Seasons Eatings & My 1st Linky Party!!!

One of my favorite SNL skits is NPR's Delicious Dish Schweddy Balls with Alec Baldwin from "Seasons Eatings".  I laugh harder each and every time I watch it.

I believe it is a tradition in the bloggersphere to feature a favorite holiday recipe at this ChristmasTime!.  So, I thought I'd share one of my bite size treats, Homemade Biscotti that I gift to friends and family at Christmas.

I found this 'semi-homemade' recipe years ago in our local paper. I call it 'semi-homemade' because it uses a box of cake mix as its base. The original recipe from Duncan Hines is very simple.

Lemon Cranberry Biscotti

1 pkg Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe White Cake Mix

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped, dried sweetened cranberries

1/2 cup chopped nuts

2 tblspn grated lemon

chocolate chips optional 

Basic Directions

Preheat oven @ 350

Combine cake mix, flour, butter, eggs and vanilla and beat at low speed

Mix in cranberries, nut and lemon rind until well blended.

Divide dough in half and shape into 2 12" x 2" logs.*

Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

*I divide  my dough into 4 sections and place in loaf pan for smaller biscotti.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.

Using serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2" slices.
Arrange slices on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes @ 350.

Cool completely and if desired, dip one end of the biscotti in melted chocolate.

Through the years, I have used various cake mix flavors to create different flavors of biscotti. 

These include combining Spice cake mix with whole wheat flour and substituting lemon rind for orange rind.  I also toss in chopped toasted pecans.  This Pecan Spice Biscotti is probably my most requested biscotti.

I also prepare a Brownie Biscotti using a brownie mix instead of a cake mix.  I fold in dark chocolate chips and walnuts and then dip in chocolate.  Delish!!!

Orange and Cranberry Biscotti is also another favorite of friends.  I use a yellow cake mix as my base and then substitute orange extract for lemon.  I include chopped cranberries and orange rind and devour.

Voila...ready for friends and family!!!

Let me know what you think....

Heather 

I would love for you to share your Gourmet Gift ideas at my 1st Linky Party. Please grab my 1st Linky Party button.  Hope it works!!!!

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