The Italian (Cookie) Job

I don't know what my deal is, but I have been in such a baking mood lately.  Today I made biscotti for the first time (sorry for the crappy picture...)

It was so easy, and they were so good!  Actually, they were kind of boring, and didn't have any nuts or chocolate or anything, but I could dip them in my coffee, which I LOVE!!!  You could give me a fish stick to dip in my coffee and I'd be happy!  So, I tried to teach the boys to dip their biscotti into their chocolate milk, but they didn't have the patience for that!  Then I tried to make them say "Biscotti" with a thick Italian accent, but, sadly, they have started to realize that their Mommy is a dork, so they weren't into that, either!  Oh, well... there goes my picture of them being super-cultured! 

Here's the recipe (this is my version, but you can find the original here):

Vanilla-Almond Biscotti:

1/2 cup vegatable or canola oil

1 cup sugar

3 1/4 cups flour

3 eggs (I used 4 1/2 T. oil, 4 1/2 T. water, and 3 tsp. baking powder mixed together)

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract (you could probably use less, the almond flavor was a little overpowering)

(you could also mix in some chopped or sliced almonds, but I made this just plain)

Preheat the oven to 375.  Grease a large cookie sheet.

Mix the oil, sugar, eggs and extracts.  In another bowl, mix the flour and baking powder, and gradually add the flour mixture to the oil mixture.  The dough will be very crumbly.  Shape it into a log as long as the cookie sheet, and just press all the crumbs into the log if it starts to fall apart.  Press the log into a 1/2-inch thickness.

Bake for 25-30 min. or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  When cool enough to handle, slice crosswise or at a diagonal with a serrated knife into 1/2-inch slices (and try not to slice your finger off, like I did).  Place the slices cut side up back onto the cookie sheet, and bake for an additional 6-10 min. on each side, until they're nice and toasty!  As my boys would say, "Mmmm, Mmmm, MMMMMMMM, that's good!!!!"