Living to Tell the Story

After a week of beautiful, sunny, warm weather it is again colder and snowing outside. It's proving to be a long winter. There was so much snow in the backyard that even with the chinooks and warm days it still didn't melt. It basically compacted into a moonscape type surface that is bumpy, icy, and slippery. So even though it's been nice we haven't been outside due to the danger for little ones. And now it looks like more days of cabin fever. Sigh.

With the gloomy weather comes the urge to bake. The other day I delved into the frozen bag of brown bananas in the freezer and made a double batch of yummy banana oatmeal choc chip muffins. The house smelt wonderful for hours. And today I think I'll make myself a treat of those wonderful Cranberry Hazelnut Biscotti that I made as gifts at Christmas time. It's so easy and so yummy. And I promised you the recipe so here it is.

SUSANNE'S CRANBERRY HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

-3/4 cup butter or margarine

-1 cup white sugar

-2 eggs

-1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

-2 1/2 cups flour

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-3/4 tsp. baking powder

-1/2 tsp. salt

-1 cup hazelnuts (I used whole)

-3/4 cup craisins

Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat. In another bowl, either sift or stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Carefully mix into egg mixture. Stir in hazelnut and craisins.

Divide dough onto the two cookie sheets. Flour hands and shape into two equal logs about 12 inches long and 1/2 inch thick.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until edges are golden and center is firm. Remove and cool on pans until cool enough to handle. Using a serrated knife, cut into 1/2 thick diagnal slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet.

Bake for an additonal 10 minutes, turning over once. Cool completely. Cookies may be drizzled with a glaze of icing sugar, milk and cinnamon at this point if desired. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Mmmmm. Dip away!