Banana White Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe

Oh my! It's been a few months since I've posted here on my sweet lil blog!  So sorry.  With so many social media outlets it seems we just superficially skate around the web.  One place I spend considerable couch-time at night "working" (lol, that's what I call it--though they never send me a paycheck!)  is Pinterest.  I realized that most of what I pin or re-pin does come from blogs, so it's our duty as individual bloggers to put out there some good content.  I'll try harder...  *wink*.

The day before Valentine's Day I attended a ladies luncheon.  I didn't want to arrive empty handed and woke up early that morning thinking of something I could bring for the hostess.  Remembering our school days of bringing Valentines for all our classmates I then decided to bring "Valentines" for each of the ladies.  With only about two hours to work with I quickly decided to make some  biscotti cookies and package them up for each of the ladies.



With some ripe bananas on the counter I knew just what to make, "Banana White Chocolate Chip Biscotti" cookies.   I photo-copied this recipe from a cookbook I checked out at the library years ago, neglecting to make note of which cookbook it was.  The original recipe calls for chocolate chips, but I've always used white chocolate chips, which I think blends better with the banana flavor.

Here's the recipe:

Banana White Chocolate Chip Biscotti

1 cup sugar

½ cup butter (softened)
½ cup mashed ripe banana (1 medium)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°. Great large cookie sheet.

Beat sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat in banana, vanilla and eggs until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in white chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 10x3-inch rectangle on cookie sheet with greased hands (dough will be sticky).

Bake about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool on cookie sheet 15 minutes

Cut crosswise into ½ inch slices. Turn slices cut sides down on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and drop on top. Turn cookies. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool. 

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For the "Valentines", I just packaged up two biscotti per bag and topped with a vintage sheet music heart, folded over the top.

This was a fun project and could be changed up for any event or holiday. I loaded them all up in a tote I had made a few years ago:

So next time you have some ripe banana's on the counter, instead of making banana break, make a batch of "Banana White Chocolate Chip Biscotti", they last a long time, too!

So go enjoy a biscotti and a cup of coffee!
         Blessings,
                   ~Heidi

I tried it and I like it!

(Photo filled post....)

I tried it and I like it! What is it? Coconut oil!

Jessica (daughter #2) mentioned making some chocolate chip cookies using coconut oil a while back. Honestly, I'm late for the dance, as I'd never heard of coconut oil for cooking.  Then I remembered even a longer-while back Melissa (daughter #1) had mentioned coconut oil for use for... something, but I just didn't remember!

I bought some coconut oil, which in itself was a challenge here in our town. I think I had to go to three store before I found a jar of it.  I originally was looking for "oil", as in canola oil or olive oil. I didn't even know it was a hard oil, as in "Crisco Oil"!  I had even called Jessica from the store when I couldn't find it, and that's when she said it's a solid oil.

Once home I used Jessica's recipe for "Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies."  Now I'm not like our daughters, who love chocolate chip cookies and/or chocolate chip cookie raw dough, (I do like a good sugar cookies!), but this raw dough was to die for!  Here's the recipe:

The baked cookies were yummy, too.  For some reason the dough reminded me of the chocolate chip cookie "dough" in the ice cream by the same name!

Fast forward a few weeks to a day out in the country picking blueberries.  I only had time to pick about 4 pounds, so bought a box of 15 pounds (the blueberry farm workers had picked them earlier that day).  I "sold" 5 pounds to my friend, then took the rest home to freeze.

Tonight for dinner I decided to make Blueberry Muffins, but use coconut oil for the "soft shortening".  Here's the recipe I used:

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Grease a 6-muffin tin

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup soft shortening (this is where you use coconut oil!)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Mix all ingredients except berries; gently fold in blueberries; fill muffin tin; bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes (tops will be a nice golden color when done); serve with butter!

(Sorry, I don't write out complete recipe instructions, once you've made a muffin-or whatever-you've got the technique!)


I have to say, these were the best blueberry muffins I've ever tasted!  I guess 1/2 cup of sugar will make anything taste good to me, but I think it was the coconut oil! (The main dish tonight was Sweet and Sour Pork over rice, just so you know it wasn't just muffins for dinner!)

I've been busy with various projects: my "big girl job", painting signs for my Etsy orders, and other custom signs orders from locals; and now a big even in our town called "Marshfield Vintage Market".  Here's the poster.

Melissa has a space and I'm her side kick!  I'll bring signs and other projects I've been working on, too many to even begin posting photos at this point. 

And, finally, just for fun, a sampling of recent signs I've been painting:

(this sign is at Leaf's Treehouse, Coos Bay-unless sold)

(this sign is at "Overcoat", the store in Myrtle Creek, OR)

(this sign is available here)

(this sign is at Leaf's Treehouse, Coos Bay, unless sold)

(this sign is available here)

(this sign is at Leaf's Treehouse-unless it's sold)

(this sign is available here)

(this sign is at Leaf's Treehouse, Coos Bay-unless it's sold)

(This sign is headed to the store, "Overcoat" in Myrtle Creek , Oregon, next to Dairy Queen. You simply must stop and visit Tonya if you are anywhere close!)

(this sign available here)

Blessings,
        ~Heidi

Doggie Chips and Salsa

This is Project Number 5 in my "Scottie Dog Cookie Cutter" series.  I'm using my cute little vintage Scottie Dog cookie cutter because he's just so dog-gone cute.  But you can use your favorite cookie cutter, or a variety of cutters for any of my projects.

Scottie Dog Baked Corn Chips

I love chips and salsa but often run out of chips before salsa.  So I decided to make a batch of my own.  Luckily we usually buy the large quantity of corn tortillas, so I had those on hand.

Just cut out as many chips as you'd like to eat:

Experiment some by cutting a stack at once, trimming around your cookie cutter to cut a large batch at once.

Coat with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for about 5 minutes.  Turn them over and bake an additional 3 minutes or until crunchy just the way you like them.

Serve on a vintage glass snack {dessert} plate, adding a good heaping of guacamole sauce and your favorite salsa.

A fun and yummy snack, kids and adults both will enjoy!

Happy Spring!

        ~Heidi

(Linked to Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday here, and

Cindy's Friday Show & Tell here, and Niffy Thrifty Things Sunday #28 here.)

C-ing things: Claira, Cranberry COOKIES, Cheeseburgers & Chalkboards

In my cake picture (in my last post) I see my photograph of Ellie, Claira and I was when Claira was in the middle of a outfit change!  I wanted you to see her in her pretty party clothes.  Here she is (held by Jessica):

Notice the cookies she's reaching for, which we didn't let her have!  These are such yummy cookies, I'll share my recipe with you.  When I made these, or regular chocolate chip cookies, I can't eat more than 3 even if I want to.  If I do, I wake up with a bad headache, from the sugar I guess.  Does that happen to any of you?  

Here's the recipe:

Heidi’s Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter -- softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs -- beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups quick cooking oat meal
1 cup craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°. Blend together butter, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Mix in 2 beaten eggs. Gradually add all remaining ingredients. Drop by rounded teaspoon 2" apart on to ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.   Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
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Our two girls planned the party, Melissa was in charge of grilling the cheeseburgers:
  They were so good, in fact, so good I ate two!  And I never eat more than one! Jessica made sweet potato oven french fries, and there was a macaroni salad.  (Check out Allrecipes.com for sweet potato french fries.)

A few more things to say about chalkboards:  Did you know you can make your own chalkboard paint?  Neither did I until recently.  One of my daily stops if CresendoH, and today one of the blogs Jenny Doh pointed out was  The Idea Room Blog, which pointed me to Martha Stewarts craft website which told how to make homemade chalkboard paint! (Did you follow all that?)

Looks simple to me, watch for what I come up with!  You know I love painting chalkboards, walls, tables, frames, menu boards, and anything that doesn't move!  Here's a set I hung on our guest room wall:

(Still one more to add, I like sets of 3 or 5 better!)

Blessings, Heidi

(Linked to Today's Creative Blog's "Get Your Craft On",  Sugar & Dot's "What I Whipped Up Wednesday, and Someday Craf's Whatever Goes Wednesday",

 

Heidi's Everyday Sugar Cookie Recipe

ie ReGoogle continues to send their lovely readers to my blog in search of an "Everyday Cookie" recipe.  I thought I'd better deliver and make the post clear.  This post is for my cookie.  Yes, the one I use everyday.  Well, just about everyday!  :)

Here's the recipe:

Heidi's Everyday Sugar Cookies
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter (or margarine)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
2 ½ cups flour (add more if needed)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Mix butter and sugar until creamy; add egg and flavoring; add in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Blend. Refrigerate for one hour.

Roll out dough (in two batches) as thin or thick as you’d like. Remember, the thinner you roll, the crisper the cookie. (I like them thick and soft!) Cut with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheet lined with a Silpat mat, or parchment paper. (Or if no parchment paper be sure to lightly grease your cookie sheet.)

Bake at 375º for 8 minutes (or until done to your likeness…like I said, I like mine thick and soft!).

I almost always double this recipe!


Heidi’s Everyday Easy Cookie Icing
1 egg white
1 cup powdered sugar

Stir very well. You can multiply to make as much as you need, just remember its one to one ratio of egg white to powdered sugar! Divide into bowls to add your various food coloring.

The good thing about this frosting it that it dries hard, making it easy to stack cookies without smearing the icing. Just be sure to wait for it to dry before stacking!

Note:  I now usually use Wilton's Meringue Powder in place of the egg white. (Use 2 teaspoons meringue and 2 Tblspn water in place of the one egg white in the recipe.)

(Pull out some cookie cutters.

These are just a few of my vintage collection.)

(Get some food coloring ready.

This is Jessica about 4 or 5 Christmases ago!)

(Roll your dough nice and thick, like our grandson John Mark did here.

Use your favorite cookie cutter, he selected a CAT. 

Melissa is teaching the kids the alphabet.)

(If you use a Silpat baking mat you will be very happy in the end

when the cookies slide right off!)

(Try not to handle your dough too much.

Refrigerate your dough at least 1/2 hour before using it,

it really does make a difference!)

(Pull out your decorating tips.  You can buy a starter kit for under $10.

Be sure to also purchase the plastic disposable decorating bags.

You'll like the clean up.  This was Jessica decorating cookies one year

for Valentine's Day.  Of course you knew that!)

I think the grandkids are coming over this afternoon. I better get a batch of this cookie dough in the refigerator!  This is one of my recipes Linda included in her Cookie Cookbook.

God has given us so many things that are good....

I'm joining  inn today for Sarah's First Annual  Blog Cookie Recipe Exchange here.

Blessings, Heidi

Christmas Cookie Cookbook is Free! (A Prairie Flower Farm Download)

A free downloadable CHRISTmas Cookie Cookbook! 

Here are my pages:

(These are the two pages Linda put in from me; 

I've added my cookie-girl watermark here)

Linda, of "Prairie Flower Farm", is so talented! Go to her blog to read about the story of how this wonderful CHRISTmas Cookie Cookbook came together.  You can download the cookbook on her blog, and/or print it out and keep it right there on your kitchen counter for the Christmas holiday.  (Here's another site to view it.)

What is YOUR favorite cookie recipe for Christmas, or any day cookie? 

Remember....

Have a blessed day,   Heidi