Mission Accomplished! (11/19/10)

Hi Guys and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!! OMG I made!! I survived! What a week!!!

So, I have all the family that will be coming in for Thanksgiving confirmed and have their arrival schedules all set. This weekend I will be super busy deep cleaning the house and making-up the guest rooms; this is of course after we have our family game night tonight, so wish me luck in rallying the tropes to help me out with this fun chore. The odd mixed blessing for us this Thanksgiving is, that with the kids not being with us, 2 more rooms opened up for their cousins to stay in. Which by the way, “Thank you kids for being so cool as to offer up your rooms so the families can all stay comfortably at our home, and I promise, they will leave it as clean as they found it… that or I will have it sparkling for your return.”

Okay… onto a different topic. I don’t know if any of you guys follow celebrity gossip, I tend to only look into it on mornings I have a harder time getting motivated; I open up People.com and flip through the articles there while having another cup of coffee. Anyway, I was sad to hear Eva Longoria Parker is getting a divorce. I always think it is sad when a marriage fails, even though in some cases it leads to a better situation you are not yet aware of… like us 2^nd wives ;o) . I just cannot imagine what Eva is going through, and I do hope she has a great support system there for her at this difficult time.

Alright, I think I am in one of those rambling modes… yep, definite sign I have not gotten enough sleep this week. So, with that known now, I will stay focused and get to today’s fun economical gift idea, “Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti.” I hope you all enjoy!

Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti

Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
Makes 40 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup shelled roasted pistachios

Directions

- Heat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. One at a time, beat in the eggs. Mix in the almond extract. - With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Mix in the cranberries and pistachios. - Divide the dough in half and shape into two 10-by-2-inch logs. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until just golden around the edges and firm to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes. -Reduce oven to 300° F. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until dry and crisp, 15 to 18 minutes per side. -Keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Have a GREAT weekend!