A few fall submissions

Don't you just love going to community dinners that are sponsored by organizations trying to raise money for their individual cause? You can feast on chicken and dumplings, fried fish, kettle beef and now chicken pie. Grace United Methodist Church is having a chicken pie dinner featuring their old-fashioned chicken pie. People usually think it will be pot pie filled with vegetables, but it is not. It is a chicken pie with crust on top and bottom, gravy and chicken. With all the trimmings on the side, that sounds like Sunday dinner to me.

This pumpkin roll is one of my favorite desserts for fall and winter. I have not had time to make one yet this fall, but I feel like I need to. I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Beat eggs on high speed of mixer for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar over 1 minute. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. Spread in greased and waxed paper-lined jelly-roll pan, 15-by-10-by-1-inch. Top with chopped pecans. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes; let set 3 to 5 minutes. Turn out onto clean dish cloth that has been generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up, longwise, towel and cake together to form a long roll. Cool in refrigerator 2 to 3 hours. Unroll gently and fill with cream cheese filling. Reroll up and place seam side down on serving plate.

Cream Cheese Filling

1 cup powdered sugar

2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese

4 tablespoons margarine

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, margarine and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread over cake roll with spatula. Reroll cake with nuts on the outside, ending with seam side down. Chill in refrigerator. Garnish as desired.

This recipe was sent to me without a name, but it sounds good. It is a little different from the taffy apple salad I have made before.

Taffy Apple Salad

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drain and reserve juice

1 tablespoon flour or 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 egg, well beaten

2 cups thinly sliced golden delicious apples with skin

1 cup Spanish peanuts with skins

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar or 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 (8-ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

2 cups thinly sliced red apples with skins

Combine pineapple juice, sugar, egg, flour and vinegar. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Allow to cool. Fold in whipped topping, then remaining ingredients. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 8 to 10.

When weather gets cooler I get in the mood for a nice bowl of soup. I have not made this particular recipe yet, but found it over the weekend while reading a cookbook.

French Onion Soup Au Gratin

1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced

1/4 pound margarine

2 cans beef broth

1 can water

2 cubes beef bouillon

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon minced onion

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese

1 slice cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

Swiss or mozzarella cheese

Saute onion in margarine. Mix remaining ingredients and simmer 20 minutes. When ready to serve, place slice of Swiss or mozzarella cheese in bottom of oven-proof bowl, put soup in half the bowl, place cheddar cheese croutons in soup, scoop in more soup, top with Swiss or mozzarella cheese. Broil 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

There are many people with German heritage from this area, and they certainly know how to cook. I was given this recipe from a friend that comes to the Senior Center and I know it will become a favorite with my sister. She loves noodles and cooked cabbage, so this will suit her just fine.

Cabbage and Noodles

1 stick margarine or butter

1 large onion

1 large head cabbage

1 package noodles

Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt margarine on low heat. Cook onion; add cabbage. Cook down on low heat. Cook 1 package noodles as directed on package. Drain off water. Add to cabbage and cook on low for about 1 1/2 hours or until done. Add water to cabbage if needed, a little at a time.

This next recipe by Mary Lou Bridges is a great recipe to take as a carry in dinner for friends or family.

Stuffed Chicken Rolls

6 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

6 slices fully cooked ham

6 slices Swiss cheese

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon ground sage

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup oil

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/2 cup chicken broth

Chopped parsley, optional

Flatten chicken to 1/8-inch thickness. Place ham and Swiss cheese on each breast. Roll up and tuck in ends and secure with a toothpick. Combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, sage, paprika and pepper; coat chicken on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil over medium heat. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker. Combine soup and broth. Pour over chicken, cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Remove toothpicks to serve. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

I am all out of room, so I will wish you a great week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.