Published: May 26, 2009 08:58 am      

Drucilla's Little Helpers: Strawberry angel food roll

The Monterey High School Class of 1964 is planning their 45th class reunion to be held on Sept. 5 2009. If any of our class members are interested in helping with the planning of this event please meet us at the Burger King in Monterey on May 30 at 2 p.m. We will have the reunion at the new Super 8 Hotel. As we were discussing the use of this conference room with the hotel manager, he assured us that we could come as early as we needed to for decorating. I thanked him and I told him that we have been out of school for 45 years and we are in our 60s and we would be lucky to be able to put a tablecloth on the table. He just smiled.

Are you stressed? Then go outside. I was reading and this caught my eye. So I read some more. It seems that some scientists have found that walking in the forest, smelling its woodsy scent and looking at flora-covered landscapes can help you de-stress from the demands of daily life. Some government officials in Japan are recommending "forest therapy" to help workers chill out. Does that mean that the next time George gets on my nerves I can tell him to take a hike? I was reading this to my granddaughter about walking in the woods to help you de-stress your body and she said, "Not if you have allergies." I live in the woods, does this mean I should be de-stressed all the time?

I was reading another article and this caught my eye... "When we start to get older, our brain cells become like an old married couple — they don't talk to each other very much anymore. Poly-phenols get the conversation flowing again by promoting signals between cells. Strawberries have plant chemicals called poly-phenols."

With that said I have a strawberry recipe today. I understand the local places are picking berries now. I have some that I will need to make jam with and also put in the freezer. Does this mean my brain cells are going to start talking to George's brain cells again when we start eating all these strawberries? Hey George's brain cells, "I have a birthday coming up around the last of May."

Strawberry Angel Food Roll

14-1/2 oz. package angel food cake mix

1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups whipping cream

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Prepare cake according to package directions; pour into a greased jelly roll pan lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn cake onto a towel dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off the wax paper. Starting at narrow end, roll up cake and towel together; cool on wire rack for 20 minutes, seam-side down. In a mixing bowl, combine strawberries and sugar; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat cream until foamy. Add powdered sugar; continue beating until soft peaks form. Drain any liquid from berries. Unroll cake and remove from towel. Spread cake with half whipped cream mixture; top with strawberries. Re-roll cake; place on a plate seam side down. Serve with remaining whipped cream. Serves 10-12.

I know this would be easier just to make the angel food cake and top with strawberries and whipped cream, but this is pretty also as well as good.

If you have any questions or recipes to share or would like to help with our class reunion, just give me a call at (931) 839-2313 or e-mail me at drucilla1@frontiernet.net.