The Attic Door

Isn't it odd how as a child, you could be in your home in daylight, and it was the most welcoming and safe environment. At night, however, it was a whole different ballgame! Cheery, well-lit rooms became dark, mysterious places. Playful noises during the day, became heart-pounding bumps in the night! When things got too intense, a run to the parents' bedroom was necessary!

As a kid, I never really considered Mama Melisi's home to be a considerably scary place. The house was a very small ranch, with each room connected. In other words, the master bedroom was off of the dining room, and the two tiny bedrooms were off of the living room. We had a large kitchen in the back of the house, and a large bathroom directly off of the kitchen. Most of the time, you could hear other people's voices, even when you were at the opposite end of the house!

We did, however, have...the attic door! The ominous, attic door was located directly opposite the toilet in the bathroom! Open that door, and there was a steep, dark staircase leading up to either an icy cold, or steamy hot walk-in attic. In the dark of the night, there was something so frightening, so terrifying about sitting on the toilet, and facing the attic door!

I can give you endless accounts from friends and relatives who feel the same way! Douglas, the little boy who lived next door, was convinced that the blow-up Halloween skeleton, housed in the attic, would come to life and scuttle down those stairs, the minute he used the toilet!

And...cousins Cindy and Stephanie, who are now grown and living in California, still talk about how they refused to pee alone, each time they came for a family visit, out of fear of the attic door suddenly flinging open! Hence, one person does her business, the other guards the door!

I hate to admit it, but I still get the creeps every time I stay at Mama Melisi's when I'm visiting from Florida. As a 47 year old, I tend to need one bathroom break in the middle of the night. I blindly manage to find my way to the bathroom, and flip on the light...but once I sit on that toilet, and face that door...the hair stands up on my neck, goosebumps form on my arms, and I shudder at the thought of what could be behind...the attic door!

Surprisingly, the only thing stashed behind the attic door were freshly baked cookies! Neatly stowed in large Tupperware bowls, were countless kinds of cookies...especially around the holidays...all perfectly preserved by the cool temperature of the stairway! Look up, and you could see bowls lining every step of the steep staircase! No one dared dip into the cookies, because no one dared open the door!

Today, we give you a favorite cookie recipe...Italian Biscotti. Bake it, hide it in a cool, spooky spot of your own, and spring it on your family when they least expect it! Don't be frightened...even if you've never baked, you can do this!

Again, we offer it to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks margarine or butter (You can use Promise heart healthy margarine)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Anise Seed

Directions:

Beat the margarine and sugar together
Add the eggs
Continue to mix well
Add the flour one cup at a time until well incorporated in the butter or margarine mixture
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well

There are a few versions of biscotti:
1. Plain Biscotti - use the batter as above or
2. Add 1/2 cup chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans to the above batter
3. Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries with or without the nuts, or chocolate chips

After mixing all the ingredients, let the batter sit for 1/2 hour
Line 2 cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper - spray with pam
Make loaves with the dough - I don't make them too large - I usually get 5 or 6 loaves from the above batter
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until golden in color
Cool for 5-10 minutes and slice each loaf
The slices should be about 1/2 inch in width
Place the slices back onto the cookie sheets and return to oven till the sides are golden brown
You can turn them over to toast the other side
This procedure takes about 5 minutes on each side
Enjoy!