No Fuss Rhubarb Dessert

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, this Rhubarb Dump Dessert is super easy and quick to make and refrigerates well for preparing the day before your celebration.  ;)   Each ingredient is layered and mixes itself in the cooking process... Yay!  (It is always a plus for me to find a recipe that uses a main ingredient from our garden.) 

There are many variations of this dessert on the Net, and I know some are more concientious about sugar usage.  My personal preference is to use enough sugar to turn out a rhubarb gel similar to a sweet pie filling.   If wish your dessert to be a little more on the tart side, add an extra cup of rhubarb.  Once it is cool, it may not gel up as firm but will be just as tasty! :) 

The recipe is written with each step being followed by the picture.   The dish is 13 x 9 inches, and your oven should be preheated to 350 degrees.

5 Cups   Rhubarb (cut into chunks)

Spread out evenly on the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan.

3/4 Cup    White Sugar

Sprinkle over all of the rhubarb chunks.

3 oz. package of Strawberry Jello

Clip a corner of the package and sprinkle evenly over the other ingredients.

1 box    Yellow Cake Mix

Clip the corner of the bag and sprinkle evenly over contents of pan.  You can use your fingers to push unwanted piles or break up chunks! ;)

1 Cup    Water

Let the water drizzle from the measuring cup.   You can go back and forth and change from side to side.  This will dispense it fairly evenly over dry ingredients.

1/2 Cup    Butter (melted)

Melt butter in microwave safe dish.  Drizzle the butter as evenly as possible over the other ingredients.  As you can see from the photo, I have a few chunks in mine still.  It is a very forgiving recipe! ;)

The only thing left is to bake your dessert.  Your oven should be preheated to 350 degrees.  Which at The Hollow translates to "Turn the oven on about 2 minutes (or less) before sticking the pan in!"  LOL  Set your timer for 45 minutes and pull out a colorful yummy dessert! 

The longer the dish cools -  the firmer the filling will get.  My family can be found scooping it onto plates with a spoon while it is still in a semi warm and liquid state. ;)   For a chilly twist on a hot day, you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.   

After the dish gets to room temp,  put a wrap over the top and pop it into the fridge.  It tastes even better after being chilled!  

Enjoy! :)