Chocolate Macadamia Nut Biscotti

Biscotti makes for a perfect snack or accompaniment to your morning coffee. What many people do not know is that biscotti is very simple to make, it just looks a bit intimidating.  Biscotti are "twice-baked" cookies baked in the oven twice at different temperatures.  Again, sounds complicated but in reality, it is very easy!  So stop buying those expensive individually wrapped biscotti from Costco or Starbucks and start baking your own!  I have provided a more modern take on a traditional biscotti recipe.  It is customary to incorporate almonds or almond extract in traditional biscotti recipes but I found that my friends and family liked the batches without the almond extract even more.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as well as the warmer weather in Chicago! :)   

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs 
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. 
2. In a large bowl, mix olive oil and sugar until well blended. 
3. Beat in vanilla and eggs. 
4. In a clean bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl.  Gradually stir into the egg mixture.  
5. Fold in chocolate chips. 
6. Fold in macadamia nuts. 
7. Divide dough in half. 
8. Form two logs on a baking sheet.  If the dough becomes too sticky to handle, wet your hands with cool water to easily handle the dough. 
9. Bake for 35 minutes until logs are light brown. 
10. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. 
11. Reduce heat to 275-degrees. 
12. Slice logs into 3/4 inch thick slices. 
13. Lay slices on their sides onto baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until dry. 
14. Enjoy! 

Chop macadamia nuts. 

Add dry ingredients into a bowl. 

Mix well.

In a clean bowl, add sugar. 

Measure olive oil. 

Add eggs and olive oil to sugar. 

Mix well. 

Gradually add flour. 

Add remaining flour and mix. 

Fold in chocolate chips. 

Add macadamia nuts and mix. 

Take half of the dough onto the baking sheet. 

Form into a log. 

Repeat with other half of dough. 

Dip fingers into cold water if the dough gets too difficult to handle. 

I make the logs about a 1/2 inch in thickness. 

Bake for 35 minutes in a 300-degree oven. 

Reduce oven temperature to 275-degrees. 

Slice.

Place on baking sheet, sliced-side up.  Bake again for 10 minutes. 

Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea. 

I hope you're all enjoying the sunshine in Chicago! 

Happy baking. 

xoxo

Grace

St. Patrick's Day Ice Box Pie

On Saturday morning after Chicago dyed its river green,  I headed to the suburbs to spend time with my absolutely adorable niece, Amanda.  I was excited to prepare this Magically Delicious No-Bake Ice Box Pie recipe with my wonderful little helper in the kitchen.  Since we were baking at my brother's house, we lacked some essential kitchen utensils (ie. electric mixer or whisk) but after a few adjustments, the pie came out magically delicious!  I hope you enjoy this post as much as Amanda and I enjoyed figuring out creative ways to concoct whipped cream... Thank God for the Blender Bottle!   Recipe slightly modified from the original by Parade Magazine.  

Ingredients:
1 nine inch graham cracker crust
24 oz box of Lucky Charms cereal, with cereal and marshmallows separated
2 cups marshmallow fluff
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups heavy cream
½ cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Whip heavy cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks begin to form.  Gently fold in powdered sugar.  Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. In a clean mixing bowl, add 2 cups of the whipped cream, cream cheese and marshmallow fluff. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). 
3. Gently fold in one cup of the Lucky Charms marshmallows. Pour into graham cracker crust. Smooth over the top with a spoon or spatula. 
4. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
5. Pipe or spread remaining whipped cream over the top. 
6. Garnish with remaining marshmallows around the edge of the pie. 
7. Serve and eat!

Sort out marshmallows from cereal.  

If you ever wondered what one box of Lucky Charms looked like completely separated from the cereal and the marshmallows, here you go.

Yum.  Whenever I eat Lucky Charms, I go in with a game plan.  Eat all the dry cereal first and save the marshmallows for last.  

I was baking at my brother's house and soon realized that there was no electric mixer or a single whisk.  In a state of panic, I searched for my inner MacGyver and found my solution.  THE BLENDER BOTTLE.  Naturally, I put Amanda to work.  

#WERK.  Shake for 5-7 minutes. 

WHIPPED CREAM!! 

Mix whipped cream and softened cream cheese. 

Add marshmallow fluff.

Mix well. 

Add one cup marshmallows. 

Gently fold into mixture. 

Pour filling into graham cracker crust. 

Freeze for at least 30 minutes. 

Pipe remaining whipped cream around the edge of the pie.  There was no piping bag available so I filled a zip lock back with whipped cream, snipped off a small corner of the bag and piped away. 

Garnish with remaining marshmallows. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Thank you to my fabulous little helper, Amanda!
Happy no-baking.

xoxo
Grace 

Paleo Granola Recipe

2014 is the year of the skinny b*tch and this paleo granola recipe has been my go-to snack in staving off my endless sugar cravings.  This recipe is not only highly addicting, it is also extremely easy to make.  Plus, this recipe is easily modifiable so you can add or subtract any ingredients that tickle your fancy.  So whip out your Costco card and start buying unsalted nuts in bulk because after making one batch of this granola, you'll be hooked.  Recipe inspired and modified by PaleOMG. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted almonds, chopped or sliced
• 1 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 cup unsalted pecans, chopped
• 1 cup unsalted cashews 
• 1 cup dried fruit of your choice
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup oil of your choice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Coarsely chop pecans, almonds, cashews or nuts of your choice.
3. Add nuts, chia seeds, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add oil, honey, and maple syrup.  Mix well. 
5. Spread mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.
7. Let cool.
8. Eat!  

Measure.

Chop.

Add chia seeds.

Add cinnamon.

Add dried fruit.

Mix dry ingredients.

Add vanilla.

Add vegetable oil.

Add honey.

Add maple syrup.

Mix well.

Immediately spread mixture onto a lined baking sheet.

Be sure that the mixture is spread evenly on the baking sheet.

Bake in a 300-degree F oven for about 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Break apart and serve.

Eat with greek yogurt, almond milk, or whatever your heart desires.

Enjoy.

Happy baking. 

xoxo
Grace