This delightful fruit sauce is great with fruit or ice cream. It's also nice spooned over angel food cake!
1 c. strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 c. sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. lemon rind
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 T. cognac
Cook the berries in sugar (more if fresh) just until hot. Add the lemon juice and grated lemon rind and simmer 5 minutes. Force the mixture through a sieve. Mix together the cornstarch and cognac until smooth; add the berry mixture and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it is clear and thickened. This sauce may be served hot or cold.
This simple sauce is great with many desserts, but my favorite way to eat it is spooned over hot oatmeal in the morning and sprinkled with a little granola.
2 c. fresh or frozen sliced rhubarb
1/3 c. orange juice
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. sliced strawberries
Place the rhubarb, orange juice, and sugar into a medium-sized saucepan. Stir together.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, and reduce the temperature to low. Simmer gently for 7 to 12 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender but most of the pieces still have some shape.
Remove from the stove. Stir in the cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and vanilla. Stir in the strawberries. Taste and add more sugar if necessary, depending on the sweetness of the berries. Serve warm or cold, as a sauce for ice cream spooned over pound cake or short cake, or stirred into oatmeal.
