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Single-Serving GF Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie

For the last two weeks, I’ve been going gluten-free. Not for health reasons — thinking back on the amount of wheat-packed bread and baked goods I’ve happily consumed over the years, I’m pretty positive I’m not allergic to gluten. No, this is all about vanity. It all started when I was griping to my friend Sarah about how all my healthy eating and exercising have lead to no noticeable results in the wedding-diet department. Sure, I looked more toned, but my clothes were still uncomfortably tight. Annoying. Teenage metabolism, why did you leave me? When I was finally done whining, Sarah told me (not for the first time) that I should try going gluten free like she did. She’s also currently on a campaign...

For my birthday this year, I decided I wanted to be low key. I figured since I’ve already started selectively forgetting how old I am, it’s probably silly to make a big deal about my “special day” with the usual group dinner party/bar-hopping extravaganza. So instead, Dan and I celebrated my 27th a few days early with junk food and wine at a local vineyard with some friends, and a deliciously messy lunch with my parents at a no-plates, no-utensils, everything-tastes-better-when-you-eat-with-your-hands seafood joint the next day. So tasty. And, so much fun! And, for my birthday treat, I made ice cream! Honest to goodness, creamy-smooth ice cream with thick swirls of tangy blueberry sauce, made without churning. Dan wants to know why I wasted...

So guys…have you been infected with the madness that is college basketball? Dan and I – not so much. Basketball wasn’t really a big thing at our school (or any other sport, really) so neither of us has a horse in the race. As a result, Dan is much more excited about spring training, and I’m mainly just waiting for March to end so that it actually starts feeling like spring around here. If I were a college basketball fan though, I would definitely use the games as an excuse to make loads of game day eats. Crispy wings dripping with sauce, nachos loaded with cheese, and tender, juicy sliders…mmm mmm mmmmm. Junk food is definitely the best part of watching sports, am I...

Oh man, guys. I just realized that I missed my blog’s 3-year anniversary! Goddamnit. February was a terrible time for blogging, and I am a terrible blogger. But hey, better late than never, right? So, happy 3 years, Just Putzing Around the Kitchen! And, dear readers, thanks for sticking around so long! Have some strawberry cheesecake mousse. This stuff is so, so good, y’all. I’ve been dying to make it since my friend Sarah posted the recipe on her blog last month, and it’s now officially one of my top three favorite desserts. Dan’s too, judging by the way he inhaled his bowl and all the rest of leftover mousse I put in the fridge for later. It’s amazingly delicious — creamy, light, fruity, and tastes just...

Wow, it has been forever and a half since my last post, huh? Sorry guys. It’s been a little busy around here. No time to cook during the week, and no light to take pictures after work even if I did have the energy/motivation to cook. I would try to be a better person/blogger/fiance and whip up tasty meals on the weekend to make up for all the delivery pizza, but lately my weekends have been full of wedding planning. Only 6 months left, can you believe it? And there is still planning to be done! Oy… But hey, I haven’t forgotten you, dear readers! Look, I even made y’all a batch of S’mores Blossom cookies! Just kidding, they’re not for you…I made these for...

Last year, for Chinese Lunar New Year, I made…a Strawberries & Cream Pie. Super delicious, but not exactly culturally relevant/appropriate. This year, I was determined to be a Good Chinese Girl and actually cook something Chinese. After all, it’s my dad’s zodiac year, and I wanted to make something in honor of his special year. Steamed pork buns (bao zi) were the first thing that came to mind, because my dad loves them, and they’re one of my favorite things to eat when I go home to see my parents. Plus, I figured steamed buns couldn’t be all that much harder or different than dumplings, which I had tackled a few times before. As it turns out, they are totally different, and I am terrible...

Chocolate Dream Cupcake Bites with Whipped Chocolate Frosting

I woke up this morning with the most intense craving for chocolate. Visions of chocolate cupcakes with mile-high buttercream frosting, gooey chocolate chip cookies, chocolate-swirl ice cream, and moist, fudge-y brownies danced through my mind. But, since none of those things are allowed on my wedding diet, there was nothing immediately available in my pantry or fridge to satisfy those cravings. Probably for the best. Still, a chocolate craving can never fully be denied, so I went on a hunt for a recipe that would give me a delicious and satisfying dose of chocolate without breaking my diet bank. These Chocolate Dream Cupcake Bites with Whipped Chocolate Frosting fit the bill perfectly, and were just what I needed to appease the choco-monster raging inside me. As...

For me, the hardest part of dieting is cutting back on desserts. More lean protein, less carbs? Fine, hand me the chicken breast, and I’ll give you the bread basket. More fruits and veggies? Awesome! I love fruit, and can do some serious damage to a pile of greens. But when I see a plate of cookies or a pan of brownies? Disaster. My sweet tooth is a cruel mistress, and she’s hard to ignore. Really, the more I try to deprive myself of sugary goods, the more I think about them, and the more I end up eating. It’s a depressingly vicious cycle. So, instead of completely cutting desserts out of my life (it doesn’t last long anyway), I’ve decided to try making...

You know how sometimes, when you’re on a diet, and you’re trying to be really good and not eat too many carbs or bad fats or refined sugars, somehow instead of losing weight you end up gaining weight because thinking about all the things you’re not supposed to eat just makes you crave those things uncontrollably? Yeah. That is what’s happening with my wedding diet right now. And it’s why, instead of snacking on carrot sticks, I’m stuffing my face with brownies. Rich, fudgy brownies with lots of butter, sugar, and three different kinds chocolate, two of which come from candy bars. Yup — these babies have carbs, fats, and refined sugars. So yeah, they’re not part of the wedding diet. But no, I...

Does it ever feel like you’re constantly searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie? For me, definitely yes. A good 25% of my bookmarked recipes are for chocolate chip cookies. At least. Possibly more. What can I say, I’m a sucker for soft cookies with chocolate in them. And, if the posts on FoodGawker, Tastespotting, etc. are any indication, so is everyone else. This recipe is adapted from one I found on FoodGawker claiming that a “secret” ingredient makes these cookies the greatest things ever. EVER. I don’t know if I’m ready to commit to these being the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth, but they are pretty damned good. Soft, chewy, extra tender (from the secret ingredient), satisfyingly gooey, and crunchy (from...

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Kid-Friendly

Single-Serving GF Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie

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