Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for Jeff

So it's been a while!! There's been a lot going on in the Marcoux household recently. Jeff just graduated from UW with his Master's in Business Administration, and a certificate in Entrepreneurship. Great job babe!!

We also celebrated my sister's graduation from SPU with a degree in Illustration the same weekend! (she's the one on the right, pictured with her roommie and good friend)

So for the joint graduation celebration, I made Jeff's favorite: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Ultra-fresh rhubarb, and organic strawberries made this one "the best so far," according to Jeff. :)

Enjoy!!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Courtesy of Smitten Kitten

1 recipe of double-crust pie dough of your choice (I use the Better Homes & Garden version)

3 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds, untrimmed) rhubarb, in 1/2-inch thick slices

3 1/2 cups (about 1 pound) strawberries, hulled and sliced if big, halved if tiny

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a well-floured counter, roll half of pie dough into a 12-inch circle and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. (I fold my gently into quarters, to transfer it more easily, then unfold it into the pie plate.)

Stir together rhubarb, strawberries, sugars, lemon, salt and tapioca in a large bowl. Mound filling inside bottom pie crust and dot with bits of unsalted butter. Roll second half of pie dough into an 11-inch circle and transfer it to center over the pie filling. Trim top and bottom pie dough so that their overhang beyond the pie plate lip is only 1/2-inch. Tuck rim of dough underneath itself and crimp it decoratively. Vent the dough by cutting slits in the top or pricking with a fork several times.

Transfer pie to a baking sheet (don't skip this step...or you'll have a fun oven-cleaning adventure later that evening!). Bake for 20 minutes then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the pie is golden and the juices bubble visibly.

Transfer pie to wire rack to cool. When full cool (several hours later - if you can wait that long) the juices gel.