oven – Mel's Mosaic

Found some lonely beets the other day that I had to use. Didn’t find anything exciting while researching recipes, so decided to just throw some stuff together.

So, first the fun — taking those innocent beets and peeling them.

And getting some beautifully colored hands in return (didn’t have any gloves).

I hadn’t used my toaster oven for ages so decided to put it to good use since I didn’t have a ton of beets. Warmed that up to about 425 and then tossed the beets with some olive oil, oregano, basil and a couple other spices. Covered the toaster oven sheet in foil and put the (quartered) beets on there.

Roasted them for about 30-40 minutes, until they were done enough for me. When they were finished, I tossed them with some hearts of palm and pistachios. So good!

It’s Friday, it’s pouring rain, what better a thing to do before dinner than bake? You have to have dessert, right? And it helps to prep for a party tomorrow.

One of my favorite things to bake is biscotti because it has (or truly doesn’t have to have) butter, which means those who are lactose intolerant can totally enjoy it! And, it keeps for awhile. The crispier, the better!! With the recipe I use, I take the basics and alter the flavors. Tonight, I was looking around my kitchen and opted to include dark chocolate (duh!), whiskey and walnuts. There is a health benefit in all of those, in some way, shape or form.

The aforementioned recipe I use is from a cookbook I received years ago. You just combine:
-2+ c flour
-3/4 c sugar
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp cinnamon
-most times I also use 1 tsp nutmeg

Blend. Then add:
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla

Those are the basics. Then you just need more liquid that is flavor and other dry ingredients for flavor, from nuts to chocolates to dry fruit to more spices You might also need some water sometimes just for that extra bit of liquid.

So for this recipe I used:
-‘some’ whiskey
-about 1/2 cup chocolate chips
-about 3/4 cup – 1 cup walnuts

Once the dough is mixed, you make it into flat ‘logs’ — I can’t think of a better word — and bake it for 30 minutes at 375.

After half an hour, take it out and cut it into ‘biscotti’ shape. And you know, these crumbs fall off– MUST sample. They have no calories, come on. Then, contrary to what the recipe said, I just turn the oven off, put the cookie sheet back in there, with the cut biscotti on it and let it sit in there, be it 1 hour or overnight. Again, the crispier the better.

Final product, perfect!