Welcome recipe hounds! My guest today is Shaina from Just Because I am Me. She's going to be making a KILLER pumpkin roll!
Let's get started with the interview first!
Shaina:: For all you readers out there who don't like pumpkin, I assure you, I am right there with you. I detest pumpkin pie. However, this dessert tastes more like a really good spice cake and I find it delicious. So if you are worried about the pumpkin taste, don't be. Try it. I think you will find it will become a favorite. For pumpkin lovers out there, you won't be disappointed.
L. Chops: What's your favorite ingredient when
cooking?
Shaina: I think that would have to be zest. Lemon zest, lime zest,
orange zest. I love citrusy things. If a recipe calls for the juice
of a citrus fruit, add the zest too! It makes the dish so much better,
and adds the ZING it needs. Don't forget the zest!
L. Chops: What
leftovers do you have lurking in your fridge right now?
Shaina: I have a big
bowl of mashed potatoes (my favorite food in the world). I like to
make double one night, (peel once, use twice) so the next night I can
make a completely different meal with them. Saves me time. I also
have some of the leftover Alfredo Chicken Pizza that was showcased on
your blog in September. It's a family favorite now.
L. Chops: YAY! I hope Amanda sees this!
L. Chops: If you
could choose to be a food, what would you be?
Shaina: Wow. I've never given
this any thought. I guess I'd have to choose my favorite combination,
which is peanut butter and chocolate. My hips give a little 'horrah'
every time I eat one but I don't care. Who can resist such a
pleasurable combination? Well, I guess if you are allergic to peanuts.
That would put a damper on any party.
L. Chops: What toppings do you like
on your pizza?
Shaina: Well, I already mentioned the Alfredo pizza. Very
good. I also love a good Hawaiian pizza. Pineapple and Canadian
bacon. Can't get much better.
L. Chops: What recipe do you cook best?
Shaina: Oh, it's hard to narrow it down to one. I really love cooking. I love
being in the kitchen. I love the whole process of making a meal for
your family. I have lots of favorites posted on the side of my blog,
but I think most of my friends request my chocolate chip cookies the
most. They like them so much, that when I give them a bag of formed
cookie dough balls, it never makes it to the oven. Yes. Cookie dough
is my most requested item by far.
L.Chops: Do you think that cookie dough would ship well to Texas? hehe
L. Chops: If you were a salad, which
dressing would you pick?
Shaina: I would make my orange juice salad dressing.
I think it's originally a pampered chef recipe. My favorite by far,
and it's so simple to make.
L. Chops: What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Shaina: Peanut butter chunks mixed in vanilla ice cream. Yummy.
L. Chops: Butter cream frosting or whipped?
Shaina: I have to say I'm not a huge fan of frosting or cakes. I prefer pie!
L.Chops: I am thinking I need to remove this question from the Internet. I am shocked at how many people do not like cake OR frosting. Sheesh folks.
L. Chops: What
is your favorite memory associated with food?
Shaina: I grew up on a ranch
with tons of cousins. We would always have cookouts. My favorite
memory would be sitting around the campfire on one of our wood benches
that was supported by logs, eating country fried steak with potatoes,
gravy and biscuits...all cooked in dutch ovens. I still love to make
that meal, only I use the stove top now!
L. Chops: What do you use to
clean your dishes?
Shaina: I use a scrubber that I can pour dish soap into the
handle. I love that I can wash and scrub at the same time and don't
have to fill my sink with water. I change the scrub pad quite often to
keep things sanitary.
L.Chops: Whose your favorite celebrity chef?
Shaina: We watch the
food network all the time and I have gotten great recipes from all of
them. I can't pick a single favorite, since I like them all for
different reasons and different recipes.
L.Chops: If a recipe calls
for a clove of garlic, how much do you use?
Shaina: I don't measure. I just
see 'garlic' so I add what is appropriate for the dish. I like to buy
the garlic already minced in the produce section, so I add a glob or
two. No worries.
L. Chops: If a recipe calls for vanilla....?
Shaina: I do the
same as with the garlic. I just tip the bottle over and add an amount
that I feel is good. I hate measuring anything. I'm all about
globbing, sloshing, dumping, and throwing stuff together. Ditch the
measuring spoons! It's liberating.
L. Chops: You should check out that original Chocolate Cobbler recipe I posted then. Measuring schmeasuring. Who needs it!
L. Chops: Favorite spice or blend?
Shaina: I'll go back to my zest question. My favorite way to add some ZIP to a recipe.
So there you have it folks.. the deep dark recesses of Shaina's mind. We made it out alive and now it's time to make some rolls of pumpkin!
Pumpkin Roll
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cup flour
1 15 pz can of pumpkin
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ginger
2 Tbsp cinnamon
Beat
eggs. Add sugar. Add pumpkin. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients
until thoroughly mixed. Bake on large cookie sheet lined with parchment
paper at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 5
minutes. While still in the pan, sprinkle top with powdered sugar,
place dishcloth on cake, flip over so cake is on top of the dishcloth,
remove pan, sprinkle with powdered sugar (sprinkling the dish towel and the cake before you roll it up helps it not to stick to the towel...pretty clever!). Bring up the edge of the
dishcloth and roll like a cinnamon roll (the long ways), incorporating
the dishtowel. This helps make the cake not stick to itself when it's
rolled up. Place in fridge to cool. Best if made the night before, or refrigerate at least 4 hours. This time also helps solidify the
'roll'. The towel also protects it from getting dried out.
Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cube of butter, softened
2 boxes of cream cheese, softened
4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups of chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Beat
together sugar, butter, vanilla and cream cheese. Unroll cake and
remove dishcloth. Spread ½ frosting and ½ nuts inside; roll up again.
Spread top with frosting and sprinkle with nuts. Serve. Eat. Lick
your fingers. Go back for more.
Thanks Shaina!
If you ever decide to make this roll make sure you come back and leave us a comment. Shaina and I would love to see how it turns out for you!
I am going to go ahead and post the Sunday Recipe schedule for the next few weeks so you guys have some idea of who is coming up next! Stay tuned and keep on cooking!
Nov 16 - Stacy from Cook Something Even if it's Wrong
Nov 21 - Tricia from Hippie Family
Dec 7 - Damaris from Within the Corners of My Kitchen
Dec 14 - Sara from Our Best Bites
Dec 21 - is available...and so is all of January.. so if you would like to host a recipe here (you do not need a blog.. just a camera and a killer recipe).. email me!
Thanks for stopping by everyone and a giant thanks and some hugs to Shaina for hosting the recipe today!
P.S. Tomorrow and Tuesday and possibly Wednesday you will be visiting with the "Virtual Lolly"... I'll check in and let you know if I am doing ok as soon as I can. I have prepared a few posts to keep you busy until the "Real Lolly" gets back. I'll miss you guys. HUGS.
