Strawberry and Rhubarb Pandowdy

Contributed by Bradley Ogden

With strips of pastry covering the fruit, this is a personal interpretation of a pandowdy.

Put the flour in a bowl and add the butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Cut or rub in the butter and cream cheese just until a dough is formed. Pat into a square, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°. In a shallow 2-quart baking dish, toss the rhubarb with the strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and ginger.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the dough crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Lay the strips of dough over the fruit, anchoring them to the sides of the dish; trim if necessary. Sprinkle the strips with the crystallized sugar. Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling.