.

First, I washed my fresh picked rhubarb. Then I cut it into small pieces.

I threw it into a 9  x 13  cake pan sprayed with cooking spray and I added a cup of sugar and a box of dry Strawberry Jello.

Next, I added a box of dry yellow cake mix.

I added melted butter and water and I popped the pan in the oven.

I baked the crumble at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes and dessert was ready and waiting when our dinner was over.

Of course I had to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream because…why not?

So thanks again, Nancy. (And thanks for being a loyal reader of my blog!) What a great way stay connected after almost 50 years! And it didn’t even take a class reunion to reunite us. It only took a few stalks of rhubarb.

Nancy’s sweet treat was as easy as pie.

But call it what it really is…A Crumble!