Fall Leaves & Pumpkin Biscotti

I am so excited. I finally got a new camera! My old one was dying gradually. Last weekend when taking photos for a future post I was worried I wouldn't have any turn out. I would turn the camera on and it would be full of lines (kinda looked like those "haunted" photos on tv) and blurry. I didn't want something super elaborate but I didn't want something cheap either. So, I did some researching and found what I believe I am going to be very happy with. I mean, it even has a food setting!

So, in my excitement, I've been taking pictures. It has been beautiful and sunny here today. The leaves are past prime and many have fallen off the trees, but the big tree in our back yard is still full of leaves and quite colorful and beautiful.... Up above is a close up I took on 10x optical zoom - amazingly beautiful! Below is the entire tree. Mom and Dad on their way here noticed the tree and told me I needed to get a photo! Yes, I actually have clothes on the line today! The temp is cool and it will take most of the day for them to dry, but it is too beautiful out to not. See that blue sky!?!


After mom and dad left I decided I needed to get busy and make my Pumpkin Biscotti. I've been looking at the recipe for a while now and really wanted to try it because there is no fat in the recipe except for what is in the eggs! The recipe comes from Simply Recipes.

This came together really easy. I love the step by step photos and how clear they are with my new camera!


Pumpkin Biscotti
Simply Recipes

2- 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
Pinch of ginger
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup of pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and spices into a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Give it a rough stir to generally incorporate the ingredients, the dough will be crumbly.

Flour your hands and a clean kitchen surface and lightly knead the dough.

Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Form the dough into a large log, roughly about 15-20 inches by 6-7 inches.

The loaves should be relatively flat, only about 1/2 inch high. Bake for 22-30 minutes at 350 F, until the center is firm to the touch. (Feel free to also form two smaller logs for cute two-bite biscotti; just cut the baking time to 18-24 minutes.)

Let biscotti cool for 15 minutes and then using a serrated knife cut into 1 inch wide pieces. Turn the oven to 300 F and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Cool completely.

Biscotti may be still a tad moist and chewy, so if you prefer it crisp let it sit uncovered overnight in a dry space. Serve and enjoy.

Makes approximately 15 cookies