Day 12: Pumpkin Roll

Day three. Still no end in sight, to my dishwasher-less plight... (Hey! That rhymed!)

The days are bad - I won't deny it - but the morning light helps shed a little hope on our situation. We can turn our heads, play like the dirty dishes aren't there... walk out the door to our day jobs.

But the nights... oh, the nights... they are the worst. The dishes teeter precariously on the edge of the counter. The evenings milk glasses taunt me from the dinner table. And then... there's the sound of hot running water, the soap bubbles in my eyes, the pruned hands that no longer look like my own... *sniff*

This, I come home to.

I find some comfort in knowing that others before me, have overcome these deplorable conditions. I shall live another day to see clean dishes and a working dishwasher. When that day will come... I do not know... but I SHALL, see that day. (Picture me, standing in a dress made from curtains, holding up a radish...yeah, that's how sincere I am.)
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Yeah, so things have been a little rough around here lately. I kid of course... I KNOW I'm blessed to have water, let alone hot water that comes on when I want it to and is clean enough to drink straight from the tap. All sarcasm aside, I do know how lucky I am.

But it has made me consider using copious amounts of butter and/or oil in everything that I cook -- you know, so that things don't stick. Not because it makes things so yummy.

So today, I decided to try my hand at a Pumpkin Roll. Ironically enough, the recipe came off of a can of Libby's pumpkin puree! AND doesn't use a single drop of oil or butter!

Anyway...

What you'll need:

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 (yuck.)
1/4 Teaspoon salt
3 Large eggs
1 Cup granulated sugar
2/3 Cup pumpkin puree
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

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan (I don't even know what a jelly roll pan is... so just use a rimmed cookie sheet); line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar and set aside.

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. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. I always wish there was a camera on me, when I do this. I have no doubt, that my facial expressions are priceless. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Let cook completely.

Filling: Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in mixer bowl until smooth. Fold in your chopped nuts. 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.

What grade do I give this Pumpkin Roll? It's a classic... a solid B.