Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I baked this pie for the first time this summer using strawberries from our own berry patch and rhubarb from my grandparents' garden. I may have found a new favorite pie!

2 pints strawberries cut into about 1/2" pieces
1 lb rhubarb (without tops), cut into 1/2" pieces or 16 oz pkg frozen rhubarb
1 1/4 c sugar
1/3 c flour
2 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
pastry for 9" double crust pie
1 Tbsp butter, cut into bits

In a lg bowl, with rubber spatula, gently toss strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, flour, tapioca, vanilla, and salt to mix well. Let mixture stand 30 min to soften tapioca, stirring occasionally so tapioca will be evenly moistened.

Line 9 or 10" pie plate with bottom pastry crust, leaving 1" overhang. Spoon fruit mixture into crust; dot fruit with butter. Cover fruit with top pastry crust, fluting edges and cutting slits in top crust, or weave a lattice-top crust.

Bake pie 50 min at 425 degrees until fruit mixture begins to bubble* and crust is golden. Cool pie on rack 1 hr; serve warm or cool. Refrigerate leftovers.

*I learned the hard way to put a cookie sheet on the rack below the rack the pie is on to catch overflow when baking it in the oven!

Rhubarb Bread

1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c oil or unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

Topping:
1/2 c sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp melted butter

Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Add egg; mix well. Beat in milk and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing just til combined. Fold in rhubarb. Pour in 2 greased 8x4x2" loaf pans. Combine topping ingredients till all is moistened. Sprinkle over bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 min or til toothpick comes out clean. Cut with serrated knife. Makes 2 loaves.