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Fondue Is Fast and Easy Valentine's Day Dessert

Katie Sweeney — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:53:32 PST

If you still haven't figured out how you're going to get your Valentine's Day chocolate fix, grab some chocolate bars and a pint of heavy cream and make chocolate fondue. Seriously, it's quite possibly the easiest dessert ever! All you have to do is melt the two together in a double boiler. Voilà! Serve with an assortment of delicious dippers like sliced bananas, pound cake, or brownies. My favorite chocolate fondue dipper is toasted bread sprinkled with sea salt. It's like a sophisticated take on pain au chocolat! Get the uncomplicated method now.

No Time to Bake Pie? Make Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:50:38 PST

What's thick, creamy, custardy, and has a strong pumpkin flavor? If you answered pumpkin pie, think again! I'm talking about this fast and easy but oh-so-delicious pumpkin bread pudding recipe.

All you have to do is whisk together the liquid ingredients with traditional pumpkin-pie spices and toss with day-old bread. Then you bake, and in 25 minutes you'll have a warm dessert that's scrumptious enough to be the Thanksgiving finale.

Serve with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and your guests will be happy and satisfied. It's also transportable and can be made ahead, making it a great dessert for entertaining. Get the effortless method now.

Butterscotch Pudding Is Shockingly Easy, Sinfully Scrumptious

partysugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:00:25 PDT

Last week I got a text from an old college friend. She would be in town one night only and wondered if I wanted to get together for dinner. Since I'm a huge fan of impromptu soirées, I invited her and two other gals for dinner. With six hours to the dinner party, I frantically began to create a menu with appetizers, entree, and dessert. I wanted a dessert that was rapid, unexpected, and downright delicious. A dessert like Gourmet's fast butterscotch pudding.

From start to finish it takes less than 20 minutes to make. At first I was worried about it not setting quickly enough, but after chilling for three hours, it was thick, rich, and creamy. The girls were pleasantly surprised when I pulled the puddings from the fridge and totally satisfied after eating them.

The pure essence of butterscotch is apparent in each bite, and the pillowy whipped cream is a luscious accompaniment. The only thing I didn't like about this recipe was that it made exactly four portions and I was hungry for more! To delight your friends with this uncomplicated and nostalgic dessert,

Rescue Me Debuts Its Minisodes

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:42:56 PDT

Thanks (or no thanks) to the writers' strike, FX's Rescue Me won't be back on the air for its fifth season till Spring 2009. But Denis Leary and company weren't about to make fans go that long without at least a little taste of New York firefighter life.

On Tuesday, FX premiered the first of 10 Rescue Me "minisodes," bite-sized bits of the show (all approximately five minutes long) that are meant to tide fans over till next year. Each minisode will premiere at 10 p.m. on Tuesday for the next nine weeks; 10 minutes later, they'll show up on Crackle, and by the next day they'll spread through various other online video sites.

The first minisode, "Fast," finds Sean Garrity struggling to maintain his cleansing fast in the face of Lou's doughnuts. If you're a fan, will it be enough to get you through to next year? To watch "Fast" for yourself, just

How Supermodel Miranda Kerr Got Her Prebaby Body Back

Self — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:17:28 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Sure, your chances of becoming a Victoria's Secret model may be as remote as winning the lottery, but looking like one is an entirely different story. When Miranda Kerr needed to tone up fast after giving birth to son Flynn with actor Orlando Bloom, she turned to FITiST celebrity trainer Andie Hecker to whip her back into supermodel shape.

"She came to me shortly after Flynn was born so we needed to I focused on pulling her abs back to Victoria's Secret model-flat and strengthening and toning her arms so she could easily and safely tote her growing baby around," says Hecker, founder of LA-based dance studio Ballet Bodies.

Their workout routine consists of Pilates fused with ballet techniques, a fat-blasting combo that burns 300 to 500 calories per workout. "Ballet Bodies is a classical ballet-based workout," she explains. "It's actually a workout that utilizes true ballet fundamentals placed atop Pilates, traditional personal training, and various cardiovascular activities such as jumping and kicking."

To do Kerr's postbaby arm workout at home, incorporate these four moves into your regular workout four to six times a week. Add one- or two-pound hand weights for "optimum muscle exhaustion and results." Get the workout after the break!

Woo Your Valentine With "Engagement Chicken"

Nancy Einhart — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:30:15 PST

Could a chicken take your relationship to the next level? This legendary recipe for "engagement chicken" has led to hundreds of marriage proposals. Even if you're not looking to get hitched, it makes a perfectly easy and comforting meal to serve on Valentine's Day. Watch our video to learn its storied history and how to make this simple yet seductive recipe.

McDonald's Axes Cruel Caging Practices For Pigs

Susannah Chen — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:06:58 PST

Just a few months ago, McDonald's was under serious fire after it was discovered that its main egg supplier was committing severe animal cruelty violations. Now the Golden Arches is taking a step in the right direction by announcing its plans to handle its pigs in a more humane and sustainable way.

Yesterday, McDonald's said that it will require pork suppliers to stop using gestation crates, cages that keep individual sows in very close quarters while they're pregnant. McDonald's is one of the world's biggest buyers of pork, which is used to make bacon, ham, sausages, and McRib sandwiches.

No doubt, McDonald's is bowing to increased pressure from animal rights activists. PETA's fully supportive of the decision, as is the Humane Society, which calls it "important and promising."

The pork industry, on the other hand, is up in arms over the fast feeder's decision, defending the stalls as a "conventional" practice. Where do you stand? Since McDonald's is modifying its animal treatment practices, are you more likely to make a trip there?

Love Your Laptop: 8 Tips For Keeping it Healthy and Happy

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:23:02 PST

Valentine's Day doesn't just have to be about giving affection to your significant other. It can be about showing your appreciation for the people and things that make your life awesome. Take your laptop, for example. Your window to the vast Internet, your laptop works really hard for you without asking much in return. Give your laptop a little TLC this Valentine's Day with these tips that will keep it happy and healthy all year long.

Clean it up - Giving your laptop (or desktop) a thorough cleaning is essential to extending its life. Back up any data you may already have stored (on an external hard drive or a portable flash drive), organize your desktop icons, empty your computer's trash on a regular basis, and clear out any programs you don't use. This will help free up space and keep you on the fast track to productivity.
Practice proper shutdown habits - Shutting down all open programs and putting your laptop to sleep instead of just closing the lid will help your computer stay cool and safe while in transport. But if you've had your laptop in a cold environment, let it warm up to room temps slowly before turning it on. This will keep condensation and dew at bay, which can ruin your computer's sensitive guts.
Protect your investment - If you're going to be lugging a laptop around, make sure it's protected in a padded case!

See the rest of my tips after the jump.

Link Time: The History of Sweetheart Candies

Camilla Salem — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:45:16 PST

The history of Sweethearts candies - Smithsonian
Homemade frozen pizzas are a great fast and easy weeknight meal - The Kitchn
Are you brave enough to try haggis? - Food Republic
Tips to avoid common cooking mistakes - Real Simple
Skip the wine and bring on the spirits this V-Day - HuffPost Food
The food foraging trend - Honest Cooking
We want these mussels immediately - Big Girls Small Kitchen
No oven is necessary for these desserts - The FN Dish
Does Tom Colicchio find Top Chef boring? - Grub Street NY

Mary Katrantzou For Topshop Releases This Friday - See the Complete Lookbook

Chi Diem Chau — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:19:21 PST

If you're loving all of the vibrant floral prints seen so far on the Fall '12 runways, check out Mary Katrantzou's capsule collection for Topshop. The line, ranging from $80 to $700, debuts in stores and online this Friday and is sure to sell out fast. Peruse the entire lookbook now, featuring printed trousers, modern structural dresses, and tunics made in Katrantzou's signature artsy prints, and start making your shopping list for this Friday. See our favorite pieces below (plus styling tips), then get ready, set, shop.

We'd wear this silk printed dress over leather leggings and loafers for a fresh take on casual dressing.
These cropped floral trousers would look amazing with a chunky black turtleneck and booties for now, and later with a plain white tee and sandals.
Tuck in this silk collared top with cropped trousers and lace-up boots for a crisp office look.