Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti

Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti – crunchy and amazing biscotti loaded with cranberry and pistachio. Easy recipe that you can make at home this holiday season.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 g) all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 large egg (about 70g), at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (70 g) fine sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 60 g (1/2 cup) pistachios
• 1/4 cup (50 g) dried cranberries
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, more or less (optional)
• 1 medium grated orange zest

Instructions

1. Rehydrate cranberries – put in a plastic bag, pour water inside and immediately pour it out retaining some. Leave at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. Before using, remove cranberries from the bag and pat dry with kitchen towel. (I placed dry cranberries together with ¼ cup of water in a mug, microwaved for 30 seconds, drained and pat dry, set aside)
2. Rinse pistachios lightly. Pat dry with kitchen towel. (This step is optional) Roast pistachios in a preheated oven for 2-3 minutes at 160°C (320°F). Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder and sieve. Add in orange zest and mix well. Use finger tips to break the lumps if any.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg lightly with a hand whisk or electrical mixer. Then add in sugar and salt. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and pale. Add in vanilla extract (if used) and mix.
5. Add in flour and baking powder. Use a plastic scraper to mix all the ingredients until well combined. You can use technique such as cut, press and scrape to mix.
6. Then add in the pistachios and cranberries. Mix until well combined and form a dough. At this stage, the dough is quite sticky. So, dust your hands and counter top with more flours before proceeding to the next step.
7. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions, roll into log shapes (20cm length x 5cm width x 2cm thickness) and then flatten slightly.
8. Place the logs on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. Transfer the tray to oven, place at the lower rack and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 30 minutes or until well risen and firm.
9. If your logs show uneven color, rotate them at 180 degree towards the last 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
10. When the logs are cooled, use serrated knife to cut it diagonally into thin slices (0.8cm thickness or lesser). Arrange slices on the lined baking tray, transfer to oven, place at the lowest rack and bake for a further 150°C (302°F) for 12 minutes (6 minutes for each side) or until slightly golden brown.
11. Cool on rack and keep in an air-tight container for several weeks.

Notes

1. Dried cranberries can substituted with dried cherries. 2. You can substitute pistachios with other nuts (such almonds) or dried cranberries. 3. After keeping the biscotti for some time, they may turn soft. To crisp them, bake in a preheated oven at 150°c for 5-10 minutes.

Cari has been using this recipe for a few years now 

https://rasamalaysia.com/cranberry-pistachio-biscotti/

JeanMarie Brownson's Chocolate Cherry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Prep: 25 minutes   Cook: 12 minutes  Oven: 350^oF

Makes: about 90 cookies

These chocolate cherry peanut butter oatmeal cookies have it all going on: oats, nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate. The scent of them baking will warm your house, through and through. These cookies are made without flour. For the best crunch, be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats, not the finer-textured quick-cooking varieties. I like natural peanut butter for its deep peanut flavor. Store the cookies in a covered container up to several days or freeze up to 2 months.

Ingredients:

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup each: granulated sugar, packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup extra-crunchy natural peanut butter, at room temperature
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (can make with Gluten Free)
½ cup salted, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), roasted hulled sunflower seeds or roasted peanuts
½ cup dried cherries (chopped if large), dried currants or small dark raisins
8 ounces milk or semisweet chocolate bars, roughly broken into ¼-inch pieces

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and sugars in large bowl of electric mixer.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth and creamy. Beat in baking soda and vanilla. Beat in peanut butter until incorporated. Use a wooden spoon to stir in oats, pumpkin seeds, cherries and chocolate pieces.

2. Use a teaspoon to make balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with a spoon. Bake until set and bottoms are slightly golden, about 12 minutes.

3. Cool cookies on pan, 5 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. (You can reuse the paper-lined baking sheets to bake the remaining cookies.) Nutrition information per serving: 67 calories, 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 34 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

https://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2015/12/03/jeanmarie-brownsons-everything-cookie-can-slake-a-stoners-hunger

 2022 - made batch as bars, using standard baking sheet, lined with parchment.  it is difficult to bake center without overbaking edges. Try dropping to 325F next time?

Mock Macaroons

Mock Macaroons -first made 2006

Bake: 350°F for 7-10 min

Ingredients:

·       1 box angel food cake mix

·       1 bag flake coconut

·       ½ cup water

Method:

1.  In large bowl mix together angel food cake mix and flake coconut until well blended

2.  Add water – mix (and mix and mix). At first, you won’t think it will come together, but it will

3.  Either drop by level teaspoon or place in pastry bag with large opening, and drop onto parchment paper covered baking sheet. Allow 1 inch between cookies

4.  Bake at 350F for 7 to 10 minutes - Check bottoms for doneness – they will brown sooner than tops

Option:

You can add some cocoa – 3 to 4 tablespoons – to give chocolate flavor. Add during step 1.

This is a weight watcher recipe – first made in 2006 by Boug

Oatmeal Cookies - Leonard’s

These are named after our childhood friend Leonard of Hollywood.
He got the recipe from Beachball.
He drove us crazy and we loved him - he'd come over & annoy us, we'd send him home. We'd get bored, we'd call him up & invite him over. Sometimes 4 or 5 times in the same day!
We miss you Leonard, you died too young.

These cookies are a fitting memorial (?)... sorta.
They are light & buttery & practically melt in your mouth.
And INCREDIBLY EASY - just like Leonard....

15 Min 350°F

YIELD: 4 DOZEN
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups oatmeal

Combine sugar & butter, add sifted flour, baking soda & oatmeal. Mix well. Flatten on ungreased sheet. Bake 350°F for 15 min. Makes 4 dozen.

These cookies get Big! Make balls about 1" across