Recipes for Change: The Celebration of Small Packages

Years ago I worked at an organization where the mission was all about electing women to state and federal office and it followed suit that the majority of the staff were women (with several feminist men sprinkled in for diversity). Although my job took me to all parts of the country - sometimes from one coast to another in one week - and I spent most of my time on the road, this was one of the most supportive, fun, dynamic places to work. Everyone who worked there was dedicated to the mission of the organization, passionate about the cause and absolutely committed to the role they played in the outcomes.

Which also made it one of the most competitive places I’ve ever worked. And this was never more evident than at THE Cookie Exchange which took place right before the holidays.

Those participating – and if you didn’t participate it was like you forfeited the biggest game of the season – would file into the conference room with their containers full of goodies. The truth is, I don’t even remember how the actual exchange happened but I do remember everyone tasting each other’s cookies, giving their polite feedback and words of encouragement and then ranking the cookie on a secret list in their heads.

To this day, I fear the rugelach I brought to the exchange were a big flop. You know when you look back at minor (or major) moments in your life wishing you could travel back in time with the knowledge or tools you have today so you could be more successful?

The little package of goodies, that comes directly from our friend Amy's kitchen in Michigan and arrives at our doorstep before the holidays, is that secret weapon I wish I had during THE Cookie Exchange. For some the end of Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season. But for me, the holidays don’t start until that package arrives.

Amy always includes a variety of biscotti, a little package of coffee grounds, chocolate gold coins and other candy. It's always the biscotti that we tear the package open for and eat as an appetizer for dinner.

Based on her biscotti alone, I believe Amy to be an excellent baker. Growing up, she claims she wasn’t a very good cook nor was her mother, “who was an artist and expressed her creativeness through calligraphy and Judaica instead of dinner.” “However, I started to teach myself after the 1980 election” when the Congressman she was working for lost in the Reagan Republican wave. “I felt like it was time to create something tangible to make me feel better and I started to cut out recipes and bake things to give away to friends.” So was born the Great Biscotti Mailings (GBM). The GBM’s started before things like Facebook and other social media and Amy sent them out each year as a way of keeping in touch with people she doesn’t see that often and letting them know she’s thinking of them. The GBM's have grown over the years and to this day, “with every address label, I think about the people I am sending to and it makes me happy.” Maybe as happy as receiving them makes us feel.

Although the biscotti flavors change every year and are always delicious, the cranberry and pistachio ones that arrived this year were particularly wonderful with the savory of the pistachio, the sweet tart of the cranberry and the licorice taste of the aniseed. So, I asked Amy for the recipe.

As I was baking the biscotti, my mind wandered and I started thinking about THE Cookie Exchange. How I wish I had this recipe – and the others below – back then.

I would have won.

The Cookie Recipes

Biscotti with Cranberries and Pistachios**

Biscotti with Cranberries and Pistachios

(Amy thinks she clipped this from an old Bon Appetit)

Makes 3 ½ dozen

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups of all purpose flour
1 ½ tsps of baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
6 tbsps (3/4 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 ½ tsps vanilla extract
1 tsp whole aniseed – you can use ground. *
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
3/4 shelled natural unsalted pistachios

What to do:

Preheat oven to 325
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Amy recommended the precut paper.
Sift first 3 ingredients into a medium bowl.
Using electric mixer or stand mixer (like a Kitchen Aid) beat butter and sugar in a large bowl
Beat in eggs one at a time, mix in lemon peel, vanilla and aniseed. I took the aniseed and chopped it or you can use a mortar and pestle.
Beat in flour mixture just until blended, stir in cranberries and pistachios (dough will be sticky).
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, gather dough together and divide in half, roll each half into 15 inch long log (about 1 1/4 inch wide) - this doesn't need to be precise
Transfer logs to baking sheets and bake until almost firm to the touch but still pale, about 30 minutes.
Cool logs on baking sheets for 10 minutes (or longer, if you'd like) while maintaining the oven temp.
Carefully transfer logs onto cutting board. Using a serrated knife, gently cut logs crosswise into 1/2 thick slices and place slices, cut side down back onto the parchment (you don't need to use new parchment).
Bake until firm and pale golden, about another 20 minutes. Transfer making sheets to racks and cool.
Cookies keep for 1-2 weeks at room temperature.

* I used Star Anise not realizing there is a difference between these two things. I ground the Star Anise in a mortar and pestle which worked well and still gave the biscotti the licorice taste which aniseed does as well.

Chocolate chip and dried apricot biscotti

** Once I made these biscotti, I thought I would experiment a little bit and use other combinations. I kept the same basic dough recipe but replaced other ingredients.

Instead of:

1 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
3/4 shelled natural unsalted pistachios

I used:

1 tbsp grated lime peel
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
3/4 dark chocolate chips (if you can find mini’s that’s better)

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Allrecipes.com

These are like eating banana chocolate chip bread in one bite.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas*
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

* Use bananas that are super ripe, so brown you wouldn’t eat them. I had some on my counter that I mashed and placed in a container in the refrigerator before I knew what I wanted to do with them.

What to do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease cookie sheets (Pam works fine).
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together, and set aside.
Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Be sure to use fresh butter. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
Mix in the mashed bananas.
Add the flour mixture, and stir until just combines
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop by spoonful onto prepared cookie sheets. A mini ice cream scooper would work great, too!
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cookies cool for a few minutes. Remove from cookie sheets and place on cooling rack until fully cooled.

Pan de Polvo

From Latin Kitchen

Pan de Polvo

The translation means, bread of dust and the best way I can describe them is that they poof in your mouth with a blend of sugar and cinnamon. These cookies were served at a good friend’s wedding. One of her family friends, Mrs. Lopez, makes them for special occasions and when I asked if she could get me the recipe, she said Mrs. Lopez makes the cookies rather than give away the recipe. I pulled this one from Latin Kitchen because it was one of the few that I found where the proportions were for a family rather than a wedding. These cookies aren’t too sweet and if you use vegetable shortening, as I did, they are vegan friendly!

Ingredients:

For the tea

1 stick cinnamon
1 cup water

For the dough

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/3 cups vegetable shortening or lard

Topping Mixture*

2 cups sugar
2 tblsp cinnamon

* You will have topping mixture left over. I’m keeping what I have in a plastic bag and I’ll use it for the next batch of cookies or something else

What to do:

Place the cinnamon and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl with about 1/3 cup of the cinnamon tea.
Combine well, then remove dough from the bowl and knead for about 15 seconds on a floured surface.
Dive the dough into 4 portions, and then roll a portion to ¼ inch thickness. Cut the cookies using a 2-inch diameter cookie cutter (I used a shot glass since I don’t have cookie cutters in this size).
Place the cut cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Continue rolling and cutting all the dough in the same manner. Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes.
Combine the topping ingredients in a shallow dish and set aside.
Once the cookies are removed from the oven, allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for one to two minutes. The cookies are brittle (the name is very appropriate) so handle them with a soft touch. Toss the warm cookies in the topping mixture, coating well.

How to in Photos

Biscotti Photos:

Sifting the first 3 ingredients

My sifters

Creaming the sugar and butter

Adding the eggs one at a time

Adding the dried ingredients

Adding 1 cup cranberries and 3/4 cup pistachios

Rolling the dough into two logs on a floured surface

Notice the logs aren't perfect. I eyeballed the size and diameter
than carefully transferred each log to its own cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

The biscotti log out of the oven and its first baking

Slicing the biscotti log then placing the cookies back
on the parchment lined cookie sheet.

The cut cookies ready to go into the oven for the 2nd baking.

Our of the oven and ready to eat!

The Biscotti variations:

Using grated lime rind

Star Anise

Ground Star Anise

Vanilla extract, grated lime rind and star anise ready to go into the batter.

Chopped dried apricots ready to go in the batter.

Chocolate chips and dried apricots added to the batter and
folded in just until blended.

The biscotti are cut and ready to go in the oven the 2nd time.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Another helper greasing the cookie sheet.

Creaming the butter and sugar.

Adding the chocolate chips.

Finished cookie dough with banana already added in.

My helpers and I used spoons to drop the cookie dough onto the
cookie sheet. I think plenty of dough was "dropped" in their mouths, too.

Finished cookies straight out of the oven. They weren't that pretty but tasted great!

Pan de Polvo Photos:

Making the cinnamon tea.

Flour with vegetable shortening and cinnamon.

Adding 1/3 cup of the cinnamon tea to the batter.

Mixing the batter.

Removing the batter from the mixing bowl onto a flour surface so I could knead the dough.

The dough is kneaded for a very short time.

The dough is rolled then cookies are cut. My helper loved participating in this part
but she didn't know she was using a shot glass for a cookie cutter.