Do any of you use Twitter? Because I love it and would like nothing more than to follow you. If you aren’t familiar with the Twitter phenomenon than please check out this fabulous video: Twitter in Plain English.

Engadget is reporting that HGTV and The Food Network will begin simulcasting in HD on March 31. Obviously this is great news for HD snobs like me (and probably you too). I hate that they only show reruns on the current Food Network HD Feed. Not that I don’t enjoy old Dave Lieberman episodes in high definition, but it would be nice if it mimicked the actual channel.

Kotaku has posted an early trailer for the upcoming Iron Chef America game that is being created for the Wii. Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine will be released this summer and will definitely include the voice talents of the “esteemed” chairman. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that Alton Brown will be included in some way as well.

Madeline discovered that Rachael Ray has released her own line of stocks. These cooking staples, cutely called “Stock-in-a-Box,” are available in both chicken and beef flavor.

Ned Batchelder made a rocking Doctor Who cake for his son Max’s 16th birthday. There are marshmallow Daleks and even a brownie K-9. So Ned, my birthday is in June…do I place my order with you now?

Hold the phone! Two of my favorite things, Nigella Lawson and Christmas, are being combined into one. Random House is scheduled to release “Nigella’s Christmas” in October. I think this year’s holiday party will definitely have to be an all Nigella affair.

Risa Green, author of the adorable book Notes from the Underbelly writes about a common problem that I’m sure a lot of moms have on a daily basis. How do you get your kid to eat something besides dessert? Risa apparently read some extremly helpful books and now she’s working on ways to “de-fetishize” sweets with her daughter. It sounds like she’s having good luck so far. Also, if you don’t already, than you should definitely be watching the ABC sitcom version of Notes from the Underbelly. Especially since it stars one of my favorite actresses, Jennifer Westfeldt.

Top 5 Recipes I’m Dying to Try this Week (If food didn’t have calories etc…)
Lauren’s Lasagna Rolls with Three Mushrooms, Four Cheeses and Sage Bechamel at Burghilicious
Allen’s Blond(e) Ambition Cookies at Eating Out Loud
Ashley’s Earl Grey White Chocolate Chunk Muffins at Eat Me Delicious
Rachel’s Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cupcakes with Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting at Rachel’s Bite. Even though CK thinks Mayonnaise baked goods are “gross.”
Amy’s Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy at Nook & Pantry

Just a moment ago I was looking up the recipe for Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Pistachio Fudge online and I came across the actual clip of her making it on YouTube. So I sat through it thoroughly enjoying Nigella in all her glory of shiny black curls and smoldering looks when it dawned on me that I’d never added any butter to my mixture when I made it for the party. Had I been so distracted by Texas Spice’s presence in the kitchen that I’d left out an ingredient? Then I checked the Food Network website and discovered that it didn’t mention butter at all in the recipe. I should have used the BBC website. At least they got it right.

My fudge came out just as sickeningly sweet as you can imagine a gigantic pot of melted chocolate and condensed milk would be, even without the small addition of butter, but it totally annoys me that it was left out. That seems to happen quite frequently actually. What you see on the cooking shows isn’t always duplicated in the recipes they provide to the public. Smarten up copy editors! Anyway, one piece of this decadent fudge will completely wreck you and probably make your dentist shutter in horror, but it will be worth it. After all, Christmas comes but once a year and obviously this gives us free reign to be complete and utter gluttons. Note: The images below are a doubled version of the recipe which I poured into a 9” by 13” pan. I also used half dark, and half milk chocolate.

A Lot of Chopped Chocolate	Serious Nutcracking
Melt	Pour, Smooth, & Chill
Give Them a Toothache

Chocolate Pistachio Fudge (Originally published by Nigella Lawson)

12 ounces 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped or 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
Pinch salt
1 cup shelled pistachios

Melt the chopped chocolate, condensed milk, butter, and salt in a heavy based pan on a low heat.
Put the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into both big and little pieces.
Add the nuts to the melted chocolate and condensed milk and stir well to mix.
Pour this mixture into a 9-inch square foil tray, smoothing the top.

Let the fudge cool and then refrigerate until set. You can then cut into small pieces approximately 3/4 by 1 3/4 inches or cutting 8 by 8 lines in the tin to give 64 pieces.

Once cut you can keep it in the freezer, no need to thaw just eat straight away.

While scouring the internet for creative ideas for my upcoming holiday party this weekend I happened upon a lovely bubbly cocktail that Nigella Lawson has coined “Christmas in a Glass.” The crowd of people coming over to my house on Saturday will be enjoying these scrumptious prosecco based drinks around a roaring TiVo generated fireplace.

After hunting down gingerbread flavored syrup and procurring a generous amount of prosecco I decided that it would be unwise for Chris and I to serve drinks to our guests without trying them first. So we popped the cork and enjoyed our own mini Christmas in a Glass cocktails. The gingerbread syrup gives the prosecco a very nutty flavor and every time you bring the glass to your lips you inhale the scrumptious smell of Christmas cookies. I love how something so simple can turn out so unexpectedly brilliant. Cheers!

Shop	God Bless Us, Every One!

Christmas in a Glass (Originally Published by Nigella Lawson)

1 bottle of gingerbread flavoured syrup (or cranberry flavoured syrup)
1 bottle prosecco, or other sparkling dry white wine, well chilled

Pour the prosecco into glasses. Add a capful of the syrup to each glass of the prosecco, to taste.

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 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.

My girlfriend and idol, Nigella Lawson, is back on the Food Network with all new episodes. Nigella Express begins airing this Sunday, October 7 at 10:30 AM. I can’t wait to see what she’s cooking up this time. Apparently everyone’s favorite Domestic Goddess plans to wow us with quick and easy recipes that require very little effort. Since I’m working full time again while going to grad school I’m all over that sentiment. I just hope she still raids the fridge at the end of every episode in her nightgown. Who doesn’t love a little kitsch in their kitchen?!

Poor Gary Vaynerchuk, the New York Jets are breaking his heart, but he’s still there for his wine fans. Check out this great podcast where Gary gives the run down on some wines that pair well with Pizza.

Bread making is my achilles heel. It intimidates me horribly and nine times out of ten I’d rather just serve my guests loaves from the bakery, but October 17 is World Bread Day so if there’s one day this year that you and I should give in and play with flour and knead our little hearts out it should probably be then. In addition, this site is collecting entries to make a round-up of your best efforts.

Obviously pink is one of my favorite colors. Although, I did get a little offended when a co-worker of Chris’s declared that my food blog looks like the “OMG Ponies” April Fools joke that Slashdot played last year. Needless to say I may be rethinking my stance on pink very soon, but at the very least it’s appropriate for October since this is Breast Cancer Awareness month. In honor of this Couture Cupcakes is hosting a pink dish competition complete with a tasty themed prize. All entries are due by October 15 so get your favorite pink recipes ready.