Just Putzing Around the Kitchen

Asian-Style Stir Fried Green Beans

[Update 11/23/2014 – Made a batch of these green beans for a Friendsgiving gathering today, and figured there was no time like the present to update the pictures in this post, which is now 2 years old. Not re-writing the post itself though…that’s WAY too ambitious for a Sunday.] Guys, studying for the bar sucks. I’ve been…read more »

Good Old Fashioned Apple Pie

When you think about “America,” what comes to mind? Freedom? The Star Spangled Banner? Mel Gibson in the Patriot? I think of pie. Apple pie, to be exact. Nothing is more American to me than apple pie. I mean, the saying “as American as apple pie” exists for a reason… The last time I made…read more »

Mango Wine Coolers

Hoo-boy, we just had ourselves a real scorcher of a day, didn’t we? Weather.com tells me we reached a high of 102 degrees today. 102 and sunny. Bright, merciless, blazing sunshine…everywhere. Thank god I didn’t have to go outside today. Frankly, sitting at home furiously handwriting a million essays for my simulated bar exam was way preferable to…read more »

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

We bought the strangest bunch of bananas last week. They were green when we got them, which is fine, but what’s unusual is that they stayed green. We kept waiting for them to ripen and turn yellow so we could eat them, but…they just kept on being green until suddenly there were 7 very brown and…read more »

Watermelon-Mint Lemonade

I don’t know how hot it is where you guys are, but it was 100 frickin’ degrees today here in Northern Virginia. 100, sunny, and muggy. It was so bad that for once I welcomed the subzero air blasting inside my office — I was cold, but at least with my limbs frozen I could…read more »

Mango Lassi

With the weather finally reaching summer-like temperatures this week (94 and counting!), cool and refreshing fruit beverages are on my mind again. Usually that means margaritas, daiquiris, and mojitos start featuring heavily in my blog posts, but I don’t want you guys to think I’m a complete lush. I do drink non-alcoholic beverages, you know. The…read more »

Rosemary Lemon Roast Chicken…and a Father’s Day Giveaway!

Have you ever noticed how much harder it is to shop for dads than it is to shop for moms? They just don’t want anything! I mean, my mom and I have the same taste in a lot of things, so it’s easy to find her just the right purse for Christmas or pick out the perfect…read more »

Chocolate Beer Batter Cupcakes with Maple Bacon Frosting

OK, stay with me on this one, guys. Chocolate beer batter cupcakes. Maple bacon cream cheese frosting. Crunchy maple-glazed bacon bits. I know it all sounds strange (and a little wrong) on paper, but if you can wrap your mind around all the components and work up the nerve to take the first bite…these cupcakes are the…read more »

Jalapeno Cheddar Hamburger Buns

Guys, I just discovered that my Cuisinart bread maker has a “dough” mode. A dough mode! An entire mode dedicated solely to mixing ingredients and kneading it into a perfectly smooth, elastic round of dough! Do you know how exciting this is??? This is going to absolutely revolutionize my bread making. Putting aside the fact…read more »

Triple Berry Frozen Mojitos

This post is inspired by our balcony garden, which is flourishing in the summer heat. Especially the apple mint. That sucker is spreading out and overrunning everything! It reminds me of a hydra — every time I snip off a sprig or two for cocktails, 10 more spring up. It’s starting to get out of…read more »