Monday, November 22, 2010

Art School Fencing!


My daughter is a fencing fool! She joined the fencing club at the University of the Arts and is absolutely hooked. Be it known that this is her first fencing experience and she is the beast!
She is the petite 5'2" freshman facing the much larger male opponent. My fearless freshman lost this match by one point, 4-3. She went on to win two other "bouts" against much larger males! Way to go Annelise. Behind her is her good friend and fellow animation major, Giselle. Most of the fencing club is made up of animation majors. In fact, the coach is her animation professor!
She is having an absolutely amazing time and cannot wait for fencing every Monday and Thursday night! What a way for a tiny teen to feel empowered!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Pumpkin Rolls for Dessert

Today I attempted to make pumpkin rolls. Pumpkin rolls instead of pumpkin pie. I have purchased a pumpkin roll every year from someone.
This is the first year I have not been offered one.
I expected one.
I turned my New Jersey family on to these delectable desserts one year ago.
They do not make these in New Jersey.
I think it is a Pennsylvania Dutch thing.
My newly formed chapter of the National Art Honor Society was going to have a pumpkin roll baking party. We were going to sell them at football games.
I thought I would get my pumpkin roll from them.
The plans fell through.
No pumpkin rolls.
A lot of church ladies make these. Last year I bought two from a student whose church ladies made them.
What happened to the church ladies?
What happened to the students who always ask me to buy them?

I decided to try to make them myself.

The recipe is, after all on the flip side of the Libby's pumpkin label. Most people make the pumpkin pie.

How hard could it be?

The first thing I needed to do was find a jelly roll pan. Hmmm. What is a jelly roll pan? I found a cookie sheet with sides and a pizza baking stone with sides.

I mixed all the cake ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, pumpkin, ginger, ground cloves and allspice.
I greased the pan, laid waxed paper down, greased the waxed paper and floured it. I spread my cake mix over the waxed paper and baked for 15 minutes.

I then had to flip the cake out of the pan onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectionary sugar.
I rolled the cake and towel and let them cool for an hour.

I made the cream cheese filling. I had to unroll the cake, spread the filling and re-roll.
One roll ripped a little (okay a lot). The other looks rather nice.

We will have to sacrifice the ripped one to the tasting gods. The tasting gods live in my house. The prettier one will be taken to New Jersey for our Thanksgiving dessert.