Best Ever Biscotti, New Beginnings, and a Giveaway!

**To all my beloved followers, those who comment and those silent ninjas whose support means oh so much to me too, I’ve decided to host a giveaway for you guys! Please check the bottom of the post for more details! Or CLICK HERE**

When I was sitting in my first class of the year, my professor passed around a ‘sign in’ sheet. Since I’ve been going to Carleton U for a while now, this practice has become quite common place for me. Once the sheet got around to me, I filled out the section for my name, student number, major, and then finally, my year. I instinctively wrote down “2^nd”, but then I realized…no, wait, I’m in third year now! And for some reason this little reality check hit me like a ton of bricks.  I turned to Jordan and informed him of this startling fact, that we are indeed in 3^rd year, but he seemed to be a bit more preoccupied with foodgawker. (who can blame him really? ;)) I’m not sure why this affected me so much, because every year is a new year, and every September I go “woah! I’m another year ahead!”

I think the reason it affected me this much is that I’ve been really reflecting on my life lately, and I feel like everything is going by in super-warp speed. I remember high school like it was yesterday! Going to the cafeteria for lunch, kids skipping class and thinking they are SO Bad ass…thinking about what you want to do and what schools you should apply to…it all seems like a super fast blur now. And as for university…seriously? I’m in third year?! How did THAT happen?! I feel like just this morning I walked through the doors of Carleton, a bright eyed eager freshman, ready for the ‘college experience’, marveling with Jordan about how amazingly ‘free’ we are in comparison to high school. Buying our first books. Getting lost in the tunnels. Being lost in class. Getting lost on the bus ride back home. At a loss for time during my first ever ‘true’ all nighter. Lost. Lost. Lost. Yet somehow, these supposed ‘losses’ have become such fond memories, that perhaps they may be the reason why third year scares me. Third year is one year less than fourth year, and forth year is the last year before you get out of university and enter the ‘real world’. And that ladies and gentleman, is scary. 

I randomly had the urge to make Biscotti this week, and I remembered a recipe that I had tried a long, long, longgggg time ago, back when I had FIRST started this blog. This brought back even more memories. You see, I started my precious food blog my freshman year, and to say I was proud of my work would be an understatement. I thought I was so awesome. Seriously. I mean…I had a blog. About food. I mean. Come on. How AWESOME is that?! Though I remember being so proud of that, its funny that looking back…I’m almost ashamed…those biscotti pictures that I was SO proud of? Well I came *this* close to deleting the post, because it was just plain embarrassing. Dark, blurry, and just plain icky. And the post? I posted not one recipe, not two recipes, but THREE recipes. All complete with their own pics. And my grammar? Not so good. 

As embarrassing as this post might be, in a way it makes me happy, that since then I have improved dramatically(at least I hope I have ;) ). I guess with every ending is a new beginning and that’s what I’m going to be focusing on.

And to celebrate new beginnings, I’ve decided to host my first ever giveaway to thank all you AWESOME followers! Click HERE to enter!

 Best Ever Biscotti

(source)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups pistachio nuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts by hand.
3. Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily.
4. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
5. Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool.
   

 My Notes on this recipe: I didnt have cranberries or pistachios on hand so I just substituted with sliced almonds ( I didnt change the recipe cause its really yummy with the cranberries and pistachios ;) ) As well, I dont like my biscotti TOO hard, so I only baked it oh so slightly the second time around. And as for the forming of the 'logs' I did that the first time around and it doesn't turn out too good. Instead, just make a rectangular shape, and then cut it! :) Overall this Biscotti recipe is amazing and deserves the "best ever Biscotti" title! Enjoy!