Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and almonds.
Pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Use your hands, if needed, to incorporate the last bit of flour.
Divide the dough in half and plop each half onto the parchment paper. Form each part into a longish rectangle, about an inch high.
If you have the time, chill the "logs" in the refrigerator for one hour. (Or they can be wrapped in plastic and chilled for up to 3 days.)
Bake for 30 minutes, until the logs are evenly golden brown.
Remove from oven, and using a sharp knife, slice the logs crosswise into1-inch strips. (This gives the biscotti their traditional shape.)
Lay them on their sides and bake for another 5 minutes.
Flip them over and bake for a final 5 minutes.
Cool on a cooling rack...if you can wait that long! (They actually cool down pretty fast.) Let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Optional variations: At the final stage of mixing, you can also throw in a handful of dried cranberries or mini chocolate chips.