Every year I try to add a unique cookie recipe to my Christmas cookie baking. If they turn out as planned I keep them in the line up for the following year. Frangipane tartletts were last year's creations and they aren't going anywhere. They are definite "keepers" or "eaters". As I paged through a small Italian cookie cookbook, I found a few I might experiment with this year. But, since I had all the ingredients for these biscotti, I figured why not get busy honing my biscotti making skills. You never know when I might need to make more and more of them for different events!
Dark Chocolate Biscotti with White Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1/4 pound butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp amaretto (or any coffee liqueur)
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup extra dark cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 white chocolate chips
Using an electric mixer (or kitchen aid stand up mixer) beat butter, sugar and liqueur. Add the eggs and blend well.
Gradually add the flour, cocoa and baking powder on low speed. Add the chocolate chips, mix well and divide into two "loaves" 10-12 inches long and about 2-3 inches wide. Place onto a parchment covered cookie sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
I don't like a hard biscotti so this is where it all ends. To twice bake them, let them cool a bit, slice into 1/2 inch pieces and place them back onto the cookie sheet on their sides. Bake for an additional 12 minutes, or so. Keep in an airtight container.
If you don't choose the twice bake version, you will get a biscotti that is crispy on the outside but chewy in the middle. The recipe makes about 40-50.
I don't know what it is about pumpkin. Do we naturally crave this orange veggie because of some vitamin our bodies are lacking with the absence of the sun's warm rays? Not sure, but, once again, I find myself making an assortment of pumpkin dishes from gnocchi to soup and beyond. While this pie is never meant to replace a true, made by grandma pumpkin pie, it's for those of us who want to cut back on sugar and calories once in a while.
Don't let the word "tofu" scare you away. You'll hardly notice and your belly will thank you.
Faux Pumpkin Cheesecake
1/4 cup oat bran
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 pkg firm tofu
1 cup egg whites
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup almond (or regular) flour
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
pinch of allspice
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. For the "crust" I sprayed an 8 x 8 glass pan with butter spray, then sprinkled the oat bran evenly over that.
Mix all the remaining ingredients in your food processor until well blended. Pour cheesecake mixture into a glass pan. It will be rather thick, so smooth to the edges. Set the cake pan into a larger pan and pour hot water to within 2 inches of the top of the cake pan. Bake for about 45 minutes. Cool and refrigerate a few hours before serving. Yummy! Even better the next day.
I've made chicken wings for years, however I've only made a few attempts at making my own signature sauce. Usually it was easier to pick up a bottle of wing sauce and slather it on while baking. I can proudly say that I don't deep fry them anymore, haven't in a while! Trying to eat healthily is a full time job it seems!
Supposedly, the future is bright when it comes to food prep. According to the media we will run out of food and will resort to eating crickets for our protein source so this whole blog will be in vain! The sound of that almost sends me running to buy acres and acres of land and produce my own food. Or, at least, get a greenhouse. Any solutions?
As long as there are chicken wings out there, this is a nice sauce to slather over them. Try it!
Spicy Wing Sauce
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1/4 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce
1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp sriracha sauce
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
about 20 wings or wing parts
Spray a cookie sheet with pan spray. Put all ingredients, except wings, in a bowl, mixing well. Cook the plain wings for about 15 minutes, turn and brush both sides with sauce. Continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until done.
Still in the hunt to find that perfect cookie! It doesn't exist in my kitchen, but I found a recipe to tweak which has no added sugars! And it tastes good! Hooray. The recipe included turmeric, however, healthy as it may be....I didn't want to go there, yet! I figured Chinese 5 spice would be an interesting substitution for the turmeric. It was, and we proceeded to make them disappear within 24 hours (or less). I know they would never win a contest for the best looking cookie...who cares if they taste good and are good for you!
Five Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 Tbsp Chinese five spice powder
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup almond flour
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 Tbsp applesauce
2 Tbsp tahini (or peanut butter)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp honey
1/3 cup brown rice crisps (or rice crispy type cereal)
1/3 - 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
In a bowl, add all the ingredients, except cereal and chips, and mix well. Add the cereal and chips blending well. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place small spoonfulls of batter onto a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. This recipe makes approximately 20-24 cookies. Enjoy!
Everyone has cravings and I'm no different! Now that I live in the middle of High Desert country (land locked) my cravings for FRESH seafood are more intense. Even growing up near the ocean I don't remember having halibut very often. I had my share of tuna, swordfish and sole which, I guess, are warm water fish. We were given a gift of some halibut fillets recently and I couldn't wait to try this recipe.
It would work just as well with cod, snapper or sole, too. Any mild flavored fish will love the blanket of cheesy goodness and you will also!
Cheesy Halibut
Serves 2
2 halibut fillets
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2-3 Tbsp green onions, chopped
a sprinkle of salt (optional)
a dash of hot sauce (optional, but gives it some heat)
Turn the broiler to high. Spray or butter a baking dish. Place the halibut in baking dish. In a bowl add the remaining ingredients from cheese to hot sauce. Mix well and set aside.
Broil the fish for about 8-10 minutes or until just done and flakes using a fork. Spread the cheese mixture on top and continue to broil for another 1-2 minutes or until it's bubbly. Serve on top of rice or orzo. Delicious!!
