It was a dark and dreary day

Or at least it was when I planned dinner, though by the time diner was served, the sun was blinding us and the temperature outside was rising!

Is this a sub-section of Murphy's Law? As soon as you plan warming, comfort food, you will no longer need the warming?

Oh well, a big pot of sauce never goes to waste in this household!

Filled with chunks of meat and tomatoes, this sauce was very hearty and tasty. A generous grating of parmesan cheese melted into the pasta, gave it that necessary finishing touch.

Dinner was followed up by a classic dessert, rhubarb cobbler, made with rhubarb picked fresh from my garden. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a necessity in my food world for any crumble or cobbler, it was the final touch to this comforting meal.

Rhubarb Cobbler (Trust me, it tastes much better than this picture shows!)

This recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Of course it is called new, but is about 34 years old, maybe more. It is one of two cookbooks my mother was given by my aunt when I was a baby. When I moved out of my mother's home, she told me I could chose one to bring with me, and 15 years later, she still won't let me have the other one. And I still cook a few items from this book.

For Filling:

4 cups rhubarb (I used more like 6 cups)
1 cup sugar (I used 3/4)
1 tablespoon each water and butter
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine together and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Pour filling into 8 1/4 x 1 3/4 round baking dish (I used a medium size Corningware dish.)

For Topping:

1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 slightly beaten egg

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine milk and beaten egg, then add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir until moistened.

Spoon topping in 6 mounds over rhubarb filling. Bake at 400F for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.