I was talking to my sister the other day before I posted the cinnamon roll recipe, and we were laughing about the desire we both have to develop our own “best” recipes. Basically, if I want to make cookies, I want to know exactly what they will be like when I start. I want to know what I am going to get if I start out to bake bread. Cinnamon rolls had long been in that group for me, but a number of other recipes have joined in as “these are the ones I make” favorites.
Biscotti is a relative new comer in our family, but it has made its way to the top of the charts! Anyway, I have launched a campaign to share all these favorites with you as I make them. Don’t worry, there aren’t too many – it won’t take long.
Upcoming favorites include sandwich bread, baguettes, bagels, sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and pitas. Afterwards or during, or whenever I feel like it there will be some non-baking recipes, but we will see when that happens, the dinner time rush being what it is and all!
White Chocolate, Strawberry, and Pistachio Biscotti
In a bowl combine: 3 c. flour, 2 t. baking powder, and 1/2 t. salt
In another bowl blend 3 eggs with 1 c. sugar, 2 T. oil, and 2 1/2 t. vanilla
Dump the dry mix in the wet, and mix until combined. With a wooden spoon stir in about 1/2 c. shelled pistachios, 3/4 c. chopped dried strawberries, 1/2 c. or so of white chocolate chips, and a smattering of mini chocolate chips. On a parchment lined baking sheet, pat into a long flat loaf with wet hands (about 5″ wide and 15″ long). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until lightly brown and not squishy to the touch. Pull out, reduce the temp in the oven to 325, and let cool on the counter for at least 20 minutes. Using a bread knife, cut into one inch slices, and line up on the same sheet with new parchment. Bake for another 20 minutes or so, or until desired state of crunchiness is achieved. These are great with tea or coffee, frozen or not. My kids love to just gnaw on them, I dunk them in late night coffee, my husband takes them to work, and my 90 year old grandfather just told me he thinks he is addicted.
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Great recipe! Thanks. I look forward to the other ones as well. I haven’t made those cinnamon rolls yet, but the pictures of them sure made me want to go make them RIGHT AWAY!
Well, being Italian, this combination looks rather different from what I’m used to. 🙂 Yet I can’t help thinking this will be one of those “I never would have guessed!” recipes. CAN’T WAIT to hear your other recipes!
Italiano – biscOtti
but I guess if you live in Idaho you can say biscAWtti 🙂
Oh yay!! I’m really looking forward to these recipe posts! Keep them coming!
Please make the recipe campaign last as long as possible. I love making new recipes that are tried and true favorites. Biscotti is something I’ve never attempted. My family is sure to benefit from all your posts. Thanks!
The coffee mug is ADORABLE by the way. Red is my new favorite decorating color especially in the kitchen. How I wish I lived in Moscow, ID. so I could shop at La Bella Vita! How is the closing of the store going?
Ruth –
That must be because you have discovered that red is the new neutral! The closing of the store is going great so far – we still have one more big sale day this Saturday, and then just a lot of cleaning up and sorting.
oh, and Katherine –
I am relieved to say that I never claimed this to be an authentic recipe… just consider it historical fiction!
Before we got married, I made my husband a chocolate cake. It was just a boiled chocolate cake, and a standard family recipe. He really liked it and after we married I kept trying all these different chocolate cake recipes. He finally said to me that he just liked the boiled chocolate cake better than any others. It seemed a bit of a cop out to me because it was so easy to make.
Since then (almost 29 years ago!), I’ve learned that ‘best’ really just means ‘the favouritest’ and that’s why there’s so many recipes for the same thing out there, with all the variations, because we all like different things best.
And that’s why I think we like sharing recipes so much. Isn’t life rich?
Great recipe!
I have everything in my pantry but the dried strawberries. I’m sure I can find a good substitute.
(Coming out of lurking… )
Thanks!
Has anyone had the IKEA cinnamon rolls? I was just there today and tried one, but I haven’t had a chance to make Lizzie’s AMAZING looking ones. Curious if they’re similar….??
Yes! Thanks Rachel! I love this recipe and can’t wait to try them myself!
Speaking of favorite recipes…Has anyone taken a gander at “The New Best Recipe” cookbook from the fine people at Cook’s Illustrated? They detail all the variations they go through before arriving at the “best” recipe. Reading the science behind the recipe is interesting and helpful, and the final recipes are great. My family especially loves the chicken pot pie, pot roast, chocolate chip cookies, and creme brule. Right now I’m working on perfecting blueberry muffins. As an added bonus, my husband loves the section on meats for summer grilling.
Sarah-
Have heard of it, have it, and love it! The chicken pot pie is incredible, and it is a family favorite! Others from them include smashed potatoes, pancakes, waffles, oven fries, and many more! I can’t say enough about the pies – their use of different thickeners for different filling is genius. I wouldn’t have thought it could make such a difference, but it does (strawberry rhubarb with arrowroot to thicken it – incredible!)
Have you seen that they are doing a free podcast? You can download them on itunes.