It might not be a competition, but I win!

My sister, Margaret, is fond of telling me life isn't a competition. That bit of philoso-fluff keeps her happy. I, on the other hand, never say no to a healthy bit of competition and I'm not afraid to admit that I enjoy winning.

And I've won! Margaret has been saying for years that she intended to start a blog for her bookstore featuring short reviews and author interviews. Has she done it? Of course not. She'll tell you it's because running her bookstore uses up most of her spare brain cells. I'll tell you that she just isn't well organized enough. But I am.

Hah! I've got a blog before Margaret! A friend showed me how to set it up and here I am. It may not be perfect, but it's up and running and improvements will follow.

So, to get started, here's one of my favorite recipes. For what? Biscotti, of course!

Double Dark Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti
Low fat, low cholesterol, high anti-oxidant, and delicious!


Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus one large egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside. In large bowl, beat egg, egg yolk, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and oil until well combined.
3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture. Fold in walnuts, chocolate, and ginger with rubber spatula. Dough will be stiff.
4. With moistened hands, shape dough into 2 logs, each about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Place on parchment-lined baking pan. Bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325. 
5. Transfer logs to a cutting board and, with serrated knife, cut each log, on the diagonal, in to 16 pieces, each 1/2 inch thick. Place slices on their sides back on the parchment-lined baking pan. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning the biscotti over midway through. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week. 

Well, it would nice if I had pictures to share so this would look like a real food blog. I do have them, I just don't know how to get them from my nifty camera to the computer. Don't tell Margaret.