It is no secret; I love coffee! And what goes better with coffee than a good cookie? Biscotti, of course!

Biscotti are twice baked cookies. The bis meaning twice and cotto meaning baked. They are a dry cookie, meant to be dunked.

For years people have been requesting* my cookie recipes that are part of my annual cookie marathon. Some people are very secretive about their recipes--either not sharing at all or more sinisterly, not including a key ingredient. That is not my style. My philosophy is spread the wealth when it come to recipes. So while we are still in the relaxed state of post Christmas/New Year holidays mode, here is the biscotti recipe:

Biscotti Nocciole Cioccolato 

1/2 Cup butter

3/4 Cup sugar

2 eggs

2 Cups unbleached white flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons of Frangelico or Amaretto 

3/4 Cup hazelnuts (toasted* and chopped finely) I use twice this amount

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (chopped) I use twice this amount

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or spray with Pam 2 cookie sheets. I use very heavy aluminum pans. (Aluminum is the only way to bake in my opinion. Tin causes things to burn on the bottom and edges and be underbaked in the center and top.)

Prepare the nuts and chocolate. I have not had good luck with purchased, shelled hazelnuts--even from high end stores. They often were rancid. I instead purchase nuts in the shell, toast them in a 300 degree oven for about 1/2 hour, cool, shell, rub as many of the brown hulls off as possible, and then chop finely. That is a lot of work, but I love the hazelnut flavor. You could substitute toasted almonds instead. Place shelled nuts on a cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes at 300. Test often during the process to avoid burning.

I use Ghirardelli extra dark double chocolate chips. (I think they call them 60% cocoa now?) Chop the chips separately from the nuts on a cutting board.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and cream until light and fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients and mix.

Add in the chopped chocolate, nuts and flavoring. I use Frangelica, a hazelnut liqueur. (Really it is just hazelnut extract.) Mix.

Baking

Divide the dough into 4 parts--more or less--depending on what sized cookie you want. Scoop out 1/4th of dough and shape it into a log as you put it on one side of the cookie sheet. Pat smooth. Put another log onto same cookie sheet. Then do the same on the other cookie sheet with the remaining 1/2 dough. They will expand.

Bake for about 25 minutes at 300 degrees. (Always check about 3/4 of the way through. Not all ovens bake alike.) Take out of oven. The original directions told you to transfer to a bread board and cut, but I cut the cookies right on the cookie sheet after letting them cool for a few minutes. Using a meat cleaver helps as it is a shorter, more square shaped knife. Cut into 3/4 to 1 inch thick slices. As I cut them, I turn them on their sides and arrange on the same cookie sheet.

Bake for another 10 minutes. (While you are baking you could make some coffee!)

Yield 

One batch makes about 60 tiny cookies. The ones you see in coffee shops are about 3 to 4 times the size mine are. If you want those giant sized ones, probably you just make one log! Baking times would need to be adjusted too. A double batch makes 3 trays of 3 thin logs. These I baked 20 minutes, sliced, then baked 7 minutes longer

Store in an air-tight container.

This recipe came to me courtesy of my sister. She got it from a biscotti cookbook. Although our grandfather was from Sicily, we never had biscotti in the house. Stella Doro anise toast was about as close as we came. I think we can credit the rise of the Starbucks coffee shops and their like with the popularity of biscotti.

For those of you who enjoy the history, one website stated: 

Biscotti is said to have originated during Columbus's time and credited to an Italian baker who originally served them with Tuscan wines. They became so popular that every province developed their own flavored version. Because of their long storage ability they were an ideal food for sailors, soldiers, and fisherman.

Most European countries have adopted their own version of biscotti: English - rusks, French - biscotte and croquets de carcassonne, Germans - zwieback, Greeks - biskota and paxemadia, Jewish - mandelbrot, and Russians - sukhariki.

Maybe this should be my New Year's resolution for those things I keep meaning to do? Do it now! 1 cookie recipe posted...14 or so to go?

Enjoy.

A batch of home baked biscotti and a pound of coffee would make a nice hostess gift. 

*Kathryn requested a biscotti recipe recently, stating her recipe was very sticky and difficult to form. (You could try spraying your hands with Pam while forming the dough.) The same website I got the history from said that recipes that have no shortening are stickier. The recipes with butter are not as sticky and do not bake up as hard. They also don't keep as long. Mine have never lasted long enough to know how long they keep, but in general, cookies made with butter keep a very long time without losing flavor.
 

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

Links: 

If you love to cook or know someone who does, stop in at Penzeys herb and spice shop. They recently relocated from the Town of Brookfield to the east side of the Brookfield Fashion Center on Bluemound Road.

I have shopped at Penzeys for years; they are my source for Pasta Sprinkles, Ceylon Cinnamon, and vanilla beans, to name a few. When I cook or bake, I try to use the best quality I can afford. Their quality is fabulous--very fresh.

The Pasta Sprinkles make a nice addition to pasta salads, vinegar and oil salad dressing, or anytime you want an Italian flavor. I like the mix because it is not too heavy on the oregano. They also have other herb blends.

Penzeys is one of the few places that sells Cassia. What is that, you ask? Cassia is a Cinnamon-like spice, often used and sold interchangeably. Cassia has more of the aromatic oil, 6%, than Cinnamon does. Some cooks use Cassia for spicy dishes and reserve the sweeter taste of Cinnamon for baking. Cassia often costs less than Cinnamon, which is why some companies pass it off as Cinnamon. I think the aroma and flavor of both spices is much stronger than the grocery store variety.

Many items have a sample available so you can give them a sniff! In fact, the whole store smells wonderful. And how about this display? We had a kitchen much like that when I was a little girl!

The store displays often include information about the spice or herb. Recipes are also scattered throughout the store, if you need a little inspiration.

The quantities vary from an ounce or two to larger sizes. Some herbs and spices are available in cellophane packages (less expensive) as well as glass bottles. Penzeys also has several assortments of spices or herbs specifically boxed for gift giving too. 

So give Penzeys a try. Its worth the trip just for the aroma!

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

Links: 

This Friday at Brookfield Suites Hotel on 1200 S. Moorland Road , The King Arthur Flour company will offer 2 baking classes. Did I mention it was FREE?

Their web page says, No registration is necessary – just come join us! For more information, call 800.827.6836. (The hotel is located on Moorland Road just north of Greenfield Ave. and south of I-94, phone 262-782-2900)

The first class is on Sweet & Savory Yeast Breads at 12:00 noon:

Sweet & Savory Yeast Breads covers basic yeast bread recipes and techniques, from ingredients and mixing, to shaping everything from soft dinner rolls and decadent cinnamon rolls, to decorative loaves and even pizza.

The second class at 7pm is on Festive Cookies & Pies:

In Festive Cookies & Pies, you’ll learn how to achieve the perfectly flaky pie crust, wow guests with beautifully decorated cookies, and even get some of your holiday baking done ahead of time.

In my opinion, there is no comparison between the quality of home made and a commercial bakery. Plus, baking it yourself is one of the best ways to save money on your grocery bill. This is a great opportunity to become more familiar with baking if you find the idea intimidating.

Each session runs about 2 hours.

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

Links: 

Last July my high school girlfriends and I lunched at an interesting restaurant in Shorewood, the ANABA TEA ROOM.

It was a beautiful day and we opted to have lunch up on their roof garden.

The setting was delightful and the food good. This weekend promises to be glorious. If you are on the east side, give the tea room a try.

ANABA TEA ROOM is located at 2107 E. Capitol Drive in Shorewood (east of Oakland Ave, in the vicinity of St. Roberts Church and Atwater School.) 

They serve salads, sandwiches,  traditional tea sandwiches,  sweet treats, and of course...tea! Their complete menu and prices are online. 

With all the bad news about the economy,  dining up on the roof just might lift your spirits! 

You may also dine in the regular restaurant on the lower level.

There was an interesting garden/home shop on the main floor. Be sure to check that out as well.

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

Links: 

 

Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, Jay Weber, Mark Levin,  Vicki Mckenna

 

 

I just got back from a trip to the Elm Grove Sendik's. Wow, lots of tasty samples, good deals, and drawings for prizes.

Reason? It is Sendik's 82nd anniversary celebration. Food and drink samples will be served all weekend, I believe, at all Balistreri Sendik's stores. So if you are out and about, stop in--especially if you have children. (Kids always like samples.)

I filled out a two entries for their drawings while I was there--Brewer tickets, gift certificates, a TV, and even a $1,000 shopping spree are being given away.

My bargain of the day was a pound of very nice strawberries for $1.50. 

Growing up on the east side of Milwaukee, Sendik's was a household name. As kids, we loved to go in their stores and watch the fresh orange juice squeezer machine. I think it automatically cut the oranges in half, squeezed, discarded used halves, and started over again. It was a source of great fascination to most children in the neighborhood.

My grandfather came from Sicily and knew all the Italian shop keepers. He did all the grocery shopping and would often bring home interesting vegetables from Sendik's like fennel and artichokes. 

These days, I find I am going to Sendik's more and more. I'm afraid my usual grocery stomping ground, Pick 'n Save, is letting me down more and more. They are eliminating some of the more unusual products from their line, one being coconut oil. That has forced me to seek other shopping venues. I checked at Sendik's and sure enough, they had it.

Sendik's, although more expensive on some things, has great bargains on others. Their quality is very good, and I like the atmosphere of their stores. They also respond to requests for products. My favorite Cedar Crest ice cream is Coconut Joy. The old Sentry always carried it, but when the new Sendik's moved in, they did not. I asked at the customer service desk if they could order it, and they said yes. I like that kind of service.

Check out Sendik's bargain shelf in the produce department too. Often they have great deals there. I picked up a 3 pound bag of green beans for .99 and a bag of red and yellow peppers for $1.50. Can't beat that.

So Happy Anniversary Sendik's. May you have many more. Having you here evokes many happy childhood memories.

(I am not affiliated with Sendik's in any way) 

Links: Kinsey Park Clean Up and Pier