Pumpkin Roll (in memory of Samantha)

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
  
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• FILLING
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions

FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

This is a tribute to my good friend Samantha. I will miss you!

Homemade chicken noodle soup

Homemade chicken noodle soup

2 chicken breasts -cooked and chopped

carrots
celery
onion-chopped
8 cups chicken broth (don't use low sodium bc it makes a huge difference in taste)
1 can cream of chicken
pepper to taster
1 tsp basil

boil veggies and broth for about 15 min then add chicken. Add the rest of the ingredients and boil again before adding the noodles. Add noodles last and cook an additional 5 min.

Homemade egg noodles*
these make the soup and they are ridiculously easy to make.
2/3 flour
pinch of salt
1 large egg
1/4 tsp evoo

mix flour and salt and mound in a heap. Make a well and add egg and oil. Stir the egg with a fork until all the flour is incorporated. You may need to use your hands to get it all.
Knead the ball of dough until smooth. Dust with flour and enclose with plastic wrap. Set aside to relax 30-45 min. (I have skipped this step and it still comes out fine).

On a floured surface roll out dough in to 12 inch circle. Cut in half (I like to use a pizza cutter for this). Then cut across the half to make 1/4 inch noodles. Let them dry 30 min before cooking. (I have also omitted this step before when I was in a hurry and they cooked just fine).

Virginia Spring Salad

adapted from Robyn Anderson's recipe

Salad greens
Sliced mushrooms
Sliced red onion
Dried Cranberries
Avocado, sliced or cubed
Sliced cucumber
Crumbled Feta cheese
Other nice additions are sliced Hearts of Palm, thinly sliced peppers


Heavenly Dressing:
(which you may want to bathe in!)
¼ red onion
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. dry mustard
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

(Puree in a blender until frothy. You can store this dressing in the refrigerator for a while).