FOOD - pistachio biscotti

I am not usually a craver of sweets (more of a chips and guacamole kinda person) but I love biscotti - probably because it is not overly sweet. I decided to make some today so Adam had an easy breakfast to bring to work (biscotti has to be better than a giant bagel with cream cheese).

Here is the recipe link -
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pistachio-biscotti-recipe/index.html

A few comments on the ingredients -

1. I always add a little extra vanilla
2. Pistachios alone are a little boring - usually I will cut the nuts to 1 cup and then add 1 cup some sort of dried berry (cherries are great with pistachios). I have also made this recipe with almonds and cranberries.
3. I added 1/2 cup chocolates chips to one half of the mix (1 log) just because I had them - excellent addition but really makes it much more cookie-like.

General comments -

1. I had pistachios in the house - they were just in the shell. My poor thumb is raw from cracking all of them. Seriously a pain in the ass but I did get through those pistachios that have been sitting in the kitchen since before Christmas and caught up on The Real Housewives of Orange County at the same time.
   
2. I was happily mixing my ingredients butter, sugar, eggs, la da da pouring in the flour when I realized I was 1/2 a cup short. F*ck - oven was on, mixer was going, wearing my slippers and homepants and I had to run to the little man store (in the pouring rain) to get a bag of flour.
3. Be very careful not to overcook - overbaked biscotti gets really really dry. The recipe calls for 5 mins of baking on each side after they are cut into cookies - I did 3-4 and it was perfectly browned - any more would have probably ruined the whole batch.
4. I really need another silicone baking mat - why on earth do I only have one?? When have I ever baked only one sheet of anything?
   

Enjoy!

B.L.E.