7 cups flour

2 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

4 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 cup raisins

1 cup nuts, finely chopped

1) Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda. Add butter and mix like pie dough. 2) Make a well and put eggs into it. Add flavoring and knead. Dough should be medium soft. Add enough milk to make a soft dough (if too soft, add flour 2 tbsp at a time) 3) Form a rope 18" long, 1/2" thick to fit cookie sheet. 4) Bake at 325 degrees, 45 to 50 min. Cut while still hot and brown under broiler on both sides. NOTE: Bake until loaves are just pink. Then slice and lightly toast. If you do this, they will be soft. Toast longer for harder biscotti. Typed by Lynn Thomas dcqp82a. Recipe from Shirley Rosa. Lynn's notes: This is our family recipe for biscotti. When I want a harder biscotti to dip into coffee, I bake the cut slices a little longer. Store them in an airtight container and they last for weeks.