Iowa recipes: Rhubarb swirl pie

OK. So I've posted this recipe on the blog before, but I wanted to give it a try again with an easier ready-made graham cracker pie crust.  I've actually seen this recipe more often with the ready-made crust than with the homemade version.  Not only is it convenient, but it also sets up much better.  On my previous attempt, the dessert just looked like pink fluff!  Rhubarb season is pretty much finished here in central Iowa.  I froze the last of my garden rhubarb last weekend.  But I'll be making this rhubarb swirl pie again next spring.  It's very easy and very good! 

Here's my original post with the homemade graham cracker crust, if you prefer.  If you use the store-bought crust, then you probably won't have enough space inside the crust for all the filling, because I didn't.  Maybe you could use the rest to fill up one of those mini-graham cracker pie crusts.  Enjoy!

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Rhubarb Swirl
From the Deer Creek Lutheran Church Cookbook (from Carpenter, Iowa -- my grandmother's home town)

• 1 (3 oz.) box strawberry Jello
• 3 C. diced rhubarb
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 1 (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding
• 1-1/2 C. milk
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 8 oz. Cool Whip topping 

Graham cracker crust:

• 2 C. graham crackers, crushed
• 1/3 C. powdered sugar
• 1/2 C. melted margarine (I use butter)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 

Pour sugar over rhubarb and set 1 hour. Put in saucepan and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour in Jello and mix until dissolved. Set aside and cool until syrupy.  Prepare pudding with milk and vanilla. Then add topping and mix well. Pour rhubarb mix into pudding and gently swirl. Put into prepared graham cracker crust and chill overnight.

Crust:  Mix together ingredients. Press all but 1/4 C. (for topping) in a 9x13-inch pan. Chill 1 hour before pouring rhubarb filling on.  Sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.