A Blog of Its Own

It was just a matter of time. The signs have been there all along, just waiting to be read.

Although the VGP "ended" on December 31, the baking slowed down in January but never really stopped. By mid-month I was already working out of my cookie folder again, trying recipes I found too late to try in December. Then I got a 40%-in-store-only coupon from Border's and went browsing the cookbook section. I walked out with the mother lode - The Ultimate Cookie Book, along with a list of cookies from Martha Stewart's Cookies book that I could hopefully - and did - find on her website. Suddenly I had spreadsheets - MADE and TO TRY, with columns - name, date, source, rating, comments, and I was filling them out fast.

I also recently found myself - subconsciously at first - on the lookout for pretty plates and interesting dishes that would look good under a cookie. I started to look more carefully at cookie photography in books and magazines. I even made a trip all the way to IKEA with both girls (during the 11-day diet so I couldn't even get a cinnamon roll or frozen yogurt cone!) just to look for small props and set, all with next December's virtual goody plate in mind.

When my TO TRY list hit 70+ I realized this train was going too fast to hold up until December. And with my MADE list at 10+ by mid-February, I realized I'd have too many for only 31 days of December, but if I started posting cookies and goodies on my blog now as regularly as I made them, there wouldn't be much room for anything else. And I like my anything else - I don't want to crowd it. Not only that, but if I post a Core recipe, followed by a diet update and then a big old buttery cookie recipe, it sends a bit of a mixed message, don't you think? Welcome to being ME.

So I was left with no other option. What else could I do? Cyberspace is a big place, and the Goody Goddess wanted a piece of it.

I exported, and then imported, December's goodies, along with Pancake Week and a few other treats from various DMTotW posts. I'll still be posting other recipes on DM, like slow cooker and dinner recipes. Probably the love sonnet to chocolate now and then for good measure.

But from now on, The Virtual Goody Plate is where you'll find all my sweet treats - the cookies, cupcakes, brownies, cakes, breads and candy that I am crazy - seriously, CRAZY - about making.

So no longer will you go innocently checking my blog only to be accosted by images of sticky dribbly ooey gooey perfection on a plate, and then be able to threaten and accuse me of "killing" you. No, if you go to The VGP - and you will - you'll go there on purpose.

And there will be NO COMPLAINING!