A CRAFT and A COOKIE

Many moons ago, when I met my husband, he took me home for the Holidays. That was my real inclination that he was serious about me. We had met in October and he took me home to meet his folks in December. Mind you, they lived eight hours away, so we had to stay there. My goodness, talk about nerves. I really had nothing to fear. My DH's, mother was an angel. The moment I came through the door I was kissed 100 times as if I was a long lost relative. His sister kept talking to me in English, while everyone was talking in Italian. Thank God for her helping me through that (thanks M : )). I had brought a ton of biscotti with me as an offering. A good gesture. It went over pretty well. I decided to make biscotti today and thought of that day and my lovely Mother-in-law. She passed away a couple of years ago. We miss her.

These are very low fat. The only fat comes from the walnuts and the eggs. You can omit the walnuts and use egg replacements, or whites, if you must. But if you can use them, they are good for you. It's a nice recipe with some wholesome goodness. Enjoy these biscotti with Chai tea for an ultimate spice experience!

I am sending these in for a Vegetarian Round Up at Fun and Food Cafe.


Here is one of the crafts I have been working on...

from left to right: "Toot", "Sparkle" and "Pom Pom"

Aren't they cute cupcakes. Found the idea here. Have no idea where the original link came from, sorry, but hey you have the pattern now, sew away!

MAPLE WALNUT PUMPKIN BISCOTTI
Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness Original

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 - 15oz can puree pumpkin or 1 3/4 cups homemade pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine dry ingredients, salt, baking powder, flours, spice and sugar. Combine wet ingredients, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup. Stir together. Mix in walnuts.

Spoon onto cookie sheet, down the edge of the long side of the pan, do the same on the other side. So you have two logs, horizontally extending into the pan about 4 inches or so. You may have a little left over, depending on how big your pans are. If so put in a small loaf pan.

After baking about twenty minutes, cut them using a serrated knife. Do so while hot so it does not crumble on you. Place them back in the oven laying flat for ten minutes. Remove from oven, flip and bake another ten minutes. You can stand them up for twenty instead but be careful that the bottom doesn't burn.

Store in an air tight tin or freezer. They will keep several weeks. Even until Christmas if there is limited humidity.


Notes:
The one thing I would have added if I had some is maple extract.
* pumpkin pie spice can be made by combining 2 tablespoons ginger, 1 tablespoon nutmeg, 1/4 cup cinnamon and 1 tablespoon cloves.