I’m so glad that Halloween is almost over so I can start obsessing about holiday baking. Now this is MY favorite time of the year. Cookies, cakes, pie, turkey, eggnog, wassail, fudge you name it — I want to make it! This morning I received a friendly email update from Trader Joe’s and they really jumpstarted me into super holiday mode with their featured baking shortcut products. I can’t wait to try out their very affordable versions of ready made pie crusts and puff pastry. I know you’ll probably call me a cheater but I’m more than aware what my limitations are in the kitchen and they mainly consist of pie crust disasters. Note to self: make some space in the freezer for all that dough.

Speaking of pie, is everyone else as in love with ABC’s new show Pushing Daisies as I am? I get positively green with envy every time one of those perfect pies appears on screen. If you’re a member of Bakespace you can add the Pie Hole profile to your friends and be updated when new recipes inspired by the show are released (and you can add me as a friend as well). So far they have the following recipes listed: Chuck’s Mixed Tomato Cobbler With Gruyere Crust, Olive’s Deep-dish Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and Ned’s One-Minute Blueberry Pie. Maybe I should give pie making one more shot…If you haven’t tuned in to this fabulous show yet it airs Wednesday nights on ABC at 8:00 PM EST.

Yet another reason to love Nigella Lawson: her express meals apparently really can be made in a reasonable amount of time. What a concept!? After watching the first episode of Nigella Express on the Food Network I added her recipe for Roast Cornish Hen with Sweet Potatoes to my “to do” list so I’d remember to add any ingredients I’d need to my PeaPod order. Unfortunately when the PeaPod delivery person appeared he did so without my hens. They were all sold out. I assume that means all of the housewives in Cambridge must have had the same idea as me. I ended up setting the recipe aside for a few weeks until I happened to stumble upon some frozen Cornish Hens at Trader Joe’s. Eureka! My recipe attempt was back on.

The prep was ridiculously easy, essentially consisting of chopping potatoes, tossing everything together and popping it in the oven. So if you’re looking for a fast week night dinner that requires very minimal effort I’d definitely suggest this. I think next time I’ll actually rub cinnamon and cumin onto the hens as well before roasting them. I vaguely recall Nigella doing this in the actual episode, but the recipe didn’t mention anything about it. I hate it when the episode instructions and the actual recipes on Food Network don’t match up.

Please note that the images below are of a doubled version of the recipe. In addition, I also cooked everything together (not in seperate dishes) so the juices from the chicken would enhance the flavor of the potatoes.

Spice, Citrus, and Oil	Tiny Chickens
Chop the Potatoes	Toss Together
Dinner in a Flash

Roast Poussin/Cornish Hen and Sweet Potatoes (Originally Published by Nigella Lawson)

2 poussins/Cornish hens
2 tablespoons garlic or wok oil, divided
1 sweet potato weighing approximately 1 pound
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Maldon or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Good squirt lime juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the birds into a small baking tin or foil tray pouring over 1 tablespoon of oil.

Cut the sweet potatoes into 2 1/2-inch cubes and put them into another smallish tin or foil tray.

Pour over the other tablespoon of oil and sprinkle over the spices, and then toss everything together by shaking the tin.

Cook both the poussins/hens and sweet potatoes in the preheated hot oven for 45 minutes.

I’m more than aware that it’s very inappropriate for me to even mention the holidays out loud at this point, but Blueprint magazine just arrived and it totally rocked my world. I’ve been a grumpy magazine subscriber for months now and have been letting each and every publication that I subscribe to run out without renewing, but Blueprint has just received its stay of execution. Just look at that gorgeous PINK tree! Now…how to talk CK into such a lovely thing being allowed in the living room. Hmm…

OK..since this is a cooking blog and not an ode to my love of all things pink then I suggest you also check out Blueprint’s Essential Recipes section for what is apparently Sugar Cookie bootcamp. I’ll definitely be giving those a try in a few more weeks. But if it were to snow tomorrow all bets are off.

PS: Check out this pink themed shopping and design website I stumbled upon trying to find that hotter than hot sequined dress the platinum blonde model is wearing on the cover. I scoured Neiman Marcus and the web but didn’t see it anywhere. If you find it, please let me know because I think I have to buy it and throw a party in its honor.

I despise reading commentary on women’s weight. People are now referring to curvy Nigela Lawson as a “porker.” Honestly, it’s bad enough that they hide her in that ridiculous jean jacket and black skirt in almost every episode. Sort of like how they used to stuff Carnie Wilson behind things like pianos and rocks in all of those Wilson Phillips music videos because she was heavier than her two skinny counterparts. Nigella’s husband apparently enjoys her body thoroughly so as long as she’s cool with curves and caramel croissants — who cares! If anything, I think she should show them off more and ditch those cardigans.

It looks like Gordon Ramsay will soon have his very own videogame to add to his extended “Evil Empire” of culinary terror. It’s being reported that Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen television show will have a game released to coincide with it’s third season premiere in the Summer of 2008.

I can’t even begin to imagine what the interface will look like but I imagine something along the lines of Cooking Mamma meets Grand Theft Auto (a girl can hope). I think if I had the option though I’d rather play as Gordon Ramsay. I could really use all of that virtual ranting and raving to relief some pent up stress.

Halloween Cap’n Crunch (officially known as Cap’n Crunch’s Halloween Crunch) is now available in grocery stores, if you’re lucky enough to find it on a shelf. I feel that it’s my obligation to point out that not only does it turn your milk green, it will also turn your hands green if you decide to have a “secret” after work snack. Obviously green dyed fingers is a dead give away. That sneaky Cap’n will get you every time.

Every morning Chris reads the Metro on our fun filled ride on the Subway. I usually just read whatever book happens to be in my bag at the time. But this morning Chris found a great article detailing a new book, The Take-Out Menu Cookbook, written by Meredith Deeds and Carla Snyder that caters to those of us who enjoy take-out food a little too much. This cookbook features the top 200 take-out and carry-away dishes from the 12 most popular ethnic cuisines: French, Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Middle Eastern/Moroccan, Indian, Eastern European/Jewish, Greek, and Japanese. By focusing in on the most ordered dishes the writers aim to create authentic, healthy, and delicious recipes that are not only approachable but may also make you break up permanently with your delivery person.

Another new product that I picked up at the store is Pepperidge Farm Blueberry Breakfast Bread. I searched all over the place online to provide you with a link to check it out but I couldn’t find one anywhere. But here’s photographic evidence that it does in fact exist — not just in my bread obsessed mind. It’s very tasty and way more fun to have than a boring bowl of Grape Nuts. At this rate I’m going to have to create some kind of grocery store scavenger hunt.