Pumpkin Rolls and Cream Cheese Orange Rolls

Keren got me thinking about Jelly Rolls last week as she endeavoured to master the art. I have tried a few different recipes at different times but the one I go back to always is this Pumpkin Roll recipe as I cook to please a pumpkin loving Man. Even though I have made it many times over the years it has been a really long time since I last made it.

I also created a fun orange cream cheese roll that we really enjoyed a whole lot. I took it to our life group meeting on Thursday evening. I am going to put its recipe here so I will know what I did if I ever want to make it again.

Pumpkin Roll

1 cup sugar

3 beaten eggs

2/3 cup canned/frozen,thawed/cooked and mushed pumpkin

3/4 cup flour, I used 100% whole wheat flour this time and they taste great but they were a little harder to work with as they wanted to fall apart more than normal.

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 375*.

Mix the sugar, eggs, and pumpkin in a bowl, add next 4 ingredients and mix well.

Grease a jellyroll pan with oil and line it with a greased wax paper (all of this oiling is really important). Extend paper over the sides of the baking sheet. Pour batter into pan and spread to edges. Sprinkle batter with pecans (I used almonds I had slivered this time and that was tasty).

Bake for 15 minutes, or until done in the middle and turning golden.

Sprinkle a clean dishtowel generously with powdered sugar ans flip cooked cake onto the powdered towel. Gently remove wax paper:

Roll your cake up with the towel on it. My recipe says to roll loosely and I tend to roll it tightly. I guess you can try it both ways and see what is best for your cake. My philosophy on tightness was that would hold it better and not allow cracking. Let it stand until cooled, not cold though.

Filling

1-8 ounce package cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Beat ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

Unroll cooled cake and spread frosting across it. Roll your cake up again (without your towel).

If it is fragile you can use your towel/cling wrap to help you roll it by evenly holding one end of the towel higher and letting gravity roll the cake for you. You will need to start the rolling with your fingers though.

Wrap you roll in cling wrap and aluminum foil. Place in the freezer. Unwrap and slice while still frozen. They thaw fairly quickly.

They keep for sometime very nicely in the freezer and make for a great quick desert when surprise guest arrive. And now the:

Orange roll

1/2 cup flour ( I used whole wheat)

1 teaspoon baking powder

8 egg whites

Zest of one orange (leave about 1 teaspoon for filling)

2/3 cup sugar Oven 375*

2 Tablespoons slivered almonds

Whip egg whites until very frothy. Add the sugar and orange zest and thoroughly beat together.

Mix flour and baking powder and stir into egg mixture until well mixed.

Grease a jelly roll pan with oil and line with greased wax paper. Extend paper over sides of pan. Sprinkle slivered almonds across wax paper and then, pour batter into prepared pan and spread to edges evenly.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched lightly near center.

Filling

1-8 ounce package cream cheese

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon orange juice

2 Tablespoons butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Follow directions above for compiling the roll.

Sundays

Last Sunday we took a bike ride to a local park. We wanted to because we like to take rides on pretty, sunny Sunday afternoons, but also because a friend of Beatrice's came over that afternoon from church. The first thing she told me when we got into the van is Travis won't have to help me learn to ride the bike anymore because I learned how now. As soon as Travis got in she told him also. So it was a fun thing for her to share with us.

The cool activity on this ride (aside from Tea sharing her new skills) was a guy at the park with his kids and birds. He kept whistling every once in awhile and they would stay near by him. I think being able to train them that well is pretty cool. He said he has another one at home that does a few more tricks. He has had him longer. I was happy watching from afar, but as soon as Malia saw them she went to check them out. The white one is a fiddlederoo, afigilreuu or something pigeon and the yellow one is a love bird parrot. The parrot likes to stay in the trees and the pigeon is happier on the ground and they both seemed to be happier in Margaret's hair. She has a very sensitive scalp and was not too happy to be their favorite landing perch. It was funny though.

Beatrice was smitten for the next few days and kept begging for a bird, any bird, one that would be hers and she could care for. Then for some reason since I wouldn't let her have a bird (they stink and I do not ever want one to live in my house :) she decided that a pig would be fine so she had Travis looking on craigslist for pigs. No luck. Except for a guinea pig which we all agree they stink (except for Bea).

Can you find the Love bird?

This Sunday we had a couple over from church that have been coming for awhile but we have never had over to our place. The food was fine, but I tried a Lime Cheese Cake Recipe and it was REALLy good. They were so sweet and thankful to come. It was fun. I have been really trying hard to be ready to have a decent dinner on Sundays ready so we can invite a family over every Sunday Travis is able.

This morning Gregory was the first one up besides me and he got all dressed for church right off. Often he fusses about needing to go to church and hasn't wanted to go to class for a really long time. So that was neat that he got ready so perkily. Then he got out the bowls and spoons and cereal and milk for everyone and started eating his breakfast. (This is the only morning of the week we do that but to get to church on time I want the kids to eat as soon as they are up) Once Gregory got all set up at the table he asked me if it was morning church and I said yes. He said, oh, good because then we will have friends over afterwards. That made me feel so good. Then at church he went to class without me asking him too, or anyone!

I like Sundays!

~Anna

Springtime

In one week you can really see a difference in our greenery. We have gotten two nice rains and everything looks so much nicer! I love new buds on all the trees.

There is just one week between the taking of these two train pictures.

Now that Spring has Sprung I am enjoying grazing around our yard for edible plants. There isn't too much out there yet but I have managed to insert dandelion greens into two meals so far, with a bit of red clover leaves for good measure. Harrison and Margaret try to say they don't like greens, but truly they do. Especially when they are in a nice rice Pilauf or in Kabab Masala. The Shepherd's purse are growing nicely. They are really good cooked until tender and add a few beaten eggs and salt and pepper. Cook until set. Yummy stuff.Spring is when my Birthday is. This is my terimisu cake Margaret made for me. This is also yummy stuff! We had it for our morning tea. She couldn't wait any longer to see how it turned out. All week, until yesterday, she was trying to get everyone to vote on the type of cake to make and never could she get one hundred percent vote for her choice so yesterday she just went ahead and baked it without consulting the rest of the clan.

Black Irish Ginger Cake

In preparation for Saint Patrick's Day we had this cake for supper tonight. It was a hit with everyone. We had 5 unexpected guest and everyone of them asked for seconds or thirds, too. I got the recipe from here but as is my style I did change it in a few ways. 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses 3 cup whole wheat flour 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup fresh hot strong black coffee Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease 9 inch round cake pan or a 9x13 cake pan and set aside. Cream together the butter, sugar and molasses until smooth. Beat in the eggs, add the flour, spices, and salt. Dissolve the Baking soda in the coffee, then add to the batter. Beat vigorously until well blended. Scrape the batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 -60 minutes, or until tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Excellent served with: 8 oz whipping cream whipped with 1 teaspoon coffee granules and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Why don't you try it today and tell me if your family likes it as much as mine did. ~Anna