Valentine's Day is coming
So what do you do for Valentine's Day? Hand out cards, eat chocolate, make hearts around everything? I like to do a little bit of it all!
I helped the kids with their cards for school tonight and it reminded me of when I used to do it. So much fun and reading them later to see which card had the most love for me and if it was from a boy. Do kids still do that? Who knows!
All I know is that I'll probably be making my now famous heart shaped chicken. My son had asked me a few years ago if we could have it, like he had seen it somewhere but he just made it up in his head I think. So I thought how am I going to make this, cut out a chicken breast into a heart, I'm crazy right. Well yes that is crazy because I used ground chicken to shape it into a heart, so much easier! And you can do it too, with your favourite hamburger recipe. It can be veal, pork, beef, chicken or turkey. So yummy and very festive. Oh and to serve alongside, mashed potatoes in the shape of yes a heart. I don't think my mom did that, but she smiles when she sees it now. So glad I can do that!
But chocolate is king on this special love day, that is the other name it is referred to in our house. So I think that a chocolate recipe is in order, but which one? I choose this one, from the photo above shining at the top of my blog to dip into coffee or dip into more chocolate. Make them and keep them around for after Valentine's Day too, to enjoy. Longevity I say, make the love last!
My Mother’s Chocolate Almond Biscotti
These are a favourite of mine since I was a kid. So simple to make but jazzed up with more chocolate than you can imagine.
¼ cup butter 50 mL
½ cup granulated sugar 125 mL
2 eggs 2
1 tbsp vanilla 15 mL
½ cup unsweetened cocoa 125 mL
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 375 mL
2 tsp baking powder 10 mL
Pinch salt Pinch
½ cup mini chocolate chips 125 mL
½ cup toasted almonds 125 mL
6 oz semisweet chocolate, 180 g
chopped
In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Beat in cocoa, 1 cup (250 mL) of the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in remaining flour, chocolate chips and almonds.
With floured hands, shape into 2 logs about 10 inches long onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly to form rectangle.
Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for about 20 minutes or until firm. Let cool in pan on rack for about 15 minutes. Using serrated knife cut diagonally into ½ inch slices. Place on baking sheet, cut side down. Bake in 300 F (140 C) oven for about 15 minutes, turning once or until crisp. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, in bowl set over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate until smooth. Dip half of each biscotti into bowl or drizzle biscotti with chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
Makes about 2 dozen biscotti.
I helped the kids with their cards for school tonight and it reminded me of when I used to do it. So much fun and reading them later to see which card had the most love for me and if it was from a boy. Do kids still do that? Who knows!
All I know is that I'll probably be making my now famous heart shaped chicken. My son had asked me a few years ago if we could have it, like he had seen it somewhere but he just made it up in his head I think. So I thought how am I going to make this, cut out a chicken breast into a heart, I'm crazy right. Well yes that is crazy because I used ground chicken to shape it into a heart, so much easier! And you can do it too, with your favourite hamburger recipe. It can be veal, pork, beef, chicken or turkey. So yummy and very festive. Oh and to serve alongside, mashed potatoes in the shape of yes a heart. I don't think my mom did that, but she smiles when she sees it now. So glad I can do that!
But chocolate is king on this special love day, that is the other name it is referred to in our house. So I think that a chocolate recipe is in order, but which one? I choose this one, from the photo above shining at the top of my blog to dip into coffee or dip into more chocolate. Make them and keep them around for after Valentine's Day too, to enjoy. Longevity I say, make the love last!
My Mother’s Chocolate Almond Biscotti
These are a favourite of mine since I was a kid. So simple to make but jazzed up with more chocolate than you can imagine.
¼ cup butter 50 mL
½ cup granulated sugar 125 mL
2 eggs 2
1 tbsp vanilla 15 mL
½ cup unsweetened cocoa 125 mL
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 375 mL
2 tsp baking powder 10 mL
Pinch salt Pinch
½ cup mini chocolate chips 125 mL
½ cup toasted almonds 125 mL
6 oz semisweet chocolate, 180 g
chopped
In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Beat in cocoa, 1 cup (250 mL) of the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in remaining flour, chocolate chips and almonds.
With floured hands, shape into 2 logs about 10 inches long onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly to form rectangle.
Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for about 20 minutes or until firm. Let cool in pan on rack for about 15 minutes. Using serrated knife cut diagonally into ½ inch slices. Place on baking sheet, cut side down. Bake in 300 F (140 C) oven for about 15 minutes, turning once or until crisp. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, in bowl set over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate until smooth. Dip half of each biscotti into bowl or drizzle biscotti with chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
Makes about 2 dozen biscotti.
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