Just Putzing Around the Kitchen

Pineapple Whiskey Sour

Spring has sprung, and that means warmer weather, which (of course) means the start of cocktail season here at Just Putzing Around the Kitchen. And with pineapple in season right now, and St. Paddy’s Day just around the corner, it seems like kind of the perfect time to introduce y’all to this killer Pineapple Whiskey Sour recipe. Reasons…read more »

Melomakarona Cookies

The Mediterranean seafood restaurant next to my office has been doing an insanely brisk lunch and dinner business everyday since they moved in a few years ago. Considering three or four other restaurants tried and failed to make it at that location previously (all were there 1 year or less, I heard), that’s pretty impressive. The food there…read more »

How to Make an Epic Valentine’s Day Cheese Board + Dark Chocolate-Chili Ganache

In the last few years, I’ve really became a fan of cheese boards for my dinner parties. They’re the perfect appetizer and mood setter – a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, there’s something for everyone, each bite is totally customizable by the eater, and nothing is so filling that your guests’ appetites will be spoiled….read more »

Blazin’ Bulleit

Since the Patriots aren’t in the Super Bowl this year, tomorrow’s game is officially all about the food and drink for me. Which is perfect, because I’ve partnered with Smirnoff Ice to come up with a fun, tasty “FANtail” for the big day. Smirnoff Ice and I have a long and happy history. In college, it was…read more »

Shrimp Po’ Boy Loaded Fries

Ah, the humble potato. Beloved of people…everywhere, really. Delicious, nutritious, versatile – truly, there has never been a more perfect food. Fry ’em, bake ’em, boil and/or mash them – short of burning them to a crisp, there is literally (in my opinion) no way for you to make a potato un-appealing. And did you know that they’re good…read more »

Cheesy Fried Spinach & Artichoke Dip Bites

I know I said I was going to take a small break from blogging, but today is too exciting not to post! My beautiful, uber-talented, blogging BFF Sarah from Snixy Kitchen is pregnant, and Cheese Baby Girl is due in just a few short weeks…so we’re throwing her a surprise virtual baby shower. (Thanks for…read more »

Champagne Cocktails + DIY Homemade Angostura Sugar Cubes

Happy 2016, everyone! Please don’t judge me for posting this NYE recipe super late. I had this post and a Christmas post almost ready to go ages ago, but I just couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger. What can I say, 2015 was a slow blogging year for me. I don’t want to say that…read more »

Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes

If I’m being honest, half the reason I opted to roast a duck for Friendsgiving was so that I could get my hands on some duck fat. Why? Because it’s delicoius! It’s got an amazingly light, savory flavor that’s not overpoweringly rich like other fats, and silky-smooth mouth feel. You can use it to cook just…read more »

Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Nothing will never take the place of mashed potatoes in my heart, but this browned butter sweet potato concoction is pretty high on my current list of favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. Just a little bit of brown butter and cinnamon to enhance the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes, and a whole lot of nutty, fragrant…read more »

Pancetta & Sage Stuffing

Duck aside, this stuffing was, for me, the highlight of our Friendsgiving meal. I will always secretly love out-of-the-box stuffing best, but this pancetta/sage version is truly killer. To start with, the base of this recipe was the most glorious loaf of white bread (from the Chinese market up the street, oddly enough). I know white bread is supposed…read more »