Do a Handstand for the Holiday!

Today's guest post includes everything we love: cookies, cooking with our kids, a simple and meaningful holiday, an easy gift idea, family and more. Oh and a Vicky and Jen contest too! Enter our Handstand Contest now to win one of these fun Handstand Kids Cookbook kits!

As the weather starts to change it’s a reminder that my favorite time of year is around the corner. It’s almost holiday and that means spending time with friends and family, opening gifts, and of course eating delicious food.

While children may expect the newest action figure, gadget, doll, or video game, there are fun, educational choices out there.

The Handstand Kids cookbook kits introduce little chefs to the culture, language, and cuisine of a different country, while encouraging healthy eating habits and the importance of giving back to the community. They make fantastic gifts as they are packaged in a unique way (the Italian kit comes in a pizza box with a chef’s hat). Spending quality time together in the kitchen, the Handstand Kids Cookbooks make mealtime and family togetherness fun again.

Who says this year’s holiday gifts can’t combine health, education, and family fun? Happy holidays to all! Now let’s head into the kitchen and make one of my favorite desserts (which also makes a terrific holiday gift in cute packaging) from the Handstand Kids Italian Cookbook Kit:


Bella Biscotti Cookies
Makes about 20 biscotti cookies
Level: 2

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon of salt (sale)
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 1/4 cups sugar (zucchero), plus more for sprinkling
5 eggs (uova)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of toasted whole almonds
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of butter (burro)

Tools:
Baking Sheet
Cutting Board
Large Bowl
Measuring Cup and Spoon
Serrated Knife
Small Bowl
Wooden Spoon

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375° F.
• Grease a large baking sheet with a light coat of burro and then sprinkle the sheet with flour.
• Mix the flour, zucchero, baking powder and sale together in the large bowl and make a hole in the middle of the mixture.
• Add the 4 uovo, cinnamon, and vanilla into the hole and use the wooden spoon to stir it thoroughly.
• Add the almonds evenly throughout the dough and using your hands make the dough into 2 logs.
• Place each log onto the baking sheet, leaving 4 inches between the edges and the dough.
• Beat 1 uovo in the small bowl and use the pastry brush to coat the logs with the uovo.
• Bake the logs in the oven for 15 minutes, until they are a nice golden brown color.
• Allow the logs to cool for 10 minutes and place them on the cutting board and cut them diagonally into 2 inch slices.
• Arrange the slices back onto the baking sheet so that the cut sides are facing up and bake for another 5 minutes.
• Cool the slices and bite into the crunchy goodness!

Alternative: Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the dough. Also, melt chocolate chips in the microwave for 1 minute and dip the ends of the cooled biscotti into the mixture. Refrigerate dipped biscotti for 1 hour and enjoy!