J.K. Rowling created a make-believe magical world of wizarding in literature. And now Universal Studios Theme Park has a for-real world of wizarding in Orlando, Florida that is every bit as magical as the pages it seeks to bring to life. The most exciting part of Harry Potter World isn't a ride, or a shop, or a show. It's just being there. For just a moment, you have the sensation that you have been admitted into the world of butter beer, flying dragons and magical candy. Walking throught the gates, you spot the snow covered (in the heat of spring, no less) houses of Hogsmeade
with Hogwarts rising in the distance.
Don't stop there. You'll want to head straight over to Honeydukes
and Zonkos 
for zany toys and magical candy. There are two rollercoasters, one for big thrills and one for smaller thrills. We chose Flight of the Hippogriff, 
which was just thrilling enough for the eleven and under and thirty and over crowd. Anyone in between those ages would want to opt for the Dragon's Challenge. Maybe next time. The Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the chief attraction of the park. The serpentine line stretching through the park will tip you off right away. The line will eventually wind through the Hogwart's castle, complete with Dumbledore's office, 
and Zonkos for zany toys and magical candy. There are two rollercoasters, one for big thrills and one for smaller thrills. We chose Flight of the Hippogriff, which was just thrilling enough for the eleven and under and thirty and over crowd. Anyone in between those ages would want to opt for the Dragon's Challenge. Maybe next time. The Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the chief attraction of the park. The serpentine line stretching through the park will tip you off right away. The line will eventually wind through the Hogwart's castle, complete with Dumbledore's office, 
talking portraits on the walls, live action newspapers, indoor snow, and the sorting hat. We were paying so much attention to the details, that we forgot to pay attention to this.
When they say that the ride may cause motion sickness, they aren't kidding. The teacups are child's play compared to this ride. This ride bends you sideways, frontways, backwards, and upside-down maybe. I couldn't keep track. If my stomach had been in my pocket, it would have landed on the floor. I confess to closing my eyes for half of the ride to minimize the impact. But the kids loved it. They really loved it. They were frightened by the dementors, whomping willows, and dragons but they weren't at all put off by the topsy-turvy shaking. What is it about kids and getting dizzy? They throw up on airplanes and cars but they laugh their way through the tilt-o-whirl.
My favorite part of Harry Potter World was frozen, edible, and sweeter than a newborn babe. Frozen Butterbeer, my friends. 
It's a cousin to a rootbeer freeze with whipped cream, but the flavors are butter, toffee, butterscotch and vanilla. The taste is dazzling. The line is horrendous. Don't wait in it. Find one of these servers milling around and give them cash. 
They will be back momentarily with this. 
And you will be in butterbeer heaven. I've been playing around in my kitchen, trying to bring you a good copycat. Some recipes combine butterscotch ice cream syrup with cream soda and vanilla ice cream. It's a good shortcut and produces good results. But the from scratchy, caramely, butterscotchy syrup is better. Be sure to put your cream soda in the freezer until it's slushy. A true frozen butterbeer should have little bits of icy soda. Make the magic come to edible life at your house tonight. Cheers!
It's a cousin to a rootbeer freeze with whipped cream, but the flavors are butter, toffee, butterscotch and vanilla. The taste is dazzling. The line is horrendous. Don't wait in it. Find one of these servers milling around and give them cash. They will be back momentarily with this. And you will be in butterbeer heaven. I've been playing around in my kitchen, trying to bring you a good copycat. Some recipes combine butterscotch ice cream syrup with cream soda and vanilla ice cream. It's a good shortcut and produces good results. But the from scratchy, caramely, butterscotchy syrup is better. Be sure to put your cream soda in the freezer until it's slushy. A true frozen butterbeer should have little bits of icy soda. Make the magic come to edible life at your house tonight. Cheers!
Frozen Butterbeer(adapted from Fox News Recipe) Makes four generous servings
Estimated cost: $6.00 1 cup light or dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons water 6 tablespoon butter 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda
8 scoops vanilla ice cream Place your cream sodas in the freezer about 30 minutes before you plan to have butterbeer. (This recipe takes about one hour because of cooling time.) In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 F on a candy thermometer. Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the vanilla extract. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes. To serve, in the bowl of a blender, combine about 1/4 cup brown sugar mixture, 1/2 cup cream soda and two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Blend until smooth. Pour into glass and add additional cream soda to fill to the top. Stir with a spoon to blend. Top with whipped cream mixture. Repeat.
Up Next:Chocolate Fudge Easter Eggs
That saved the Quiet Man and I at least 72.3 arguments. No one had to make the supreme dizzy sacrifice of taking two wild and crazy kids on such spinning madness. They're also old enough to go on some roller coasters. I begged everyone to go on Space Mountain with me. 
Oh please oh please oh please it will be so much fun and you'll never regret it. Oh please oh please. They all loved it. Except me. (I did the same thing on Tower of Terror, Mount Everest, and Thunder Mountain. I just can't seem to accept the fact that I am not a teenaged roller coaster lovin' screamer anymore. Sigh.) It seems that Dumbo is just the right amount of thrill for me. 
And even that makes me a little dizzy, but don't tell. I don't want to ruin my reputation completely. I love it all. I'm happy just walking around and taking pictures
and eating. Look at this shot the Quiet Man got. 
Just in case you think I post only good pictures of myself on my blog. Oh, I've got lots of doozies to share with you this week. But speaking of eating, while in line for the Magic Carpet ride, we heard someone singing the praises of Dole Pineapple Whips. Apparently, Dole Pineapple Whips are available in only four locations worldwide: Disneyland, Disneyworld, Disney's Polynesian Resort, and the Dole Plantation in Hawaii. After eavesdropping, we jumped out of line and made a beeline over to Pineapple Whip paradise. Have you had one yet? It's a slushy, refreshing sweet frozen pineapple treat. Once you have it, you know there are only four locations in the world where you can be completely happy. (See list above.) The minute I got home, I jumped online to find a copycat recipe. Yes-it's out there! So now you can add home to that list of locations where you can be completely happy. Home Sweet Pineapple Whips. Join me this week while I share my favorite recipes from all over Disneyworld. (I'm also trying to crack the Butterbeer recipe from Harry Potter world-more on that later.) 
Next Up:.jpg)
wait a second! 
I had a really great idea for an ice cream pie. Or so I thought. A cookie crust, brushed with chocolate, and filled with cookie dough ice cream, and topped with toasted walnuts, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. I scoured the Internet for a good homemade crust recipe for ice cream pies that didn't call for Oreo or graham crumbs. I found only one. That should have been my tip off that it doesn't really work. I baked the crust, 
then smeared the inside with melted chocolate. 
Everything was going beautifully, until it was time to cut the pie. I dug in with my knife, and my wrist crumpled over. Cutting this pie is more dangerous than rollerskating, I think. That's how my sister Michelle broke her wrist. My pie was just as perilous. I chiseled, I excavated, I scraped and begged, but that crust was frozen solid. Ouch. I know it looks yummy, but it'll break your teeth, sistah.
The only way to get it out was to wait for everything to melt. But what, my friends, is the good of an ice cream pie if you have to wait for the ice cream to melt? It was a bad idea. So don't follow my example. If you want a crust on your ice cream pie, stick with the cookie crumbs. Ice cream pies are only good if they're crumby. It's one of life's pardoxes that can save your wrist and your pearly whites. Here are a few of my better ice cream ideas, all of which would be perfect for a Memorial Day dessert.
This morning we have visitors coming: my brother from California with his five children, my mother and father in law from New York, my sister-in-law from Arizona with her three kids, and later my niece from Nevada with her four children. (Post Edit: I just found out another niece with her three is on her way also. It's a good thing my mom and I live just 100 footsteps from each other so we can keep all of our company housed and fed. Plus, we don't miss out on any of the fun!) But there is one more visitor on the list. This top-secret visitor is coming especially to see West, but we are sworn to secrecy until after New Year's. I'm bursting with his good news, but I must tape my mouth shut for the remainder of 2009 and hold it in. 
You can use a cake mix if you're rushed, but never ever use a brownie for the base. Trust me when I tell you that they freeze rock tooth-breaking solid. Choose any flavor ice cream, but this peppermint candy cane Dreyer's flavor is F-U-N for the holidays. 
Press softened ice cream into the same size cake pan and freeze both parts separately. 
Stack them together and run a knife around the ice cream to smooth the edges. 
Make a quick batch of ganache and cool it down in the fridge for an hour or two. It's basically spreadable hot fudge and it will make you go weak in the knees. 
Frost the entire cake and refreeze until serving time. Give it a little squirt of whipped cream just before serving, and if you're more organized than I am, you could even sprinkle some crushed candy canes on top. Imagine them here, please. I'll be back tomorrow with one more dessert for New Year's.
It'll cost you a little extra for the vanilla bean (buy in bulk to save some cash), but it's an indulgence that's worth every penny during these sultry summer months. Excuse me while I go make myself a cone for breakfast. Don't worry; I'll sprinkle it with granola so it can kind of be like cereal and milk. Phew. It's going to be scorcher.