Food Blogger Cookie Swap | Salted Caramel Mocha Biscotti

Want to know the best way to get food bloggers in the holiday spirit? Ask them to participate in a cookie exchange... where they get to sample one another's baked creations... and be part of a good cause, all at the same time.

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap {herein FBCookieSwap} is an ingenious idea created by the fabulous Julie of The Little Kitchen and Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil -- two food bloggers whom I have had the pleasure of meeting in person & whose work I love.

This is the third year running for FBCookieSwap, but the first year I've been able to participate. And now that I've been part of the awesomeness, I plan on continuing to do so from here on out.

I mean, c'mon. COOKIES IN YOUR MAILBOX, PEOPLE.

The way it works is very similar to a regular cookie swap party with the added detail of being assigned to other food bloggers and shipping your cookies rather than sharing them at a party. Basically, you receive the names 3 bloggers, ship out a dozen cookies to each of them, and receive a dozen cookies a piece from 3 other bloggers. The result is a delicious web of sharing and giving -- the proceeds of registration sign up go to Cookies for Kids Cancer. Awesome.

Waiting for the names of your assigned cookie recipients can be likened to the anticipation that comes with opening presents on Christmas morning. Who will I get? Where will they live? What should I bake?!!

Obviously, the last question needs to be given serious consideration as some of these cookies may have to be mailed clear across the country. {Mine were shipped to Georgia, New York & California!} The cookies need to be sturdy enough to handle the trip, durable enough to still taste fresh after a few days in the mail and, of course, tasty! {By the way, if you're looking for good mailable cookie recipes, make sure to check out these.}


The very first thing that came to mind when taking these factors into account was something that's very familiar to me around this time of year: Biscotti. I spend a solid 48 hours every year baking and packaging biscotti to give as gifts to Steve's family. It's sort of become a tradition.



Biscotti, a twice-baked Italian cookie, are perfect for shipping since they have a crisp, hearty texture and they're dry enough to stay fresh during travel. They're meant to be eaten dipped in coffee or tea to soften them because otherwise they can definitely cause the need for dental work!

So, what kind of biscotti did I decide to send to my blogger friends? Salted Caramel Mocha Biscotti. Because "plain" is obviously not party of my vocabulary.

A crunchy, chocolate-coffee cookie {I didn't think either flavor was super-prominent, just a nice blend} with little bits of chewy caramel dotted throughout drizzled with white chocolate, gooey caramel and sprinkled with a teensy bit of sea salt.

Now, seriously, who wouldn't want to find that addressed to them??

As great as these are, I have to say that I was shown up by the amazing cookies I received from my cookie swap senders. I got delicate, cinnamon-laced Angel Wings from Bree at Sugar & Grace...



The most gorgeous Brown Sugar Cookies with Chocolate, Pecans & Sea Salt from Ayanna at Savor Good Food...



And last but not least, sweet classic White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies from my friend Heather at Heather Likes Food. {Remember Heather? We met here.}



To say they were all good would be a major understatement. I have been savoring every.last.morsel.

I'm so glad that I was able to take part in FBCookieSwap this year. It is just another way to connect with the folks who are as passionate about food as I am and I loved every second!

Have you ever shipped cookies? What are your favorite kinds of cookies to receive?

Salted Caramel Mocha Biscotti
Biscotti base adapted from Food Network

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup caramel bits
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coffee extract {like this one
1/4 cup milk {I used almond milk, but you can use whatever type you'd like}
Sea salt or flaked salt for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together all dry ingredients & caramel bits until well combined.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract and milk. Pour into dry ingredients and mix until a sticky dough forms.

3. Here's where it gets fun: Scoop out the {extremely sticky} dough onto a VERY well-floured surface {I went ahead and used my baking pan lined with a silicone mat so I could skip the step of having to move it when it's time to bake}. With floured hands {trust me, you'll thank me} knead the dough a few times to make it stick less

4. Separate the dough evenly and roll each half into two equal-sized logs, about 14 inches long or so. {I know what you're thinking at this point. No, they don't look very pretty. Yes, it's ok to giggle.} Place the logs side by side on the baking sheet, making sure that you leave a good 4-5 inches between them as they will spread a bit. Pat them down slightly to widen them. Brush off any excess flour or your biscotti will look like they're covered in soot.

5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the outside has baked into a nice crust and the logs sound slightly hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and let cool for about 20 minutes.

6. One slightly cooled, cut the logs into about 1 inch slices. You can cut them on the diagonal if you like that look. Lay each sliced piece cut side down on the cookie sheet.

7. Return to oven and bake for about 8 minutes. Flip them over and bake on the other side for another 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. {Note: To ensure my biscotti are nice and crisp, I sometimes shut off the oven and leave them in there while it cools. This just allows them to dry out a bit longer, but it isn't necessary if you don't have the time.}

8. When biscotti are cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate. Refrigerate for a few minutes until the chocolate is solid, then drizzle with melted caramel. Working quickly, sprinkle with course sea salt or salt flakes while the caramel is still wet so the salt sticks. Let the caramel set.

You can package these nicely to give as gifts or serve them with coffee, tea or hot cocoa to enjoy right away.

Creamy Roasted Poblano & Corn Chowder

I love almost all of Florida's natural qualities: the beaches, the palm trees, the tropical climate. But one thing I could do without is the fact that we are located right smack in the pathway of tropical storms and hurricanes.

Not fun.

We are fortunate that our area didn't get too much damage from Hurricane Isaac this past weekend. Just a lot of rain and dreary weather, the kind that makes you want to stay in your pj's all day snuggled up on the couch with a good book and a mug of something warm and delicious {and perhaps spiked}.

Others nearby weren't as lucky and are spending the rest of the week dealing with leaky roofs, flooding, and road closures. Here's a picture of the parking lot where my Mom lives. Since the ducks couldn't tell where the lake ended and land began, they were swimming over the sidewalks.

Our solution to being stuck indoors all day Sunday? Pass the time by cooking & stuffing our faces. {Which you can never go wrong with in my opinion.}

By the day's end, I just wanted something simple and comforting for dinner, and Steve was so full from the all day munch-a-thon that he didn't have much of an opinion either way.

This Creamy Roasted Poblano & Corn Chowder hit the spot. Rich and satisfying with a spicy kick from the roasted poblanos. {It may be a bit too spicy for those of you that aren't fond of a little heat.} Perfect for a crisp Fall day, a feeling-under-the-weather day, or a day when the weather has trapped you in your home.

I topped mine with a sprinkle of sharp cheddar and some of the Cheddar-Jalapeno Beer Bread that I sliced thin and toasted into savory "biscotti".

With stormy day meals like this, all I can say is bring on the rain... but please keep the winds & flooding. We can certainly do without those. ;)

Creamy Roasted Poblano & Corn Chowder

2 poblano peppers, roasted, skinned & seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 a medium white onion, diced
2 {heaping} tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk, heated in microwave for about 1 minute
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1/2 cup half and half
salt, to taste

To roast poblanos: Set oven to broil {500 degrees}. Place peppers directly on oven rack on second setting from the heating elements. Broil for 5-8 minutes, watching for skin to blister. Flip peppers and broil other side for about 4-6 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a bowl covered with plastic wrap & set aside for about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until softened and translucent. 

Peel skins from peppers, pull out stem and seeds, and discard.  Chop into small pieces.

Stir in chopped poblanos and flour, making sure vegetables are well coated. Cook for about 2 minutes until vegetables and flour form a thick paste. Slowly whisk in warm milk, making sure there are no lumps of flour. Whisk in chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Ladle half of soup into a blender {more if you like smoother soup}, and blend until mostly smooth. Return blended soup to pot.

Mix in fresh corn kernels and half and half. Bring to a simmer until corn is heated through. Add salt to taste. Serve hot.

{Serving Suggestion: Top with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, and Cheddar- Jalapeno Beer Bread Biscotti.}