Easiest Baked Rhubarb Dessert Ever

This one is weird. I mean it. If you've never made a dump cake you will find yourself wondering if you really are not supposed to prepare the cake mix first or add the water to the Jello. But go ahead, just follow this one exactly as it's written. I felt guilty making it, because the only thought running through my mind is that the kids were going to be climbing the walls with all the sugar in this dessert. But Rhubarb Season doesn't last very long, anyway, and I am only going to make this once; or at least I consoled myself with this thought as I dumped all of the ingredients into the pan and popped it into the oven. Then I tasted it. I will definitely make it again, I will have to share it at work though. I told a friend at work about this, and she said the only reason I had to feel guilty was that I didn't share!

This one comes from a friend at our church, via the Our Savior's Lutheran Church Cookbook. She's one of those Lutheran church ladies, you know the kind - reminds everyone of their favorite grandmother and can cook and bake like no one's business. It's simply called

Quick Rhubarb Dessert

3 to 4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 box white or yellow cake mix

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 box strawberry jello (dry powder) - 3 oz. size

1 cup sugar

1 cup hot water

Grease and flour bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish. In the order given, layer the ingredients into the pan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

We had ours when it was still a little warm, with a scoop of ice cream on the side. Yet another dessert I could easily finish off entirely on my own! I brought a piece to eat with my lunch, but it didn't make it to noon. I will say it was even better when it had totally cooled off, and it was easier to take out of the pan. Somehow, I totally missed the "grease and flour the pan" part of the recipe; the only part that was hard to take out was the top, because all the sugar in the topping adhered to the sides, which is why I would recommend greasing and flouring the sides as well as the bottom of the baking dish.

This blog should have probably been called "Sandi's Expanding Derriere Recipe Box", as I've noticed a lack of healthy stuff here. I really don't cook and bake like this every day, but I will admit that if I could eat like this all of the time, I would. If you've ever seen the movie called "Defending Your Life" (with Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep), heaven is depicted as a place where you can eat whatever and as much as you want and not gain a pound. It does sound a little gluttonous, but the concept is a pleasant dream! So I will add a few more healthy recipes, too - because I know we don't all want to be blogging about our weight problems, and I certainly don't want to be the blame! But maybe next time. For now, try out this recipe - just make sure you bring it to work or the next family gathering so you aren't tempted to eat the whole thing :)