Puppy Love

Welcome Miss Bailey, our new yellow lab puppy! She is a rescue dog, who traveled all the way from Texas to be a part of our family. At just three months old she has a lot of training and growing to do, but we all agreed that she was the prettiest one there. So far we have learned that she likes Straight No Chaser music, chasing cats, cuddling, and smelling everything. My husband has waited for this puppy for many years, it was like Christmas morning yesterday. Bailey was just as excited to meet him!

The dessert this week stems from a desire to purchase these at Starbucks every time I go there. They look so good. I've never actually purchased one, since I challenged myself to make them first.

Gingerbread Biscotti with White Chocolate
Oven 350

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup molasses
3  cups all purpose four
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt





In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, applesauce, eggs and molasses.In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.Mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture.
















Divide the dough into 2 loaves, each loaf being about 4 inches wide and 9 inches long. Bake on a parchment lined or nonstick sprayed baking sheet for 35 minutes, until the loaves are firm.

Remove the loaves from the oven and allow them too cool for about 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.Slice each loaf diagonally into 1 inch thick slices (take the loaves off the baking sheet and slice them on a cutting board). Put the slices back onto the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then flip the pieces and bake for another 15 minutes.




Allow to cool completely before you dip in the white chocolate. Melt 1/2 cup white chocolate chips and 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a bowl in the microwave. Dip the end of each biscotti into the melted chocolate or drizzle with chocolate for a different look. Cool on a piece of parchment paper.

Not for rent...

Our tree is all decorated and it smells wonderful. The whole house smells like Christmas.



That could also be because I've been baking up a storm (gingerbread men, snickerdoodle biscotti, chocolate chip cookies, white chocolate peppermint biscotti, and palmiers). My in-laws had their annual open house Christmas party complete with carolers and great passed hor-d'oeuvres ( I have to try and make those bacon wrapped dates sometime, yum!). It was so nice to see so many of our friends and family and catch up.

A recurring story of the night was our adventures in house renting. Our house has been a part of a scam on craigslist. We first learned about it when a lady came by on Halloween and asked to see the house. We explained that the house was not for rent and quickly called our landlord, who had the ad removed. A few days after Thanksgiving we had two people stop by inquiring about the house and saying that the craigslist add was back up. We had it removed, again.

Last weekend, my husband and I came home to find a note on our door asking that we call a lady asap. About two minutes after reading the note the lady pulled in the driveway and asked if we were renting the house. My husband explained that the craigslist ad was a scam to which this lady started using some choice words. It turns out that she had sent $960 to West Africa with the promise of keys to our house, that day. I felt bad that she had been so gullible. Who sends money for a house you have never seen the inside of? I also felt bad that they had sent her a fake "family" picture that she thought was real. Watch out for scams on craigslist!

I know I have already posted about biscotti, but the new recipe I found was a lot easier, better for you, and seems to be pretty adaptable. I made it plain and then dipped some in white chocolate and peppermint.

Snickerdoodle Biscotti
from Cooking Light November 2000
Oven 350

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
cooking spray
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg white

Measure flour into a large bowl using the scoop and level method. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt.



Mix oil, vanilla, and whole eggs in a small bowl and add to the large bowl, your dough will be dry and quite crumbly.




Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 7 or 8 times. Divide in half.



Shape each portion into a roll about 8 inches long, and place them six or so inches apart on a sprayed cookie sheet. Flatten each roll to 1 inch thick.



Combine the 2 tablespoons Sugar and cinnamon, then gently brush the tops of the rolls with the egg white and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.



Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Remove from the sheet and cool for 15 minutes.
Cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices and lay them cut sides down on the cookie sheet again.



Reduce oven temp to 325 and then bake 10 more minutes, turn over and bake 10 more. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Silence is Golden

(Check out updated videos and photos in previous posts!).

My co-teacher and I stood in awe as we watched 15 students work in groups solving multi-step equations quickly, efficiently, and without distraction. At one point the room was completely silent as they all worked on the problem set. It was a truly gratifying moment to see that these students, who do not necessarily like math or think they are good at math, could be so focused on a task because they knew that they could do it. I've had quiet and focused classes. However with the lower levels it seems that there always has to be at least one kid who puts a wrench in the whole process. It was one of those moments that we just looked at each other and smiled...this is why we wanted to teach.

This weekend I was baking up a storm. My husband requested biscotti and granola. And I wanted to give a thank you gift of "Kate's Vegan Ginger Cookies" to my co-workers who have helped me out so much so far.

Almond Biscotti
Oven: 300
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 tbs rum
2 tsp. almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup almonds chopped


Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Whisk the eggs, almond extract,rum, and vanilla extracts in your mixer until well blended.



Add the dry ingredients and almonds and mix until combined. Dough should be thick and sticky at this point--do not worry, and DO NOT add more flour! Scrape the dough out onto sheet pan. Flour your hands or a spatula and shape into a long flat loaf about 10 inches long and 5 inches wide. This will be kind of messy, so don't worry about how neat it is, just try to get it in that general shape.



Bake until firm and dry, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes.



Use a long serrated knife and slice into 1/2-inch wide slices. Lay the slices cut side down on the baking sheet and bake another 20 minutes.



Turn the slices over and bake 20 minutes more, or until the cookies are a light golden brown. Cool the biscotti on a rack; cool completely before storing. You can serve with coffee or coffee ice cream!