Valentine’s Chocolate Cinnamon Almond Biscotti

Guess what? You’ve got less than a week to Valentine’s Day. (And these biscotti will keep until then even if you make them right this second. They are like the cracker of the cookie world.)

I used to work in the holiday/gift “industry”.  V-day was our biggest holiday and by now I would have been up to my eyeballs in pink and red hearts, ribbons, vases, etc. I do not miss the frenzy. Working all night, being too busy to even drink a few gulps of water, fielding last minute dudes who forgot the holiday until that very second, and once I was even seriously hard-core cussed out by some lady who was pissed I could not break a $100 bill for a $6 sale. People are nuts!

For years it was an unheard of luxury for me to actually celebrate vday. I was too exhausted, hungry, annoyed by crazy people, etc.

These days I get to celebrate as I choose. As leisurely as I want. It might mean making chocolate biscotti to share with a loved one. (It always means making a chocolate cake for my dad.)

Tim and I do an excellent job of demonstrating our affection for one another every day. I learned from the example of  very romantic parents. (Blah, blah, blah, right?) But it’s always nice to have an extra excuse to buy sappy cards, make fancy dinners, eat chocolate, kiss, etc. And what woman is really going to turn a man away if he’s offering up chocolates and flowers and kisses?

Now I know lots of people/couples who claim it’s a Hallmark holiday, it’s silly, you shouldn’t need one day a year to express your love, you should do it everyday. . yadda, yadda, yadda.

I agree it’s crazy over-marketed and, more than anyone, I believe you should express your love everyday. Life is demonstratively too short in my experience. Here’s the reality, though. . . most people don’t. Right? I mean you might think it, you might mean it, you might have the best intentions, but when was the last time you even just told your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend you appreciate them?

And it works both ways. . .it’s nice to be appreciated and it’s nice to have someone to appreciate. You can’t expect to be swept off your feet by your spouse if you aren’t putting in the time to do some sweeping of your own. And you don’t have to have flowers and diamonds to feel swept off your feet. It’s the simple things you should take a minute to consider.

Some things I appreciate about Tim? There are so many. He’s affectionate, he brings in the mail for me, he vacuums, he makes me coffee, he leaves me love messages in the fog of the bathroom mirror, he sticks up for me, he is proud of me, he snow blows and mows the grass, he grocery shops with me, he is exceedingly funny, he returns my library books and dvds, he makes note of songs he’s heard that he thinks I will like, he fixes stuff, he helps my dad fix stuff, he sends me love texts, he always lets me know if he is even going to be a few minutes late cause he knows I’m a worry wart, he tells me I am beautiful and sexy every single day(even when I have on sweats and have dirty hair), he always supplies kleenex when I need it, and he holds my hand and heart (figuratively, of course) through everything scary, sad and joyful.  And so much more. Whatever I need or want.  All things that make me feel special, needed, wanted, loved. I try to be as good to him as he is to me.

I’m just saying that you should try to make your spouse feel special on V-day. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. . just a sincere one. And. . shocker. . if you put in the effort, most likely they will, too. Then you can keep that up all year and scoff at V-day once again next year if you so choose.

Imagine surprising your sweetheart with a plate of these biscotti and a nice cup of coffee/tea on Valentine’s morning. I am always excited to eat biscotti regardless. I might not like it served to me in bed, though. Too many crumbs. I am very particular (someone might say OCD) about my sheets and blankets. Right, Tim? 😉

You can see some lovely doilies that my mom crocheted in these pictures. I came across a huge stack of them in the closet the other day and decided to resurrect them. They are all so perfect and pretty.

These biscotti are crispy and delicious. And although I am implying you use them as a breakfast treat, they are awesome with a bowl of pudding or mousse or ice cream or the good old stand by of coffee. They make a good dessert accompaniment. Or you could just eat a plate of them for dinner. I would do that.

OR you could spread the “love” around on V-day and give a batch of these to your best friend, grandparents, hair stylist, barista, mail lady, cleaning lady, etc. .  You get the point.

The flavors in these work really well together. Plus they scream I LOVE YOU to whomever you make them for. (Or at least I LIKE YOU.)  Biscotti might seem like a daunting cookie to make but they could not be easier. It makes for an easy way to score brownie points when you bake them for people you love.

Valentine’s Chocolate Cinnamon Almond Biscotti

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups cocoa powder

1 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp almond extract

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Using an electric hand mixer beat in the eggs and almond extract. Add mini chips until combined.

Form dough into two 2 1/2 inch wide logs. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 20-30 minutes.

Thinly slice the logs at an angle into about 40 thin slices. Bake on the same parchment lined tray in a single layer for about 15-20 minutes until crispy. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.