Step 1

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Step 2

For the strawberry rhubarb filling: In a medium bowl, toss the rhubarb with 3/4 cup of the sugar and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the rhubarb to the strawberries and discard any rhubarb juice. Add the cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla to the fruit and stir well. Transfer the mixture to a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.

Step 3

For the topping: Combine all the topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a rigid pastry blender, cut the ingredients together until large crumbs form. You want to have some larger pieces, and sometimes it just works best to squeeze and crumble the mixture with your hands just a bit at the end.

Step 4

Sprinkle topping evenly over the filling. I like to leave a small bare edge around the perimeter, to see the pretty strawberry rhubarb mixture. Bake for 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F. If the topping is browning quickly, tent a piece of foil (my favorite is this larger-sized heavy duty foil) very loosely over the pan, so the foil is not touching the crisp. Continue baking for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the fruit filling is thickened and bubbling quite a bit, and the topping is nicely browned. Let the crisp rest for about 20 minutes before serving. This is awesome served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Store on the counter uncovered for up to a couple days. The topping will stay nicely crisp if left uncovered.