Sweet Treats with Peggy

Today is National Chocolate Day!  There are a lot of specific chocolate days throughout the year, but this day is a day for whatever chocolate you want to eat.  This cookie is so chocolately and delicious.  It's not too sweet and goes perfectly with a hot drink.  I can see me (and, of course you) on a freezing cold, snowy winter day with a plate of these chocolate biscotti and (for me) a nice hot cup of tea.  I almost took a picture of how much I trashed my kitchen making this dessert.  Usually, I clean up as I go.  But, I made this particular recipe at 12:30 in the morning.  I did not ice the bottoms until the next morning.  Let me tell you, it wasn't a pretty site to walk into.  These are well worth it though :)

I love to watch television shows about food, especially shows about baking (of course).  One of my favorite shows was  DC Cupcakes .  When I heard that Sophie and Katherine were going to be at the  Willow Books & Cafe  in Acton, MA, I was there!!  I've only been to one other book signing prior to this (Jodi Picoult in Boston, with my sister).  I've since learned they are all run differently.  If you are interested, do the research ahead of time.  At Willow Books you have to buy the book ahead of time so that you receive a low number.  When you get there, you can sit wherever you want and listen to their talk.  Then you are called by a small group of numbers to get in line to have your book signed.  I think I was in the second group.  It was a really fun thing to do and I was able to talk with Sophie and Katherine for a minute or so.  They even brought sample cupcakes for everyone to try. YUM! 

October 1st is National Homemade Cookie Day!!  I haven't baked in a long time due to healthy eating and fear of eating what I would bake.  When I saw that today was National Homemade Cookie Day, I thought it would be the perfect time to pull out all my baking stuff and make some cookies.   I am visiting Megan tomorrow at her college (actually I am picking her up at the University of Hartford and we are driving to Providence, RI to see Josh Groban in concert (be still my heart), staying overnight in a hotel and driving her back to school.  This is the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.  I can honor this great National Day AND bring Megan some cookies.  As I have mentioned in other posts, I have an overabundance of jams and I like to find ways to incorporate them into baking.  Shortbread is one of my favorite types of cookie.  Just add some poppy seeds and yummy jam and you have yourself a great cookie.  How about you pull out all your baking stuff and make so