Just Putzing Around the Kitchen |

Open-Faced Portobello Burger

January 21, 2013

Happy Martin Luther King Day, everyone! And, happy Inauguration! Did you guys watch the festivities on TV this morning? I did, and let me tell you…the view from my couch this year was way better (and warmer) than it was in 2008 when my friends and I packed into the National Mall to see the action. And, watching the inauguration from home meant that I could enjoy a hot, delicious lunch when I got hungry, instead of gnawing on cold, unsatisfying granola bars and wishing the millions of people clogging the streets between Constitution Avenue and my warm apartment would magically disappear. Definitely an improvement, both gastronomically and situationally. And, yes, despite containing no meat, this “burger” was absolutely delicious. The thick portobello patty was juicy...

Chocolate Dream Cupcake Bites with Whipped Chocolate Frosting

January 13, 2013

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...

Apple Crunch Pie Apple Cups

January 6, 2013

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...

Spinach & Mushroom Pita Pizza

January 2, 2013

Happy 2013, everyone! Did you guys eat as much over the holidays as I did? Man, it was ridiculous. Between all the parties and family dinners and weddings, I am stuffed to the gills with good food. Cookies, cake, fudge, roasts, steaks, biscuits, pies, potatoes, pasta…the list just went on and on. Everything was fabulously delicious, of course, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and I’m ready to go back to lighter fare. Like this yummy, low-cal spinach and mushroom pita pizza, for example. How did this recipe come about? Well, a few weeks ago, the folks at Sistema Organa sent me a complimentary bottle of organic, extra virgin olive oil and a package of dried oyster mushrooms to...

Triple Chocolate Candy Bar Brownies

December 16, 2012

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...

Chocolate Chip Toffee Nut Cookies

December 10, 2012

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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