Amazing Race Nutella Biscotti

Being middle aged and not a tv watcher, I sometimes find myself a little out of touch.   As such, when rumor had it that Liv's dance choreographer had returned from a month-long adventure doing tv's Amazing Race, my mind immediately turned to food and dreams of exotic restaurants across the world.  Excited, I asked her, "So did you have any memorable meals??  What was your favorite?"

Obviously, I had never actually seen an episode of The Amazing Race, and Miss Abbie's comment of, "Well... we didn't really have time to enjoy any meals..." left me thinking, "Didn't she have time to eat??".

Yes, she did eat, but now that I have YouTubed two seasons of the reality show (can I mention here that I ❤  Mark and Bopper??), I have a better understanding of why she didn't have any memorable, in my way of thinking, meals.

For those of you out of the loop, The Amazing Race is a reality tv show which follows some 11 teams as they race around the world while facing some amazing physical as well as mental challenges.  Through a process of weekly eliminations, the final team wins the race.

According to a press release from CBS, "Teams will travel through three continents, nine countries and cover more than 25,000 miles, where they'll be faced with a 10-story rappel in Los Angeles, frying an egg on their heads in Indonesia, working as 'rat collectors' in Bangladesh and revisiting one of the Race's most infamous Roadblocks in the Netherlands in this season's Switchback."

Frying an egg on their heads in Indonesia??  Somehow that wasn't what I was thinking when I asked about memorable meals...

Meet Abbie & Ryan - Team Dark Green

A favorite choreographer of Liv's from her dance team, I'm eager to follow Abbie and her teammate, Ryan, on the show.  Following the rules of the show to a "T", Abbie has not given us a single clue as to how she fared in the competition, but if I had to make a guess, I'd put my money on her going pretty darn far, if not all the way.

Sample of Miss Abbie's choreography & costumes

A role model at Liv's dance studio, Abbie exemplifies talent, stamina, and a healthy competitive spirit. She challenges the girls to accomplish their best on a daily basis, not only in dance but in life in general.  And indeed, she often pulls that best out of them.

Remember "The Boots??".  Yep... she's the one that had me working all those hours painting, repainting and embellishing boots that she had turned into tap shoes for one of last year's numbers.  At the time, us dance moms were all asking, "What is she thinking???".  But then we saw the boots on stage, and we knew whatever she was thinking, it was awesome.

And speaking of awesome, our Nutella Biscotti is pretty darn awesome too.  Amazing, I might even say.

Originally made for a dance function last year, Miss Abbie was seen returning to the biscotti basket more than once (actually, I think it was something like 4 times...) along with the rest of the team members.  These Nutella Biscotti have become somewhat of a team tradition over the last year with numerous girls asking for the recipe as well as special birthday batches.

Nutella Biscotti is the perfect afternoon snack even if you are not running the Amazing Race...

As it seems Miss Abbie's memorable Amazing Race meals may include frying those eggs on her head, I'm thinking that if she had stashed a few of these beauties into her pockets as she navigated those foreign streets, she may have had at least a snack to remember fondly.

Tune in this Sunday, September 30, 2012 for the premier episode of Season 21 of The Amazing Race.  We'll be rooting for team dark green...

Go Abbie & Ryan!!

Abbie and Ryan, photo courtesy of The Amazing Race

Nutella Biscotti

Every once in a while one runs into a recipe that stays with you.  A recipe that can't be forgotten, a recipe that is returned to over and over, and then over again.

Two months ago when faced with the task of providing dessert for nearly 125 people, I put out a plea for help on our Liv Life Facebook Page.  What to make?  It had to be good, it had to be fairly easy, it had to be portable, and it had to make big batches so as to feed a lot of people and prepared in my limited time schedule.

My friend Laurie suggested biscotti, but I didn't have a recipe handy.  Kim, from Arizona, suggested cupcakes and even left a quick recipe to prepare.  Hester suggested a trifle, but as good as it sounded, I knew I couldn't make that work for this event (transport issues).  And lastly Becky suggested her Fight Back Brownies, which had Liv's vote, but time issues led me back to biscotti.  Shortly thereafter, Susi, of Susi's Kochen Und Backen Adventures, posted a link to her Nutella-Pistachio Biscotti and I knew this was IT.

Perfect for the large event in every way, I began making the biscotti days before they were needed.  Biscotti keeps wonderfully, and tasted even better a day or two after baking.  Portable?  Absolutely!  Simply placed into a zip top bag, these beauties moved beautifully from my house the the theater with very little to no damage and were easy to showcase in a pretty tissue lined basket.  Large Batches?  Again, absolutely.  With no less than 30 cookies (more if you cut them thinner) per batch, 5 batches did the trick for my 125 mark with extra to spare.

And last but not least, taste.  Were they good??  Good doesn't even begin to describe these irresistible treats.  Let me just say that people who don't eat carbs came back for 4ths and kids who don't eat biscotti have been asking me when I am going to make more.

Perfect for a bakesale, picnic, potluck or just plain breakfast, I've made these biscotti so many times since finding the recipe that I have the recipe memorized.  That's saying something.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies - Secret Recipe Club

Since returning from an Italian Idyllic vacation a few months ago, my attention has been drawn to all things Italy.  I miss the bustle of Rome, the limoncello of Sorrento, and the steaming volcanic islands near Lipari.  The food though, has me more than simply missing it, I crave it.  I crave a simple tomato sauce made with fresh ingredients and served in normal sized portions.  I crave Greek Salads (amazingly they were on every Italian Menu).  And, I crave Nutella.

Imagine my pleasure when opening my Secret Recipe Club assignment email for the month of February, and I found "My Italian Grandmother".  I'd hit the jackpot.

Michele, a native of New York now residing in New Jersey, is about as far away from me, geographically, as one can get and still be in the same country.  Her cooking style, though, is quite the opposite, and more along the lines of being my neighbor.  With numerous recipes by my beloved Giada in addition to a plethora of Italian (and some not  so Italian) themed posts, Michele's blog offers an abundance of choices to help ease my Italian yearnings.

I've actually made two recipes from Michele's blog this week alone, though only one made it to the photo shoot (the other was eaten before a shutter could be pressed).  The first, Pasta e Fagioli, was a hit with our entire family.  Easy to put together, hearty and full of flavor, we substituted tortellini for the elbow pasta (my son's request) and white kidney beans for the red, and everyone was happy.  Hence... no photos. 

For dessert a plate of Giada's and Michele's Nutella Chip Cookies proved to be the perfect finale.  Though my first batch was slightly overcooked and a bit crunchier than I would have liked, everyone reached for seconds and complimented the rich, chocolaty flavors.  Note to baker:  be sure to follow the directions closely, baking only until "lightly golden around the edges".  The centers will still appear somewhat soft, but those somewhat soft centers are absolutely gush-worthy as they melt in your mouth.

Michele, thanks to you and your Italian Grandmother, Emilia, for the wonderful recipes you have to share on your blog.  With my Italian themed cravings still going strong, I'll be visiting often.

Back to the Future.... Our 2011 Top 10

As the year comes to a close, I always enjoy looking back and remembering the special events that I will carry forward into the New Year.  My personal life is filled with wonderful memories... from my autumn travels in Italy to Liv's Championship performance last summer in Las Vegas at Nationals.  In between, travels and time with close friends, dinners with my parents, lunches with girlfriends and weekends with the Dance Moms all brought treasured moments that I will bring with me into the future.

Life, as always, has kept me in balance, and here at Liv Life I make a decent effort to maintain a balance of healthy meals and sweet treats.  A review of our statistical Top 10, however, shows absolutely NO balance.  Sweets and treats all the way, with assorted Krispie Treats taking three of the Top 10 slots.  It would seem that the world, very much like Liv, has a sweet tooth.

Without further ado, I give you our statistical Top 10 of 2011... and then for a bit of balance, I've thrown in some of my personal favorites to carry with us as we enter the New Year.

10

Chocolate Banana Crepes

Arriving in the 10th position and making our list for two years in a row, is one of Liv's personal all time favorites:  Chocolate Banana Crepes.  Balance indeed, these crepes bring one, if not even more, servings of fruit in the banana all wrapped up in a thin, low fat, egg based crepe.  I'm proud of Liv and her efforts to perfect her crepe making skills as she frequently comes home from school and whips up a batch of crepes... just cause she can.

9

Becky's Famous Football Stromboli

Number 9 brings us a neighborhood favorite, and a guest post from my good friend Dan bringing us some serious "Man Food".  Unfortunately for him, this man food has also become one of the most requested kid foods and the ladies pretty much love it too.  Cheesy, salty and not to heavy, Becky's Stromboli is the ideal Super Bowl fare and will make you the hero of any gathering you bring it to.

8

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes with Warm Maple Glaze

Decadence on a plate, but now that I think about it, balance as well with a fairly healthy pancake made with whole wheat flour and topped with bananas in addition to the sweet Maple Glaze that makes this breakfast an event to remember.

7

Nutella Rice Krispie Treats

2011 was the year that we discovered Nutella... that creamy, chocolaty, hazelnut spread that brings deliciousness to nearly everything it touches.  With our love of Peanut Butter Krispie Treats, trying a Nutella version was just a matter of time.

6

Limoncello Lemon Cake

Throwing rays of brilliant sunshine into our lives, this tender, bright cake features our own homemade Limoncello.  Bright with citrus flavors, Limoncello Lemon Cake won't last long on your table.

5

Lemon Drop Jell-O Shots

Continuing our love of Citrus, these Lemon Drop Jell-O shots were a hit at a friends after dinner party.  One of those "Wow!  Look at that!" plates on the appetizer table, you decide just how potent these little guys should be.

4

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Ahhhh... the flavors of fall!  Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls have graced our tables in all seasons for years.  Balanced with the Vitamin A rich pumpkin, these lower in fat treats are one I can feel good about serving, and also taking that second piece.

3

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats with Trader Joe's Mini PB Cups

The marriage of peanut butter and chocolate is highlighted in these somewhat addicting treats.  A dairy free version for my lactose intolerant son has become his favorite after school treat.

2

Triple Layered Peanut Butter Krispie Treats with Peanut Butter Fudge and Peanut Butter Ganache.

These guys are truly Krispie Treats taken to a new level!  Layers of Peanut Butter Fudge trapped in between peanut butter enhanced Krispies, all topped with a luscious peanut butter ganache makes these treats truly magnificent and most deserving of a top spot on our list.  These treats eased the pain of Back to School.

A funny note on this post, it wasn't until over 2 months after posting that I noticed the spelling error in the title... I had "layred" in place of "layered".  Ugh!!!

1

Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shots

My surprise of the year, these adorable shots have had more hits than all the rest of my blog posts put together.  Definitely eye catching, the shots didn't bring the punch I was looking for, but I'm thinking that could easily be remedied with the addition of more tequila.

Some of our personal favorites made it to the Statistical Top 10, but to balance out the list I've gathered a few additional Liv Life Top Picks.

1

Whole Roasted Garlic Lemon Chicken

Coming in statistically at number 28 we get to the first healthier post on the list.  Whole Roasted Garlic Lemon Chicken is not only simple to put together, but a total family pleaser.  With your house smelling like a restaurant, this chicken will draw your family from all corners of the house asking how soon will dinner be on the table.

2

Coconut Mango Chicken Cups

One of my all time favorite appetizers.  Adorable in their single serving won ton cups, the flavors of the tropics really shine.  Mango, coconut and lime bring the chicken filling to a mouth watering level and will be one of the first appetizer plates empty on your table.

3

Poached Salmon with Asparagus and Citrus Vinaigrette

Light, healthy and filling... I never knew poached salmon could be so good!

4

Skewered Tomato, Cucumber and Feta Appetizer

Another eye catcher ideal for a gathering is this Greek-like Appetizer.  Featured for the first time on our New Years Table last year, I've been known to toss a few of these skewers together for an evening snack with a glass of wine.

5

Chocolate Espresso-Orange Cheesecake with Grand Marnier Ganache

Keeping the balance in my personal choices, something sweet is in order.  As such, this luscious dessert will round out the Liv Life favorites of the year.  Readers of Liv Life may have noticed my fondness for the heavenly Grand Marnier, and this cheesecake definitely fit the bill.  Spiked with Kahlua AND Grand Marnier, the flavors mixed with the chocolate and brought 2011 to a resounding finale.

And there you have it...

Balance, Love and Life, all in one place.  May 2012 be prosperous to you and yours, and may your plate always be filled.

Happy New Year!!

Chocolate Nutella Banana Crepes

Leisurely summer mornings with no real schedules and definitely no alarm clocks have not taken us long to get used to.  With our mornings free of demands, Liv and I have taken to enjoying more elaborate breakfasts in place of the school morning quick and easy bowl of cereal.  While oatmeal is a favorite of mine, Liv prefers her morning meal with a little more pizazz (though I personally maintain that my Vanilla Spiced Oatmeal is pretty darn snazzy).  Requests of Buttermilk Pancakes, Vanilla Waffles and Strawberry/Mango Smoothies have met my ears nearly as soon as she wakes, but today's Chocolate Nutella Banana Crepes have become an all time favorite.

As easy as 1, 2, 3, 4!  Clockwise:  1.  Slather with Nutella  2.  Layer with bananas  3.  Fold  4.  Garnish with powdered sugar

Last summer's welcomed discovery that crepes really are not all that difficult to make has opened up a new world for us.  From plain old Strawberry Crepes to Peach Crepes to Orange Crepes, we have been stepping out and experimenting with flavors.  Most of the recipes are oft repeated, however these Chocolate Crepes have become the most frequently visitors to our kitchen.  Liv has her own splattered copy of our recipe tucked away on my cookbook shelf and now pulls it out without even asking.  She gets right to mixing and only seeks me out when it's time to flip the crepes in the pan.

Her first version from last summer had the chocolate crepe layered with a homemade chocolate sauce (I'll admit to adding a splash of Grand Marnier to mine) and Bananas, however our next summer of 2010 discovery, Nutella, has since replaced the sauce and made the concoction even easier to put together.  A simple slather of Nutella down the center of the crepe serves as a base for the sliced bananas.  Rolled and then topped with powdered sugar the crepes are rolled in a flash and ready to start you day.  (note:  prepping the actual crepe takes about 30 min).

It's not often that I gush about a flavor combination, however chocolaty Nutella topped with sweet banana and all wrapped up in that thin pancake-like crepe has me groaning with pleasure at the mere thought of the creamy decadence.

Nutella Rice Krispie Treats

I'm usually kind of close to the cutting edge... not right on it, but not too far behind either.  I was actually one of the first kids in my class to have a calculator, but being slightly smaller than an adding machine and still having to be plugged into the wall, the new gadget didn't make its way into my backpack - but we did have one!  

I was also right there with the "car phone".  Yep... that was me, blonde, permed hair blowing under the open sunroof in my Honda Prelude, curly cord plugged into the charger, chatting on my shoe-sized flip phone just like Farrah Fawcet in Charlie's Angels.  Ahhh... those were the days!!  And we were also right there with the mid-90's HP Pavillion Desktop super computer with all 800 MB of hard drive (now I take that much in pictures in a week!) closely followed by one of those early digital cameras.

While we may have been technologically there (with the exception of Twitter!), we missed the Nutella wave.  Letizia Golosa is really the person responsible for bringing us into the Nutella world with her Homemade Nutella Post.  Her stunning shots of the creamy, chocolaty spread literally had me craving some for myself.  While I haven't ventured into the homemade world yet, we did take advantage of one of those Costco super coupons for a two pack.  Cutting the plastic off of the containers and opening the jar for the first time we really weren't sure how we would like it, but... Wow!!  Creamy, nutty, and full of chocolate, really, what's not to like?

Since our first time we have returned to purchase jar after jar.  The plethora of Nutella recipes of late has me eager to try Letizia's homemade version, and I have found that the spread on our Chocolate Banana Crepes is no less than extraordinary.

A few days ago, my son's request to make his favorite Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats had me reaching for the jar of peanut butter only to be met with a shriek of, "NO!  You can not use crunchy peanut butter!"  (though I really do think that would have been good!).  After I explained that we were out of the creamy kind he replaced the crunchy jar into the pantry and returned with a fresh jar of Nutella.  Why not?  

We got to mixing, melting a cup of the Nutella into the marshmallow mixture and then creating a decadent topping of the chocolaty hazelnut spread combined with melted chocolate.  Eagerly anticipating our first tastes, I watched the smiles all around and a plate emptying fairly quickly.  I'd say we have a hit!

Nutella Fudge Brownies

I really wasn't going to bake for a few weeks.  Well, maybe just bread for breakfast or a biscuit for dinner.  But not desserts.  However... today I was perusing my inundated Foodbuzz inbox and came across Lynn's, I'll Have What She's Having, blog post and I simply couldn't help myself.  One bowl, no mixer, 4 ingredients and the main ingredient being Nutella.  Wow!

A little research on this recipe led me to Abby Dodge's website and her new book Desserts 4 Today: Flavorful Desserts with Just Four Ingredients.  While I haven't actually put my hands on this book (yet!), I'm thinking it would be an undeniable treat.  With only 4 ingredients completing each recipe listed, this book has been described as ideal for novice bakers looking for less complex recipes or for the seasoned baker looking to take a bit of a break while still serving an excellent treat.  If this recipe is any indication, the above sentiments are right on.

My husband laughed as I gushed about Abby's covers on Bon Appetite, and he commented that it wasn't like she was "on the cover of the Sports Illustrated's Swim Suit Edition, or anything".  In mock shock I informed him that her cover was far better!

With our new found love for Nutella, these little treats were a must try.  With the total assembling, mixing and baking time under 20 minutes in combination with smiles all around, they are a must keep.  Thanks, Abby!!