Pumpkin Biscotti

Normally I'm not a giant fan of biscotti for the simple reason that it's so hard and I rarely drink coffee, so I can't just dunk it in there. But the great thing about baking your own biscotti is that you can make it as hard or soft as you want. The reason I baked this particular recipe is that it was just after Halloween, I had a pumpkin that I had never carved, and it seemed like a shame to let it rot. So I opened it up and cleaned it out as if I were going to carve it, and instead cut it into large chunks and roasted it at 350° until it became soft. After scooping the flesh out of the skin, I put batches of it into a colander to let it drain. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins aren't the greatest for cooking with since they're much waterier and less flavorful than ones specifically made for eating, so draining it well is crucial. You can of course make this recipe with canned pumpkin and save yourself a lot of work. The recipe is easily halved, but remember that since the biscotti aren't supposed to be too soft, they last for a few weeks.
Pumpkin Biscotti
based on recipes from here and here

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch each of ginger, cloves, salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup roasted & drained or canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the flour through the spices in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix eggs, pumpkin, vanilla. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, add the cranberries and almonds and mix again until incorporated. Lightly knead the dough on a floured surface. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly greast it, and shape the dough on it into a wide, flattish log about 18 inches long and 2 inches wide. Bake for 22-30 minutes, remove logs and lower heat to 300°.

Let the logs cool for about 20 minutes and cut into 3/4 inch thick slices with a serrated knife; the inside of the log will still be soft. Bake the slices again for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway to get them uniformly dried, baking longer if you like your biscotti super-hard.