A little bit of this and a dash of that

Today's column is a little bit of everything. We have a response from a recipe request, a couple of shared recipes from friends and a few I just want to share. All in all, I think you will enjoy them; there is just no particular theme for today.

Sandy Riehn was looking for a chocolate roll recipe like her mother used to make. A few people where I work at the senior center told me how they make it, and we did have 1 written response from Linda Urhahn of Benton, Missouri.

Chocolate Rolls

• 1 recipe pie crust

Roll it out, brush a little butter all over. Sprinkle and cover the surface with cocoa, then cover the cocoa with a layer of sugar (you can add cinnamon if you wish). Roll up the pie crust and pinch the ends closed. Brush outside of crust with a little milk or cream. Bake at 350 degrees until brown and chocolate is oozing from the ends. Slice and serve.Famous Chocolate Roll

Pie crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 1/4 cup cold water
• Dash of salt
• Butter, melted or the liquid squeeze margarine, it covers better

Cocoa-sugar mixture:

Mix about 2 tablespoons cocoa and 1/4 cup sugar

Roll out crust and spread with butter, then cocoa and sugar mixture. Roll up jelly- roll-style or fold ends over the middle, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is done. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and slice.

You can use a cinnamon/sugar mixture instead of cocoa if you prefer.

With rhubarb in abundant supply I wanted to pass along my mom's custard pie recipe. Some of my family like it cold from the refrigerator, while others like it a little more room temperature.

Rhubarb Custard Pie

• Pastry for a single 9-inch crust
• About 3 cups cut up fresh rhubarb
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry. Cut rhubarb in fairly small pieces. Mix together sugar, butter, flour, salt, eggs, milk and vanilla; beat with electric mixer for about a minute or until well beaten. Put rhubarb in pie shell; pour custard over it and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until custard is set. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate any leftovers.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned Dortha Strack's sugar cookies in my column but I didn't have the recipe. Well, now I do. Here is Miss Dortha's cookie recipe she so lovingly made for the kindergartners of her Sunday school class for about 40 years. She always made them for Christmas and other holidays.

Miss Dortha's Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup butter or good quality margarine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter or margarine. Add sugar gradually, creaming until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Sift other ingredients together. Add gradually to creamed mixture. Chill 3 to 4 hours.

Roll out on well floured surface to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Cut in desired shape. Bake on greased cookie sheet in 375 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheet, then remove to cooling rack.

A friend sent me this recipe for sticky chicken, and it sounds very good. Of course, I had to get the last word in by including my sticky chicken recipe as well.

Sticky Chicken

• 3 to 5 pounds bone-in chicken with skin (folks usually use legs and/or thighs)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a sauce pot, combine ketchup, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic powder over medium heat. Bring it just to a boil while stirring. Remove from heat. Arrange chicken pieces in 9x13 dish. Pour entire amount of sauce over chicken, turning pieces with tongs to coat. Place in oven, uncovered, for 90 minutes, turning after 45 minutes. Fifteen minutes before cooking time is up, flip pieces once more and baste with sauce.

Susan's Sticky Roasted Chicken

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (3 pound chicken)
• 1 onion, cut into medium to large chunks

Combine all dry ingredients and rub mixture inside and out of chicken. Place mixture-covered chicken in covered dish and refrigerate overnight. The next day, stuff chicken cavity with chunked up onion. Baste with pan juices; then add 1/2 cup water to pan. Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees for 4 to 5 hours, depending on the size of the chicken.

Our friends Ray and Joan Haring gave this recipe to me years ago and I still use it as a summer grilling favorite. After you give it a try, it may become one of yours, too.

Favorite Grilled Chicken

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 whole cloves
• Dash of pepper

Blend together oil, soy sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in a glass dish. Sprinkle with garlic, pepper, thyme and cloves. Pour marinade over chicken. Let stand in refrigerator at least 4 hours, turning breasts from time to time, or overnight. When ready to grill, grill for about 5 minutes, turn over and grill another 5 to 8 minutes on the other side. Do not overcook.

Honey Baked Chicken

• 1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) whole chicken, cut into quarters or pieces
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

Place chicken pieces in shallow baking pan, skin side up. Combine butter, honey, mustard, salt, and curry powder; mix. Pour over chicken and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting every 15 minutes until chicken is tender and golden brown.

This recipe has no significance except I love lemon, and the recipe just caught my eye. I might add a little lemon zest into the mixture to bring out that lemon flavor. This would be a very light and refreshing dessert on a hot summer day.

Pineapple Fluff Pie

• 1 (20 ounces) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (3.4 ounces) package instant lemon pudding mix
• 1 (8 ounces) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (9-inche) graham cracker crust

In a mixing bowl, combine the pineapple and pudding mix until thickened. Fold in the whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle lemon zest and/or toasted coconut on top.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.