Read Your Recipe!
This is what I’ve learned about birthdays. You have to make as big of a deal of your birthday as YOU want made, or else you will wind up somewhat disappointed. My husband came home from work after his birthday once and I said, “did everyone wish you happy birthday?”. He said no, a little forlornly. “Did you tell anyone it was your birthday?” I asked. No. Hmm.
I always hate when I read about recipes that I can’t make because they require a bit of kitchenware I don’t own. So why am I doing it to you? Well, because pizzelles are cool.
My Mom-mom Julia would show up to every family gathering with about thirty thousand pizzelles, and somehow they would all get eaten. My mom has taken this on and the huge Tupperware full of them is always nearby. I’ll never forget the day my mom subbed for my middle school teacher and she brought her dough and press to use the time to make pizzelles. True story.
This recipe turned out to be a surprisingly easy way to make a lot of dessert. This would be fantastic to bring to any event where lots of people would want just a bite of something sweet after dinner. These bars have a shortbread crust, a chewy pecan filling, and just enough chocolate to tie it all together.
When I was younger, Christmas was everything sweet and wonderful. People gave me presents, I ate lots of chocolate, etc. After my first married Christmas, I realized that the Christmas hullabaloo has a stinky side; it flies by in a rush of anxiety and expectations. See, when you’re married, you have to buy twice the amount of gifts because apparently all the men went to the same man-class that told them they don’t have to buy Christmas presents.
My family has made this recipe every Christmas since I can remember. Before I was of much use in the kitchen, my job was to unwrap the Andes Mints. Now every year my mom, my sister and I each make them in our own homes. They win the award for best Christmas Cookie. There are awards, you didn’t know?
Traditional biscotti is definitely a “healthier” cookie. While you’ll find loads of sugar and a hefty amount of eggs, you won’t find fat. That’s right, no butter or oil in this one.
Mmm bats are so tasty. These cookies LOOK like they’re just for kids but they’re slightly chewy and intensely chocolatey. Great for halloween (which, by the way, is now the second most popular holiday RIGHT under Christmas…what?) but shaped into anything else.. or just a round chocolately ball… great for any time of year! That’s right, if you just want some chocolate cookies then roll them into a ball and bake them. You could then use the circles to make ice cream sandwiches! The dough is super forgiving and easy to work with, trust me.
Might as well make it pumpkin Monday. Last Monday, pumpkin muffin. Today, biscotti. Next Monday, pumpkin roll!
A friend dropped off cookies the other day (which were delicious), and she mentioned that she checked this site to make the chocolate chips that I probably had on here, but was surprised to find there wasn’t a recipe to be found!
Back to school! Today is the first day for a lot of students and a terribly gross rainy day, at that. I remember a staple in my lunch box for years was the Quaker Toasted Oats Chewy Bars, always in chocolate peanut butter flavor. I’m sure you’re familiar.
I made these cookies for a catering event over the winter. I took pictures of the process but forgot to take pictures of the end result, so alas, I had to make them again. Such a terrible problem, really. Sarcasm.
Another winner from my fave new cookbook, Baked Explorations (Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito). These cookies are ridiculous. I mean, they’re dangerous. So far since sitting in my kitchen they’ve been taste tested by at least 7 people, all to rave reviews.
My mom has always loved to bake, and growing up in our house there was always a tupperware container of either biscotti or pizzelles sitting in the kitchen. Both are AMAZING dunked in coffee (or milk, like I used to do when I was little).
My dad isn’t really a dessert person. He isn’t even really a food person. He eats to live, whereas I live to eat.
Last day of cooking in “Essentials of Cooking”. Tear. I had planned on Wednesday’s cookies and Thursday’s doughnuts, but Friday was a wild card. My plan was to come up with something fab and food shop for it yesterday. It was 99 degrees yesterday and I just didn’t want to leave my nice air-conditioned classroom. So instead, I hunted!
I don’t have to try to sell these. They are peanut butter cookies with m&ms and salty roasted peanuts in them. That’s a hard sell right there.
That is a REALLY long title. But these are really good cookies, so I guess they deserve it? I got this recipe off Epicurious.com, my fave site, and then made a few changes. I used what I had on hand and LOVEd the turn out. They are easy to make and perfectly balanced in flavor. Definitely a keeper.
Biscotti is one of those things that is easy to make whilst impressive. Often times when I’ve made it, either for my class or for friends, it prompts a response akin to “you can MAKE biscotti?”.
