Snickerdoodle Biscotti

Biscotti is another favorite of mine to bake. I started experimenting about a year ago and have made several different versions. My daughter is a fan and enjoys sneaking a piece while it's cooling. Before I started baking biscotti, I thought it was a difficult process, but it really isn't. Trust me...once you start, you'll be baking biscotti all the time.

My mom's board does a Secret Mom event starting 3 months prior to Mother's Day. I've participated for the last 5 years and it's so much fun. I was assigned another mom, I learn more about them and send little treats and/or cards for all different events over the 3 months leading up to Mother's Day; then a final gift is sent to her just in time for Mother's Day. Another mom contacted me and asked me to make a batch of biscotti for her Secret Mom and let me know she loves all things snickerdoodle. Perfect!

1 cup sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 egg

1 egg yolk (save the whites)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

reserved egg white

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the egg followed by the egg yolk. Mix in the vanilla extract.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Add all the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients at one time. Mix all the ingredients together until a stiff dough forms.

Divide the dough into two equal portions on the baking sheet. Shape each piece of dough into a 9 inch by 1 1/2 inch wide log. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Brush the reserved egg white on the dough and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool for approximately 10 minutes or until you can handle it. Keep the oven temperature at 325. Using a serrated knife, diagonally cut the logs into 1/2 wide slices. Place the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar. Bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown on the sides.

Source: The Culinary Enthusiast

The Secret Recipe Club: Ham and Cheese Pockets

Welcome to your monthly installment of The Secret Recipe Club! The month I was assigned Liz & Doug's website - Pocket Change Gourmet. Liz and Doug are a husband and wife team who took their passion for cooking and are creating recipes and saving money at the same time. Love that! Now if I could just figure out a way to get my husband back in the kitchen with me; he spent many years cooking at a local PA Dutch diner....but I'm not sure I want to give up my dishwasher..LOL!

Liz and Doug has so many recipes to chose from but I ultimately decided on Ham and Cheese Pockets. They were quick and easy to make and we all loved them! Madeline asked to take one for her lunch today! I definitely will be making them again. I know I'll be making them this summer while I'm on maternity leave.

1 container buttermilk biscuits
4 slices of tavern ham, chopped
3 oz swiss cheese, shredded
1 egg white
non-stick cooking spray
oregano

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Flatten each biscuit with your hands until they are double the size.

Divide the ham between the 8 biscuits and place on one side of the biscuit. Do the same with the shredded cheese. Lightly brush the egg white on one side of the biscuit and fold over. Seal the edges with a fork dipped in the egg white.

Lightly spray the cooking spray on the tops of the pockets. I had some leftover cheese, so I sprinkled that on top and then sprinkled each top with a little bit of oregano.

Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Want to be part of the SRC? Click below to sign up!

Devilish Eggs

I don't think I've ever made deviled eggs before but I  have eaten my share of them at parties. I like very simple and plain deviled eggs with just a dash of paprika. When I saw this recipe in USA Weekend a couple weeks ago originally from Ellie Krieger, I was definitely intrigued to try something different and new. They have a "secret ingredient" that I kept hidden from my family to see if they would notice is something was different...nope, they were fooled! Plus they're healthier than regular deviled eggs - lower saturated fat and cholesterol, while adding heart-healthy soy protein.

1 dozen hard boiled eggs
2/3 cup silken tofu, drained
1 Tbsp lowfat mayo
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp hot pepper (more to taste)
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and discard half of them. Set aside the whites.

Place the 6 yolks in a medium bowl and mash with the tofu, mayo and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the yolk mixture into the corner of plastic bag and snip off the end. Pipe the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Slightly adapted: USA Weekend magazine

Crunchy Granola

We're all big fans of granola here. I love making it myself since I can customize it to what we like and make a large amount for less money than buying it in the store. This batch made about a gallon sized bag of granola. We've been using it as cereal and as a topping for yogurt...as I did below for breakfast the other morning. This recipe isn't so great for snacking...it crumbles easily and doesn't clump together well like other recipes.

1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
8 cups rolled oats
2 cups chopped nuts (I used almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a microwave proof bowl, combine the brown sugar and water. Microwave on high for 5 minutes and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool slightly and then add the vanilla and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, chopped nuts and brown sugar mixture. Stir until completely mixed. Spread the granola over the two cookie sheets and bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until golden and crunchy.

When granola has completely cooled, dried fruit can be added. Store in an airtight container.

What I'm up to this weekend

Can I just tell you how excited that Instagram is now avaiable on the Android market??!!? I've been envious of my friends with iphones and now I can jump in the fun!

I'll be posting lots of new recipes this week too!

Just a little sneak peak....getting ready to roll out some peanut butter eggs.

Banana Cake

I am loving all things bananas this pregnancy! I'm usually a fan of bananas but I don't know what it is right now, but I can't get enough of them. I pinned this recipe months ago and finally got around to making it this week.

Madeline and I decided while Daddy was getting his haircut on Thursday, we'd get busy in the kitchen. She had fun mashing the bananas and didn't make too much of a mess. After we made the batter, I looked around the kitchen and found a opened bag of mini chocolate chip and decided to toss a cup of them into the batter. PERFECT! We skipped the vanilla bean frosting but I plan to make the recipe to a T next time to see the difference.

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium sized bananas)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 degrees if using a glass pan). Coat a 8x8 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar, sour cream, egg and the softened butter. Add the bananas and vanilla, stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add in the chocolate chips.

Pour into the greased pan and bake fror 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

Source: ButterYum