Bacon Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Bacon chocolate chip biscotti was the lovechild of myself and my best friend, as we're big fans of both chocolate and bacon. However, most of our baking is limited to things that exist in boxed form, so we decided to make this from-scratch recipe a collective effort. Some people questioned the bacon-chocolate marriage and/or expressed complete disgust at the idea, but the saltiness of the bacon and sweetness of the chocolate chips complement one another so well. The biscotti was crumbly and not too rich, while the smokiness of the bacon didn't at all overpower it. We loved it, and it was super simple to make.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Biscotti

[adapted from SeriousEats.com]

7 strips of bacon

2 c all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 c granulated sugar

1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but not melted

2 large eggs

1 c semisweet chocolate chips

1. Fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about five minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Allow to cool. Place in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped, then set aside. Feel free to rip open the bag of chocolate chips and drink some wine.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric handmixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat to combine. Add dry mixture to wet and beat to blend. Toss in bacon and chocolate chips. Gather dough into a ball and divide in half. 

3. Divide dough into two balls and roll them in plastic wrap.

4. Place dough in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Start watching Beauty & the Beast.

5. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Take dough out of fridge and, on a floured surface, roll into two 12" to 14" logs. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden and dry to the touch, about 30 minutes. Continue to watch Beauty & the Beast.

4. Remove baking sheet from oven and reduce the temperature to 300-degrees. Allow logs to cool for 15 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch slices on an angle. Space slices apart, standing upright, and bake until golden, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Voilà!

Happy Monday!

Last Tuesday, boyfriend and I went hiking at Mohonk Mountain in New Paltz, New York. Isn't it gorgeous? Being there feels like taking a mini-vacation, away from Condé Nast and internships and the real world. I love to climb up the enormous rocks and soak up the sun before dipping my feet into a lake. If I close my eyes and concentrate, I can pretend that I'm anywhere.

I love quiches more than anything - large quiches, mini quiches, quiches with things I usually don't like baked inside of them. Maybe it's the crust, or it might be the cheese. Do I care? No. Just hand me a quiche and there's a 100% chance that I'll eat it.

The good thing: I have a repertoire of two incredible quiche recipes.

The bad thing: When I'm grocery shopping and don't have said recipes on hand, I mix up the ingredients.

The other good thing: Once, this resulted in a new and even more delicious quiche recipe.

By once, I mean Wednesday night. I accidentally combined the best components of both recipes and ended up with what I'd like to call a Quiche Lorraine, But Better. On account of just how good it is, here is the recipe. Try not to salivate on your keyboard.

Quiche Lorraine, But Better

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons butter

5 or 6 strips bacon, depending on the size

1 cup Swiss Gruyère cheese

1 cup whole milk (you can also substitute 1-1/4 cups of half-and-half)

1 pre-made pie crust

- Pop the pie crust in the oven at 375-degrees for 8-10 minutes, until it's a pretty golden shade.

- Heat the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Throw in the onion and sauté until very fragrant, soft, and golden -- about 4-5 minutes. Let cool.

- Cook the bacon. I do this in the microwave because I can only stand to be burnt by oil drops for so long. Sandwich it between paper towels; tuck the top paper towel well, or else the bacon fat will spatter and require a half hour of clean-up. Give it 15 seconds for every strip of bacon. If not cooked, continue to heat for 15 second intervals until crispy-ish. Crumble and let cool.

- Beat the eggs and the yolks (to separate the yolks, I suggest cracking the eggs and transferring the yolk back and forth between the two halves of the broken shell, because you can then use the edges of the shell to cut the yolk from the white as you do it)(I don't suggest plopping the white in the sink, because it'll clog the drain)(my mother wasn't happy at all). To the eggs, add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, whole milk, sautéed onions, and crumbled bacon. Whisk well.

- Add the cheese to the egg mixture, saving a handful. Pour cheesy egg mixture into the pie shell, spreading the onions and bacon. Top with the handful of cheese and bake at 375-degrees for 30-35. The end result should be wiggly but quite firm, and when you slice into it, it ought to be liquidy but still able to retain its shape. Let it cool for five minutes or else it will fall apart; try to resist inhaling it as soon it comes out of the oven. It's okay if you don't -- I wasn't able to either. Happy eating!

[photo cred to Kate Silberger, Chaucercat, and Pillsbury]

Summer Dreaming

Finals are upon me, so I figured I'd take a short break before my last one and pretend that instead of being trapped inside with eighteen shmillion flashcards (the only way I actively study) on this rainy day, I'm actually sitting in a swinging chair on a sunny dock in Westhampton. Doesn't that egg-shaped chair look delectable? Lemonade, fresh air, warm breezes, splashing in the blue bay... come to mama.

[photo cred to anthopologie]

Picture Perfect

Don't you love it when the most awful photographers (any one of our respective boyfriends) happen to take the best montages? They capture moments that never seem to appear in the deliberate smiles of a typical photo. Before formal, we found ourselves in a gorgeous hotel suite in downtown Chicago (my friend's boyfriend is from out of town and very, very generous) and insisted on taking pictures with the fireplace (which was lit!).

This is what we look like when we're not giggling about something or other:
See, almost respectable! And now, thanks to this picture, I'm going to go trim my bangs.

Heaven in a Hammock

Doesn't this look like the most delicious spot to read a David Sedaris essay, drink some fresh squeezed lemonade, and while away the afternoon? I love hammocks so much more than benches and lounge chairs, and this one by Anthropologie is no exception. The exotic colors and scallop fringe look so perfect to nestle in on a pretty afternoon, with nothing to listen to except the breeze. Is there anything more perfect than the lovechild of a swing and a bed?

Monday Morning

I had such a wonderful weekend dragging my brother and sister around Evanston with me. It was nice to have them for the whole weekend while our parents are gallivanting around Italy, gleefully enjoying their freedom from our bickering, bantering, and inappropriate jokes. This week, bright fuchsia tulips, warm breezes, and the glow of the sunlight on Lake Michigan are on my mind. I really want to drink green tea and munch on fresh fruit all week, but this might be more because my boyfriend is visiting next weekend and less due to real motivation for healthy choices.

I don't know how I stumbled across Abercrombie & Fitch's website. Will all of my style cred be deleted immediately? I wouldn't blame you for it, because I haven't worn the brand since I was fifteen and trying very hard to be cool. (I failed). (Miserably). But for some reason, the Pick of the Week is indeed a piece from Abercrombie:

Reasons why I would like to have this hanging in my closet:

1. The bow! The slight cowl neckline! The detailing on this that sets it apart from a tee but retains a tee's natural ease and comfort!

2. The mental image of this, worn with grey jeans (rolled up) and beat-up leather sandals.

3. THE PRICE.

4. $34.

5. The super inconspicuous moose and the lack of any garish A & F ABERCROMBIE YEAH text.

6. The fact that if I covered up the moose with a Sharpie, I'd probably forget that I even bought it from Abercrombie & Fitch.

Deal.

I hope you're having a wonderful start to your week!