Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Red juicy sweet fruits, crisp cinnamony topping and melty vanilla ice cream.  Sometimes you need one of those super fancy unique desserts you see on Pinterest, and sometimes you need something as old school as Laura Ingalls Wilder herself...like crisp.  

Did you know Barefoot Contessa has a new cookbook coming out soon?  Cookbook releases are thrilling enough as it is but another Ina one?  Woohoo.  Even though I wasn't entirely thrilled with the last one, you know I've pre-ordered the new one if for no other reason than she's created a rainbow with her book binding edges and I fear my rainbow will be incomplete.  I could seek help or I could just buy the book.  The cookbook is cheaper. 

This strawberry rhubarb crisp is from her How Easy Is That cookbook.  And of course, it's an aptly named cookbook.  This recipe is as simple as crisps come--dice, sweeten, cover and bake.  I loved the tartness of the rhubarb with the sweet strawberries and of course, the sweet cookie like topping.  No fancy techniques or twists here but just good old-fashioned fruit crisp goodness. Fo sho. 

Love the orange zest in this recipe.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

from Barefoot Contessa's How Easy is That?

Ingredients
4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch diced (4 to 5 stalks)
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, if large
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup freshly squeezed OJ
1 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal, such as McCann's
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter,  diced
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and the orange zest together in a large bowl. 
3. In a measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and then mix it into the fruit. 
4. Pour the mixture into an 8-by-11-inch baking dish and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
5. For the topping, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt and oatmeal. 
6. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles. 
7. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. 
8. Serve warm with ice cream.