Basic Biscotti

Hello there!

I'm big on biscotti. Its one of my favorite things to make, and its definitely one of those treats that people turn their heads to see when you announce what you're bringing to the holiday table.
Biscotti means "twice baked," but I bake mine 3 times. My biscotti is also a touch softer than the packaged variety you buy at a grocery store or in line at Starbucks. Below is a basic recipe, that I tweak and add to in order to create new flavors.

Basic Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened 
3/4 cup white sugar 
3 eggs 
3 cups all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder

Here is how you change this up, and finish off the recipe!

Typically, biscotti has almond extract in it, but I do a combination of extracts, and depending on their strength, add up to about 1-2 teaspoons of extract total. Just two examples:

Peppermint Biscotti: 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Birthday Cake Biscotti: 1 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract

And so on, but any combination works, its what you like best. You can also use orange, strawberry, lemon, or any other type of extract at all- just make it fit the combination of ingredients you put in your biscotti. You're simply flavoring the dough.

To change up to a chocolate biscotti, I use 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder.
Then, the fun part- the goodies inside the biscotti. Use 1 cup worth of extras for this recipe. I use chocolate chips of any variety (minis work well for this), chopped nuts, dried fruit, sprinkles, candy, etc.

Once all of your ingredients are sorted, here is how to actually MAKE the biscotti:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a large cookie sheet. 
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the extract(s). Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in extras. 
With lightly floured hands, shape dough into two 10 inch long loaves. Place rolls 5 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet; flatten each to 3 inch width. 
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until set and light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut loaves on a bias into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange slices cut side down.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bottoms begin to brown. Turn, and bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Cool completely.
I usually melt a little chocolate, drizzle over the top, sprinkle on a topping of sorts, and voila! Delicious biscotti for all to enjoy! Or not, no one says you have to share it ;)

-Rachel

Keep rollin' on...

It just occurred to me that this blog hasn't been updated in nearly a month, Ack!
But, I thought a delicious roll recipe would be perfect to rectify this little problem.

I'm all about a combination of easy and homemade, and these garlic and parmesan rolls are just that. Its also a very "forget about it," easy recipe as well.

To start, you'll need:

1 whole garlic bulb
Olive oil
1 ramekin
Aluminum foil
1 can of Pillsbury Flakey Layers biscuits
Grated parmesan cheese
Cooking spray, like Pam
1 baking sheet
Dried parsley
Salt
Pepper

Notice the lack of measurements? That's how simple this is.
Preheat your oven to 350, in the meantime peel back the first few layers on skin on the garlic bulb, not all of them- you want it to stay whole, but just a few outer layers- I think I took 4 off of mine.
Then, cut across the top of the bulb, about 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch down, to reveal the cloves tops inside, the bottom of the bulb should be intact, and you'll be able to see the inside of the bulbs.
Place the bulb in the ramekin, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cover the ramekin with aluminum foil.
Bake for 60-75 minutes.

When that's done, seperate your rolls and stretch them out into long skinny rectangle shapes. Spread the soft roasted garlic on the inside (if its not spreadable, put it back in for a few minutes.) Then sprinkle a tiny bit of parsley and pinch (or more, if you're so inclined) of parmesan cheese on top.
Roll them up, maybe smush them into a more roll shape if they're a bit tall.
Spray your baking sheet, place the rolls on top, bake for 14 minutes, then remove, sprinkle a bit more cheese on top, put back in for about 2 minutes.

When they come out, you will have irresistible, warm, soft, garlic (did I use enough adjectives ) rolls- and your kitchen will smell incredible!!

Enjoy,
Rachel

Obsessions

Okay, I just have to freak out for a moment.
I LOVE glitter. And suede. Mostly glitter.
Neiman Marcus is having a sale online (and in store, but I don't have one near me), so of course I clicked on the link. And then of course went immediately to the shoe section. Guess what greeted me?

These babies.

Suede & Glitter Bootie (Rachel Roy at NM)

They're perfection in shoe form. Gorgeous suede bootie with a fun sparkly twist. If I had the option (and the endurance), I'd wear these every.day.of my.life. At any rate, I have no where to wear them. I think they're a bit dressed up for statistics class, don't you?

Regardless of my shopping shortcomings- check out the awesome sale at NM, and purchase these (or other) fabulous shoes so that I can live vicariously through you.

XO,
Rachel

The Gold Standard

There comes a time of year when we have to put away the Scharffen-Berger (bummer, I just bought a bunch and it's amazing) and pull out the pumpkin desserts. It is a wonderful time filled with pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake gelato (it's best from Coolato Gelato!), and pumpkin spice whipped cream (yeah, I know!) However, my favorite thing of all time ever is pumpkin cheesecake. When I go home for Thanksgiving, I try to get some from The Cheesecake Factory (I recently heard we're getting one in Knoxville: score!!), but sometimes I just can't wait. I really don't have the patience or brain capacity to do the whole water bath, springform pan routine that goes into real cheesecake, so I made pumpkin cheesecake bars and, bonus, I got to use my Goldtouch pan that I recieved for my birthday!

These were uber delicious and I can't wait for you to try them. And, for the record, the Goldtouch was totally awesome and lived up to its reputation. My edges and corners came out perfectly brown (not burnty brown like normal) and it was super non-stick. If you're in Williams-Sonoma soon, I would definetely suggest picking one up in every size!

Seasonal Scents

Hello!

  I was never a very big candle person. Wall scents, car fresheners, etc- yes. Candles? Eh. Never really thrilled me. But, with the arrival of a Slatkin & Co Candles sale at B&BW, I became a candle person instantly. Currently, they're having a sale on the mini candles, by the way.
I love the idea of wintertime where you light candles and have fluffy blankets and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee. So, for that scenario to occur, we need a few things. For blankets, i'm currently under Nap Cuddle blanket, which you can get at Brookstone. They're a bit pricey, but the softest and best blankets by far. For coffee, I'm currently brewing Starbucks Cafe Verona, but I'm a love of Green Mountain coffees. And for candles, well, that's the main event!

Birthday Weekend

Boy, oh boy, do I have a lot of cool new stuff to talk about! My birthday was yesterday and I got a ton of things I can't wait to use. I'll review the Williams-Sonoma goodies later, but let me tell you about others!

The first thing I got was the  darling Stella and Dot Tribute bracelet from my stacking-savvy roomate and it is to die for! What I love most is that it goes amazingly with my rose gold Fossil watch and, even though it's thin, I feel like it'll hold up.

I also got this really, really cool Ciate Velvet Nail Kit in Blue Suede from my friend Madison. I've been wating to try it for quite some time now because the effect is really cool on the package. It comes with the blue nail polish base, the velvet shavings, and a mini brush (adorbs!). I had some trouble starting off, but once I got the hang of it, it created a very plush, moss-like finish and everyone loved it. However, after washing my hands I have noticed that the velvet gets flat and almost hard which is a major turn-off. If you're looking to buy this product for everyday wear, I would be wary; but if you're looking to wear it out for a special occasion, go for it! It's a really cool conversation starter!

I also got my first blue Tiffany box (thank you, Rachel!!) which contained the most darling coffee mug ever produced and I have used it every morning since! It's the perfect size and I love the weight of it in my hand.

All in all, such a lovely birthday weekend. I really appreicate the love I feel during that time (and all the time!) I will use my two boyfriend presents (I know, swoon!) this week and let you know what I think! I especially can't wait to see if these are worth the hype. In the meantime, enjoy this birthday card drawing from my infinitely-more-artistic-than-me boyfriend as much as I did. (I love you, too!)

P.S. Williams-Sonoma is offering free shipping on any order through the end of today! Use the code FREESHIP

P.P.S. New J. Crew collection came in stores Monday (happy birthday to me!) What did you think?!

A Chocolate Affair

Hello!

Considering that I'm currently sitting in bed eating Nutella out of the jar with a plastic soon (super classy, I know), I thought I'd share one of my favorite Nutella recipes with you. I love all things made with this chocolate and hazelnut spread, but warm gooey brownies certainly take the cake (pun intended).

You will need:
1 cup Butter
2 cups Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
4 Eggs
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Cocoa
1/8 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup Nutella
1/4 cup Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 355 degrees.
Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl (mixer) , melt the butter, then add the sugar and vanilla. Once the mixture is cooled, add the eggs and mix.
Add the flour mixture slowly to the egg mixture, mix completely before adding the nutella and chocolate chips.
Use Crisco in a 13x9in pan, they tend to be really impossible to get out of the pan. Crisco works much better than spray. I usually fold a paper towel, and use it to spread the Crisco around.
Bake for 40 min. They might need to go a tiny bit longer, but no more than 50 min.

Once they're done, cut a large one for yourself and enjoy!

Rachel

Fall Break Haul

It has been a long start to the semester and Fall Break could not have come at a better time. Don't you agree? I love getting to go home and see my family and bonus! Rachel and Allie are coming, too, even though they had their break last weekend. I know that just about everyone thinks their hometown has the best shopping/eating/atmosphere, but let me tell you, mine takes the cake. When I am here, there are a few stores that are unique to home and I must stop at.

The first place I have to go to is The Cosmetic Market. There are only two (Green Hills and Franklin) but they are worth the drive! They stock an array of beauty essentials and the atmosphere is to die for. In addition to carrying NARS, Bumble and Bumble, and a few other brands you can pick up at Sephora, they also carry Butter London nail polish which is a huge rarity. They also carry Emi-Jay's which are these amazing hair ties that don't crease your hair (score!) Usually I take about an hour to peruse but was in a rush, so I got in and out in a record 15 minutes!

Branwen's Feather

Invisalign

Hello there!

     I've been debating writing this post for a while, but coming from a recent orthodontics appointment, now seemed like a good time. I have Invisalign braces, which are clear orthodontic devices used as a braces alternative. I started the treatment in July of 2012 and am only on tray 6 of 30.
Each case requires a different number of tray sets, and not everyone is eligible to use the devices. A consultation with an Invisalign certified orthodontist will tell you whether or not your dental problems can be solved in this manner. The process is fairly simply. From consultation, molds are made and sent in to Align.

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Last week, I got my Williams-Sonoma fall catalog which was like an early Christmas present! I had my eye on a few trusty favorites I've gotten before (the spooky gingerbread house, for example) but what caught my attention was a jar of my absolute favorite fall flavor combination: salted caramel sauce. Williams-Sonoma suggests you use it slightly heated on ice cream, but I've got a few other recipes up my sleeve and I can't wait for you to try them!

Doesn't this look delightful?

My J. Crew Addiction

It is a well known fact that I am a J. Crew addict. I love the colors, the fabrics, the fit, and most importantly, the way their style fits with mine: classic and not too fussy. I know that it can be pricey, but trust me when I say that if you follow my lead, you can get the best bang for your buck. P.S. Right now, your local store is probably offering an extra 25% off sale items! Hurry in!

If you're a student, you always always ALWAYS get an extra 15% off. That includes full price items, promotions, and extra 30-40% off sales (that's almost 50% off already reduced prices!)Your Michael Kors hybrid iPhone case/wallet wristlet is breathing sighs of relief already, I can tell. 

If you have the luxury of having a J. Crew near you, did you know you can call from their "red phone" and get free shipping? You can also use your student discount on items only offered online or get them to match lower online promotion prices this way and -bonus-the sales associates are always super helpful!

 Often times, you can get a better deal in the store than online (this especially applies with sale items). Let me tell you about the last few times I was my favorite place (and came in way under budget!)

Yesterday, I was rewarding myself for studying hard and (hopefully) passing my account exam. It was a bear and I was in desperate need of retail therapy. I went in and was very excited to see the extra 25% off sale items sign and went straight to what I'd had my eye on.

Lets talk about spice, baby.

(Produced by Muirhead, Sold by Williams-Sonoma)

Anyone get my inappropriate song reference? No? Moving on then...

I have a deep love for fall at Williams-Sonoma. If you aren't aware of their fabulous fall products- please visit a store or their website. I promise you'll be thrilled. Each year they come out with a number of products that are pumpkin, spice, and everything nice (sorry, last one, promise). I normally buy bulk amounts of their Pumpkin Pecan Pancake Mix (also, love that alliteration). Much to my dismay, there was none to be found this year.

As a replacement, I purchase the Pecan Pumpkin Butter. It comes in a glass jar topped with a gold lid and cursive font- a simply beautiful presentation. It is also, simply delectable.
Because the product is wet, its a perfect addition to a number of batters. You could add a bit to pancake mix, as a replacement for the Williams-Sonoma mix of previous year, or to muffin batter, icing, etc. Its a lovely way to impart a little seasonal flair to just about anything.

Here is a quick, easy way to use the butter in a breakfast favorite of mine- french toast!

A Lesson in Goat Cheese.

Have you had any good food lately? I don't mean sauteed chicken. I mean, food you just die over. Personally, I think this is the only kind of food one should ever eat (unless one is stuck at home cramming for accounting at 11 p.m; in that case, microwave vegetables are appropriate and expected). Here is one of many stories of amazing things I ate (and loved!)

Let me preface my first dish by saying that I live in apartment with three other girls which is ridiculous and amazing and chaotic all the time. Sometimes, to skip out on actual things I need to do, I like to venture out into the real world with my roomate Bethany (she likes good food just like me!) Last week, she suggested we go to The Plaid Apron in Sequoyah Hills; an old, ritzy part of Knoxville that I never venture to. We almost didn't, but it was on our way and we (and by we I mean I) were starving, so off we went. Little did I know this trip was going to end with that crazy-happy-dinging-game-show-sound-when-someone-wins-the-new-car (in my mouth!)  

An Etsy Addiction

Why, hello there!

    Lauren's lovely intro post already explains our odds & ends friendship, which, by the way, is as wonderfully different as can be. However, our love of a particular site is identical and insurmountable. Now, if you have not yet heard of Etsy.com, you must not have quite the online shopping addiction that I seem to have (It's a problem- I'm working on it.)

    For those who are not aware, Etsy is a rather revolutionary site where anyone can have an online shop to market their vintage, handmade, or one of a kind goods. Type your purchasing whims into the search bar and prepare to wear out your credit card. Note: I have done such a thing one too many times. And the results are full of happiness. Here are a few of my favorite purchases:

Why the Ampersand?

Rachel and I complete each other. Not in a weird, crazy cat lady way. In fact, we both hate cats and our dogs combined weigh more than like, all of the season 6 contestants of America's Next Top Model. On paper, we shouldn't work. Rach likes fruit for dessert. She is crafty and has been in a relationship longer than Kate Middleton and the future king of England. She always looks perfect and could write a book on etiquette. I, on the other hand, still wonder which side of the plate the fork goes on when you set the table (The left, right? Eek!) and convince myself that eating large amounts of dark chocolate is totally OK because it's heart healthy (right?). Rachel goes to The University of Alabama and I go to The University of Tennessee which makes us conference rivals. See? We shouldn't work. But we do, and it's the best friendship I've ever had (I think she feels the same.)
We can't wait to share everything we love with anyone who wants to listen and this blog will be the fruition of hours on Skype just dying over the new shade of this or gushing over how much we loved eating that. And, if you love discussing which polish brand has the best glitter consistency (Butter London, obviously) or what kind of chocolate goes best in chocolate chip cookies (jury's still out) you ought to join right in.
Happy Reading,
Lauren