A Christmas Gift from Our House to Yours

In the spirit of double-dipping, I just posted this on Facebook as well. It's one of our all time favorite Christmas treats and very fun to bake with kids!

Biscotti recipe from Sharon McCormick's Italian Nonni----but, if you make this, you have to call it Bee-SKO-tee---not Bih-SCOTTIE!
Mix together: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup anise seed, 2T water, 1 tsp almond extract, 2 tsp. vanilla and six beaten eggs. Add 5 1/2 cups of flour, 1 T. baking powder, and 2 cups coarsely chopped almonds, all in small batches to help make mixing easy. Mix well with wooden spoon, getting all flour from sides of the bowl. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2-3 cookie sheets with Pam or oil. Roll the dough into the shape of long, fat playdough snakes OR long mole tunnels--depending on how you visualize...They need to be about 2 inches wide, and the length of the baking sheet. Bake one snake/tunnel thing per cookie sheet until slightly golden and firm to the touch (about 22 minutes.) Let the pans cool 30 minutes.

Cut snake/tunnel things diagonally into 1/2" slices. (You know---into the shape of a biscotti!) Place the slices back on the pans, cut side down. Bake for three minutes, then turn each piece over and bake another 3 minutes on the other side. Cool, store and eat MANY.

Answers to FAQ I know you are going to come up with:
1. Yes, only Americans say "Bih-SCOTTIE."
2. Anise seed is sold everwhere, it's with the other spices.
3. Yes they HAVE to be baked twice, or they are not real biscotti
4. No, I can't give you a better description than playdough snakes and mole tunnels---it's an old family recipe, you either get it or you don't (!)
5. When you go through the twice-baking thing, PAY ATTENTION AND CHECK OFTEN....they burn easily at this stage, which is a real drag after all your hard work.
6. Ever wonder what Heaven smells like? You'll know when these start baking! They say they keep for a long time, but we've never had them in our kitchen long enough to find out.

This is one of our Christmas traditions---Enjoy!!!!
P.s. I consider it an abomination to dip these in chocolate, or add frou-frou ingredients like cranberry orange tofu slices.....but, hey, suit yourselves--just don't tell me about it :)