Chocolate Macadamia Biscotti

Time and time again people have told me they have never made biscotti because they think it's really hard. Well... no no no... biscotti is easy peasy... believe me! I found a cookbook at the thrift store called 'The Cake Doctor'. There are over 200 foolproof, quick and easy recipes for coffee cakes, bars, brownies and frostings. There's chocolate cakes, special occasion cakes, cheesecakes and gooey cakes! AND biscotti!

Chocolate Macadamia Bisotti
adapted from 'The Cake Doctor" by Anne Byrn

Parchment paper for the pan
1 pkg. plain devils food cake mix
8 tbsps. butter melted
2 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (I used chopped walnuts)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place cake mix, melted butter, eggs, flour, and nuts in a big bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended, 3-4 minutes. The dough should come together into a ball. Shape dough into a ball and roll into a 14" rectangle.
3. Place baking sheet in oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and let the biscotti cool for 10 minutes. Leave the oven on.
4. Use a serrated bread knife to slice the biscotti in 1 inch thick slices. Carefully turn the slices on to their sides. Return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Let cool for 10 minutes and then eat!!!

NOTES: It didn't work well for me using my hand blender. The mix was a bit on the dry side. So I dumped the bowl of dough onto my cutting board and mixed it with my hands. I made three rectangles. Other than that they turned out just fine. Not hard and crunchy, but soft and chewy in the middle.

Enjoy!!

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

It was lazy sunny afternoon and I baked some biscotti. My sister shared her recipe with me and I'm sharing it with you! Yummy and always great to dip these in coffee or tea or hot chocolate!

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

1/34 c. flour ( I used 1/2 whole wheat and white flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
¾ c. whole unblanched almonds
2 eggs
¾ c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract (optional)
1 ½ tsp. grated orange rind
1 cup dried cranberries (I also used raisins and cutup dried apricots)
1 egg white, lightly beaten

In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, almonds, and cranberries.
In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and grated orange rind: stir into flour mixture until soft sticky dough forms. Transfer to lightly floured surface; form into smooth ball.
Divide dough in half; roll each into 12-inch long log. (Flatten log a bit). Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.
Brush tops with egg white; bake in 350. F oven for 20 min.
Remove from oven and let cool on pan on rack for 5 minutes. Transfer each log to cutting board: cut diagonally into ¾ inch thick slices.
Stand cookies upright on baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer to rack and let cool.

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Sew Thoughtful Vintage Tag

I have wanted to make a sewing type tag with a bit of vintage flair for so long. Finally it's done! Made this tag for a sweet friend. Hope she likes it!

Cut various pattern pieces and used Mod Podge to adhere pieces to tag.

Sprayed various alcohol inks in different areas and dried with my heat gun.

Did some stamping and inking!

Scanned one of my 1960's sewing pattern and fussy cut out the two ladies.



Hope you enjoyed and thanks for stopping by!

Five Ways to Celebrate Easter Everyday

Bykristen at: http://wearethatfamily.com/
Thank you so much Kristin for allowing me to share your story on my blog. I ♥ U

She cracks open the Resurrection Egg, her eyes fill with wonder. Inside the pink plastic shell lies a whip. She is filled with questions and there is fear.

Why a whip? She’s still learning the story. Every year is like starting over, only fragments stick in her 5 year old mind that is still grasping the concept of space, time and death.

There is sadness in the Easter story. The dice, the crown, the pain,. There is death. But the whole story must be told to fully receive the beauty of Easter. We walk through the valley, to receive the triumph.

But why did they kill him? It’s the hard, necessary question. He had to die. He died for us.

It’s the part of the story when I’m reminded my sins held him on the cross.

But this isn’t just a story about death.

As her brother and sister fill in the pieces of the story, she remembers the tomb.
Yes! The tomb.
I point to our Easter Garden and I ask, What did we put in the tomb?

She thinks. Nothing. Nothing is in the tomb, Mom. Not even Jesus.

Victory.

She smiles. Jesus is alive.

And we tell the story over and over. It’s not just a pastel, chocolate-covered story we drag out with the eggs. It’s the very core of who we are. It’s the most important story ever told. It’s the truth we cling to in the darkest of nights. It’s the story we encourage one another with.

Death didn’t win. He is alive!

The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances. ~Robert Flatt

This story doesn’t belong on a shelf. The resurrection is the very reason we have hope. It gives our life meaning today and our tomorrow a future.

And that’s why we must celebrate Easter every day.

Five Ways to Celebrate Easter Every Day in Your Home:

1. Continue to tell the story–when the Easter hype fades and our society focuses on commercializing another day, let’s keep sharing the Easter story. Don’t put away Easter with the candy. Watch this video with your kids.

2. Keep the cross at the center–While the cross was a crude death sentence, it’s also a beautiful reminder of what Jesus has done for us. Yes, it’s about death, but more it’s about life. Hang a beautiful Cross in your home and talk often of it’s meaning.

3. Celebrate new life year round: take a nature walk in the Spring (search for cocoons, nests, baby animals etc); plant new flowers in the summer, hide bulbs in the earth in the fall, put out birdseed in the winter, speaking the beauty of Daniel 3: 52-90 all year long.

4. Focus on grace throughout the year. Be quick to forgive and extend grace as it has been given to you. And never forget that His death means LIFE ! Print this free printable to keep in your home all year long.

5. Sprinkle reminders of His story (history) in your life: Celebrate communion regularly. Talk about the Last Supper as your breaking bread with your family. Mention the crown of thorns as you weed your garden, hang a purple sash over a cross in your home and talk about our King.

It’s Good Friday. It’s the perfect time to start celebrating Easter every day.

Happy Easter!

Thank-you Card

I discoverd a new digital stamp store. There are cute digital images over at Saturated Canary. I couldn't resist 'Copica' image.

I colored the image in with my Copic markers, added a pretty paper flower with a red heart embellie for the flower center, a thank-you sentiment and voila! Hope you like!

Beautiful Day

Beautiful Day, Isn't it?

The day started out rotten. I overslept and was late for work. Everything that happened at the office contributed to my nervous frenzy. By the time I reached the bus stop for my homeward trip, my stomach was one big knot.
As usual, the bus was late-and jammed. I had to stand in the aisle. As the lurching vehicle pulled me in all directions, my gloom deepened.
Then I heard a deep voice from up front boom, "Beautiful day, isn't it"?
Because of the crowd, I could not see the man, but I could hear him as he continued to comment on the spring scenery, calling attention to each approaching landmark. This church. That park. This cemetery. That firehouse. Soon all the passengers were gazing out the windows. The man's enthusiasm was so contagious I found myself smiling for the first time that day. We reached my stop. Maneuvering toward the door, I got a look at our "guide": a plump figure with a black beard, wearing glasses, and carrying a thin white cane.

barbara johnson

from Fresh Elastic for Stretched Out Moms

Easter Cards

In my free time (which isn't much lately!) I've been making Easter cards! I also want to share some Easter images from my old copies of Ideals magazines.

The following images are reduced to 2x3 in size and 300 DPI

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Lunch Bag Upcycle

You start out with a good old brown lunch bag, a theme, and away you go!
This months theme was "Birthday" for the Lunch Bag Upcycle group at
http://yourpaperpantry.ning.com/
Turned out so cute!

Click here to see start to finish on youtube.

Have a great day!

Luscious Lentil Soup

I try to cook healthy, wholesome delicious foods for my husband and I as often as I can. This quick and delicious soup is from Gloria Roses' cookbook called 'Cooking for Good Health'.

Here's the recipe:
7 cups Chicken Stock ( I used store bought organic)
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 medium sized carrots, sliced ( I used 2)
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh parsley
11/2 cups red lentils ( I used only 1 cup)
1 tomato chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 bay leaves
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp cumin ( not part of the recipe, I love cumin!)

Method:
Saute carrots, celery, onion, leeks in olive for 10 minutes in large stock pot.
(There is no olive oil in the original recipe or sauteing the vege's. I love the flavor of sauted onions and do this for most soup recipes)
Add rest of ingredients. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Puree 2 cups of the soup in a blender. Return puree to soup pot.  Heat thoroughly and serve.
Serve with lemon wedges for added zest.
Or add 1 tbsp Miso for extra flavor.

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Enjoy!

Heart and Home Vintage Images

Click on a picture: the picture viewer will open in another window. Right click on a photo and save picture to your computer.

Enjoy!

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