...{smell}

there are countless scents with the ability to transport one back to a fond holiday memory.  earthy evergreen, refreshing peppermint, and that indescribable smell of an approaching snowfall are just a few of the first examples that come to mind.  to me, though, no scent provides the warm and comforting feeling of the most wonderful time of the year quite like cookies baking in the oven.  what i find to be the most fortuitous aspect of this fact is that my nostrils do not discriminate-  any cookie will do.  i have an equal opportunity nose, thankyouverymuch.  

it seemed like a no brainer to feature biscotti in this post for a number of reasons. one, because they are delicious, and any excuse to pass along an outrageously stellar recipe is a good one.  two, because the double-baking process makes these gems ideal for dunking, and the sweet baby jesus knows i'm always looking for the perfect partner for my morning coffee. and lastly, because nothing says christmas like red and green, and no combination of said colors tastes of perfection quite like tart & sweet cranberries and salty pistachios.  

granted, the perceptive will notice that i substituted cherries for the cranberries and pepitas for the pistachios.  while i prefer the original version, there are rare times when Working Girl on a Budget beats out Pastry Extraordinaire in Her Own Mind.  usually i can convince myself to splurge on a main ingredient, but not when a container of pistachios costs as much as my monthly gym membership.  "penny-pinching breeds innovation," isn't that how the saying goes?

cranberry pistachio biscotti

1/4 cup light olive oil

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 1/2 cups pistachio nuts

preheat oven to 300.

in a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended.  mix in both of the extracts, then beat in the eggs.  combine flour, salt, and baking powder together; gradually stir into the egg mixture.  mix in the cranberries and nuts by hand.

divide dough in half and form two 12x2 logs on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.  the dough is easiest to handle if you wet your hands with cold water first.  

bake for 35 minutes, then remove from over and let cool for 10 minutes.  take a big wiff of the baked goodness.  reduce the oven temperature to 275.  

cut the logs on a diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices.  lay the slices on their sides on the cookie sheets, and bake an additional 8-10 minutes, or until dry.  let them cool.

then, pour yourself a hot cup of tea and enjoy!