No, we’re not talking about gifting your mother-in-law with the half-empty jar of mayo. But do think about scouring the back of your pantry for those ingredients you may have been stockpiling that would make a great food gift or holiday dish. Consider this the ultimate form of recycling: creatively using up ingredients that would otherwise be composted — or landfilled.

That’s my inspiration behind this recipe for Peppermint Biscotti. You know those red and white peppermints you can pick up for free as you exit a restaurant? Apparently I can’t say no to these as I had accumulated a jar of them over the course of a year. I realize, these mints are hardly a blip on the nutritional radar, but I still didn’t want to see them wasted — considering I was the culprit who collected them in the first place. In crushed form, these peppermints add a seasonal mint twist to biscotti. And I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love these cookies as a holiday gift. So much so actually that friends now gift me with their collection of peppermints for my annual biscotti-baking marathon.

Recipe after the jump.

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