Orange Apricot Biscotti with Pistachios & Hazelnuts - Perfect Cookies for the Mothers Day

My new Still live with flowers and butterflies - prints are available for sale!

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.

— SOPHIA LOREN

Happy Mothers Day!!!



Great to have these tasty crispy cookies on hand when guests stop by during the Mothers day, these biscotti also make lovely gifts. You can substitute dried apricots for the cherries, if you like.

Grand Marnier Apple Raisins Cake

The apple harvest upon us and we are searching for interesting recipes with apples. On a rainy day when leaves start changing colors having a cup of hot herbal tea with apple dessert is like having a perfect piece of happiness.

This cake is a must, any good housewife should have this recipe in her collection. Grand Marnier Apple Cake with Raisins is amazing. It has rough, earthy but lemony pastry bottom made from spelt flour and moist sweet apple filling with dried berries and pistachios covered by soft top melting in your mouth.

Apple Dumplings with Maple Syrup & Pistachios - The End of Summer Lunch

Aromatic sweet apple dumplings are packed with dried fruit and drizzled with maple syrup. Perfect for the end of summer lunch or dessert.

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Figs, Honey and Pistachios - Appetizer or Dessert

There is something inherently gratifying about a cheese course, one that combines soft brie cheese with sweet fruit and crunchy, toasted nuts. This elegant dish hides a mouthwatering mixture of flavors, and makes a delicious appetizer or lunch, or wholly satisfying and truly unique dessert.

Chocolate-Orange Cover Meringue with Pistachio

These cookies are dramatically elegant and unusually delicious. The airy, sweet, and crispy cocoa-flavored merengue puff contains a fudged orange  chocolate counterpoint at its pistachio-coated center.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies with Apricot and Surprise -)

Filled with chocolate chips, apricots and toasted pistachios, these cookies are just right with a glass of cold milk.

I have another version of Chocolate chip cookies, also very unique, with Flax, Chia and Hemp Seeds, for recipe visit here.

And the surprise -)) Recently, I received  an amazing song about the Chocolate chip cookies from Notebook Noise.

Notebook Noise just finished his 3rd album Strange Tongue.  You can download it free. Thaddeus is from Chicago and wrote the song Cookies for his daughter and his mom.  The song features his 9 year old daughter too.  It's acoustic and catchy. Enjoy! We sure did-)




Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 white chocolate chips
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted toasted shelled natural pistachios, coarsely chopped, plus more about 2 Tbsp for sprinkle the top
• 3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed to incorporate between additions, then add the vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until smooth. Stop to scrape down the bowl.



Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, gradually add to the bowl, beating on low speed until well incorporated.
Stir in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, then 1 cup of the pistachios and the dried apricots.

Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough, spacing them 1 1/2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle some of the remaining pistachios on the top of each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are just set but still soft to the touch. Cool completely before serving or storing. Repeat to use all of the dough.

Cranberry and Pistachio Nougat with Rose Water

Nougat is a classic crowd pleaser and with this festive recipe, everyone will be asking for more.
Here's what Wikipedia says:
"Nougat is a term used to describe a variety of similar confectioneries made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts(almonds, walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts are common, but not peanuts) and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat can range from chewy to hard depending on its composition, and it is used in a variety of candy bars and chocolates. There are two basic kinds of nougat: white and brown. White nougat is made with beaten egg whites and is soft, whereas brown nougat (called nougatine in French) is made with caramelized sugar and has a firmer, often crunchy texture."



This recipe is good, but nougat has consistency of the gummy candy. I was looking for something different, more crunchy, I quess. If you have some good recipes of the perfect nougat please, please, please let me know, my family loves them.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dry cranberries
• 3/4 cup whole almonds, toasted
• 3/4 cup whole pistachios, toasted
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pink food coloring
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
• 1 tsp rose water

You also need:

• edible rice paper (This recipe also calls for edible rice paper, also known as wafer paper. The rice paper helps prevent the nougat from sticking to everything and makes it easier to cut, serve, and store the candy. It can often be found in Asian food markets and in some gourmet stores, or purchased online. I did not have it, so I did it without it, next time I am going to use it. If you cannot find any, line your pan with parchment paper or foil and spray it thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray. I did.)
• candy thermometer
• pan
• large stand mixer with whisk attachment

Direction:
Place the sugar, corn syrup, honey and water in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves, then use a wet pastry brush to wipe down the sides of the saucepan to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Insert a candy thermometer and continue to cook the syrup, without stirring, until the candy thermometer reads 252 degrees.
When the sugar syrup is nearing the proper temperature, begin to beat the egg whites until they are opaque with firm, stiff peaks.
Once the sugar syrup is at 252, carefully remove 1/4 cup of syrup and keep the rest of the syrup on the heat. With the mixer running, slowly pour the hot 1/4 cup of syrup in a thin, steady stream into the egg whites. Beat the whites at high speed for few minutes until they hold firm peaks.
While the egg whites are being beaten, continue to cook the rest of the sugar syrup until the thermometer reads 315 degrees.
Once the syrup reaches 315 degrees, remove the pan from the heat. With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup slowly into the egg whites. Beat the whites on high until they hold the mixture is glossy and a thick ribbon forms when the whisk is lifted from the bowl.

 
Stop the mixer and add the vanilla extract, pink food coloring, rose water, salt, and butter. Turn the mixer back on until a thick ribbon forms when the whisk is lifted from the bowl. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the nuts by hand.
Prepare your pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray and lining the bottom with rice paper. If you don't have rice paper, line the pan with parchment paper or foil and spray it thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.
Scrape the nougat into the prepared pan. It will be stiff! Use a rubber spatula to scrape the candy from the sides of the bowl. Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray and press the candy into a thin, even layer. Allow the nougat to set overnight.
When you are ready to cut the nougat, spray a knife with nonstick cooking spray and run it along the edges of the pan to loosen the candy. Turn the nougat out onto a cutting board. Using a knife sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, cut the nougat into small squares or rectangles.
Your nougat is now ready to eat! If you will not be serving it immediately, it is a good idea to wrap the pieces in waxed paper so that they do not spread and stick together. Store the nougat in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Carrot, Apple and Orange Salad with Ginger Dressing

Carrot, Apple and Orange Salad made in minutes, this salad is not so much thrown together as tossed together, and this harmonious combination of ingredients and complementary dressing belie the speed with which it is made. This salad ideal for easy entertaining or speedy midweek meal when you are too tired, too busy or too hot to spend much time in the kitchen. It can be served as appetizer or as a refreshing accompaniment to fish or meat dishes.



Tip: It's better to have the ingredients julienned with the knife. A food processor or a mandolin might cause the apples to turn watery. You may julienned the apples 1 hour before serving time, toss them in lemon juice to prevent them from browning and they will look  great while sitting in the fridge, waiting to be tossed and eaten.

Serving: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly julienned
• 2 apples, cut into thin matchsticks
• 2 large oranges, peeled and slice thinly
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. orange juice
• 2 Tbsp. chopped pistachio nuts
• 1 small piece root ginger
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• chopped parsley or mint (whichever herbs you prefer)
• salt and ground pepper

Directions:
Peel and finely chop or grate the ginger.
Blend together the olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, ginger and season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the carrots and apples together, pour the dressing over and mix well.
Arrange on a plate the oranges and sprinkle lightly with chia seeds.
Put the carrot-apple mixture over the oranges.
Sprinkle the salad with the pistachio nuts and chopped herbs.