Cranberry Almond Biscotti with White Chocolate

My girlfriends and I have started adding a once a month craft night to our regular "girls nights" of which we will each take a turn hosting. The first (official) of these nights was hosted by Oksana who served us a spread of cheese and crackers, chips and salsa and some lovely biscotti! one day i hope to be as good a hostess as she.

The biscotti was so delicious i had to run home and make it; Okay well maybe the very next day; and a different recipe, but either way i couldn't wait to get started!

I was without oranges in my fruit bowl so i wasn't able to add the lovely orange zest that was suggested but overall i would say this recipe still turned out delicious! Biscotti is the classic cookie to enjoy with a cup of tea;

and i did, many times ;)

and hope you will too! 

Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

When it comes to chocolate chip cookies, I'm really picky, to the point where i just don't make them because i don't usually care for them. This however i quickly came to realize had to change since my husband LOVES chocolate chip cookies! it is his number one requested dessert or snack for me to make. So during that first year of our marriage i decided to try out  a couple recipes and thankfully i hit the gold mine on my first try. These cookies are the best cookies we've had. When i occasionally suggest trying out a new recipe I'm vehemently met with protest from the hubby and i have to say he always wins for they are delightfully chewy, really big (though sometimes i cut them down in size) and have lots of chocolate chips; Why fix something that isn't broken, right? They're a guaranteed positive ending to a baking experiment, so what are you waiting for?!
Every time i make these i am thankful i was introduced to Good Things Catered (which sadly is no longer available) and consequently the blogging world.

Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Good Things Catered, also on good eats and sweet treats

Ingredients:
2 C. All-purpose flour
1/2 Tsp Baking soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 C. Unsalted Butter, Melted and cooled.
1 C. Packed brown sugar
1/2 C. Granulated sugar
1 1/4 Tbs Vanilla Extract*
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
2 C. (or 120z) Semisweet chocolate chips

* Feel free to leave it at 1 Tbs. of vanilla (as used in the GTC recipe) i usually add a little extra, about 1/4 tbs but i usually just eyeball it.

Directions:
Melt butter, allow to cool. Bring eggs to room temperature (if short on time, set them in a bowl of warm water), preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease cookie sheets or line with parchment.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl mix together the melted butter, and sugars until well blended and creamy. beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. then add in the dry ingredients in small batches, scraping bowl as needed. Mix in the chocolate chips using a wooden spoon.
Drop cookie dough on to prepared cookie sheets in 1/4 C. increments (look to good eats and sweet treats for a demo on how to portion dough). about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-17 minutes for larger cookies and about 12-15 for smaller ones (keep an eye on them). Serve with a tall glass of milk over ice cream or just by themselves. Enjoy!!  

Homemade Oreo's

Wow does it feel like this summer is never ending. Perhaps because for us it has been filled with trip after trip. In fact i don't think we're going to have an off weekend til mid September. Unless of course you count the little trip we'll be taking labor day weekend to celebrate my birthday? i guess that counts. I can't wait to have a getaway just the two of us!!
Though this summer seems to me to be the longest ever (and one of the funnest) the fact that i can feel the weather turning and the dates on the calender hanging on my wall brings me back to the reality that it's almost over. Which personally i must say is exciting, i love the fall and winter months, always have. I was one of those "weird" kids that looked forward to the first day of school, no matter how nervous i was, i just couldn't wait to see my friends and learn new things. And now that i'm out of school (and in a cooler climate), i can't wait for the crisp cool air, the fun fall foods and the holidays!