Finally Baking!

Dear Turkey,

Since I haven't heard back from you about my Vitamix challenge, I assume that you decided to surrender it to me. So, I thought I should practice one of my best blender sauces so that I'll be all warmed up when it gets delivered.

This is really an old standby at our house. It's adapted from this very favorite cookbook (attn my one other reader: if you got this cookbook for a present, I highly recommend this recipe):

Sesame noodles:
Cook one package of soba noodles
In your blender or Vitamix, combine:
2 cloves garlic
2T peanut butter
1T sesame oil
3T tamari
3T rice vinegar
3T honey
1-2T chili oil
1T sesame seeds
Pour over noodles and enjoy hot or cold

And, for dessert...finally...biscotti for my husband. I have a few biscotti recipes that I make. This one is also adapted from a Moosewood cookbook.  

In a big giant bowl, combine:
1 stick butter, melted
1.5c sugar
4 eggs
2t vanilla
2t almond extract
4t dried orange peel
1/2c ground flax seed
1/2t salt
3t baking powder
1t nutmeg
2c white flour
2c whole wheat flour
2c chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips

mix with your hands until a ball forms (it will be a relatively dry dough)

form the dough into a log on a baking stone covered with parchment; bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (or 30 minutes if you like your biscotti al dente)

let it cool a little and then slice it; you don't really have to spread the slices out because they won't get much bigger; bake at 350 degrees for another 15-20 minutes

enjoy with your favorite tea in your favorite mug

NB: in case you didn't study abroad in Italy, I would like to tell you that "biscotti" means "twice baked." After we take the "log" out of the oven the first time, we usually eat a few slices right away. We call this "un-scotti." Un-scotti is an important part of this baking ritual, and it's how my husband broke his baking-fast; not so much as a Christmas cookie has passed his lips in the past months. Way to rock the willpower, honey. The look on his face when he ate the un-scotti really made my day. 

I moss you,

Tofu