Yes, Quidditch Is A Real Sport!

You read that correctly...I said Quidditch, as in Harry Potter, Hogwarts, and Broomsticks.  Quidditch is a fictional sport created by J.K. Rowling as the "sport de rigueur" of The Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  I know you have heard about it, but did you know that more than 200 colleges and universities in the United States host club level teams?  I wasn't really aware of this fact either, so don't feel bad.



The above video is a really good crash course into the mayhem and excitement of a real game.  It is hilarious.  It showcases what the role of the "snitch" is and how everyone is out to get that snitch!

I do happen to know a player on the Virginia Commonwealth University Quidditch team, The Wizengamots.  In the Harry Potter Series, The Wizengamot serves as the wizard high court of law and let me tell you, these young people really serve up some notice.

The Wizengamot of VCU has a big game tomorrow against The University of Virginia and I wanted to do something really cool for my favorite player and his teammates, so I made special Quidditch cookies for them.

I hope they are as thrilled about eating them as I was in making them!!

I just love how the golden snitches turned out!

Thank you again to The Bearfoot Baker for hosting another Cookie Linky Party!  I love seeing what everyone else is up to!  Go on over there and see for yourself!

This is Home Girl and the only time I cheer against The University of Virginia, created by my historical crush, Thomas Jefferson...is anytime they play Virginia Commonwealth University!! Go Rams!  (I'm postive TJ would forgive me.)

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Almond Cupcakes with American Buttercream

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

                                          Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things

Pretty Spring Blossoms

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Pinkalicious Party Cookies for Stella

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

Home-Made Chicken Wings with "Tooter" Sauce

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

~

This is Home Girl and now I feel so much better....rainy days and Mondays and all.  

Garden Party Love

I made these cookies for a special party that culminated the Olde Towne Garden and Homes Tour that took place today in Portsmouth, Virginia.  I was really thrilled with them and the recipient said they were a big hit at the party she attended.

I don't intend on ever being a cookie blog, but it seems as if I am posting a lot of cookie pictures lately.  I apologize.

There's a great excuse though...it's because I am always working on them!

I use the photos to study my technique and see ways that I can improve.  Tonight, as I was looking at some of my facecrack photos, I realized how much I have grown since I got "the cookie bug" and it amazes me.

I have probably made more than 1,000 cookies since Christmas.  No lie.  That's a heck of a lot of butter.

I use a cookie recipe that I researched and became comfortable with.  I adore it because it's stable and tastes wonderful.  No...I am not giving it out.  Do your own research.

I also work in glaze icing.  I am not a fan of Royal, but sometimes I will make a 50/50 mix of glaze and Royal for detail.  The cookies here are all glaze.

I prefer the taste of glaze over Royal.  It's just a personal preference.  I have a discriminating palate.

I keep my icing pretty loose on the consistency scale, working at about a 5-7 second spread.

Thank you so much if you popped over from The Barefoot Baker's Link Party...I really appreciate everything you cookie girls have taught me through the Internet.  I seriously do.  I owe it all to you for taking my natural ability in icing and giving it a voice.

You are a bunch of wonderfully creative souls who constantly inspire me and make me stretch as a sugar artist.  For that, I am very grateful.

I am just jelly tonight because some of you are in Louisville, KY at Spring Fling.

Serious...Jelly.

This is Home Girl...and yeah, I am pretty obsessed with cookies!