Virtual Blue Ribbon Winning Bloggers

According to you, dear reader: I am not a slacker.

From Ivy at Kopiaste, she's given this to me as a "welcome, new friend!" award. My first blog award, actually. I appreciated the gesture then, and I'm going to pass this award along with the same spirit in mind, now.

1. Darius of Everyday Cookin: I started reading his personal blog a few months ago. He decided to start a food blog because he loves food so much. He's going strong, gaining readership and even a corporate sponsorship to produce some web/TV shows! He's like...my brother from another mother. I'm glad to call him my friend.

2. Shari from Whisk: a food blog: I just happened upon her blog a few months ago, when she started Whisk Wednesdays, a group that follows the Le Cordon Bleu at Home cookbook, which in turn is the curriculum from the school (my alma mater...yayyyy). I am too busy to cook along, but I love stopping by to see her blogroll grow! And she's got me filed under Luscious on her blog. How cute is that?

3. Courtney of Coco Cooks: I love her blog. She's opened my mind to new and different food combinations and products. I'd love to take a look in her pantry, to see what I could find. I can learn a lot from her. She makes things at home that I'd never try to make if I worked in a restaurant. And she's a world-class lady to boot.

Given to me by Giz & Psychgrad at Equal Opportunity Kitchen, I'm ecstatic to receive this award. People comment "I love your blog!!" with such enthusiasm all of the time, it's kind of innocuous. But this little piece of lined notebook paper makes it real. Thanks, girls :)

That being said, I'm giving this award to the bloggers that make me laugh and bring tears to my eyes with funny and brilliant things daily. It's my requirement to laugh aloud at minimum 12 minutes a day (you burn 3 calories a minute, you know) and when these folks don't post, I get sad.

1. Adam of Baking with Dynamite: Adam is a cheesecake makin', baked good bakin', funny joke tellin', former bodybuildin', future chiropractor (i.e. Girls, line up! Catch him while you can!). He's awfully funny, smart, and full of great tips on FFF (Fun Fitness Fridays), another reason to get motivated to be fit on the weekends instead of laying around eating artery-clogging stuff.

2. The Spiteful Chef: This girl came out of nowhere and I fell in love with her blog and her spirit right away. She's getting married soon, and I see why her man loves her. She keeps him in line. She also keeps him and his fellows rolling in jokes, bittersweet humor, and yummy food. She posts her successes as well as her failures. Sweltering in the crazy Texas heat, she's a culinary student who is broadening her horizons each week by participating in weekly food events across the 'net.

3. Heather of Gild the Voodoolily: She's got millions of admirers across the world and I feel privileged and proud that she even does a side glance over here. She's pleasantly acerbic and witty and isn't afraid to cuss on her blog. It's like going to the neighbors' house and being allowed to cuss 'cause you can't do it at home. She has a pantry full of things of which professional cooks could only dream. And a true botanist's garden (cause she is one) full of the most beautiful produce known to man! She just gets an idea in her head, throws stuff together and it looks and (I'm sure) tastes good, too.

Bestowed upon me from Christy at Southern Plate, Teresa at Mexican American Border Cooking & Dharm at Dad ~ Baker & Chef. I must have done something right because these fine bloggers gave me this award right on the heels of one another. And if I haven't thanked you guys, I'm thanking you now.

I'm going to pass this award to some bloggers I've been following for a while, but they don't know it yet. Well, a few do. Maybe the ones that don't know me will become new friends, too.


1. Sue at Food Network Musings Ever since I gave up TV for Lent in the Spring, my TV watching habits haven't been the same. No matter, because I can just pop over, see Sue, and get the scoop (complete with TV stills!) on who, what, when and where it's going down on The Food Network. Another LCB alum, she's awesome. And I give her two snaps up, in a C-formation (C is for cook. Or maybe cool. I'm not sure yet. I just made that whole thing up. Thank you, In Living Color)

2. Emiline at Sugar Plum She is my favorite little baker. She makes beautiful, sinful desserts. She's got a lightbox, a good eye, and she's funny, too. It's always a treat to see what she's made. She's creative, honest and is saving up to go to culinary school. I can't wait for her to go. I haven't seen such passion in anyone who wants to go to school in a very long time. No...no...EVER.

3. Jen of Becoming A Foodie She has beautiful, sweet photos displaying her food and photography. She's so totally awesome and busy, living a glamorous life in California. I heart her blog, and she doesn't even know it. She also has a Polaroid blog which is just as beautiful and fantastic.

4. Miss J9 at Food According To Me I can't read her blog at work (because my browser at work is like...Windows 3.1-esque) but just go here. You'll like it. Trust me. Her blog gives me butterflies in my stomach and makes my heart beat fast. Her writing reminds me of my own when I'm well-rested and full of biscuits and coffee. Her food isn't shabby either. As a matter of fact, it's groomed quite nicely. Brilliantly delicious.

5. Donald of Mr. Orph's Kitchen: One of the first blogs I started to read regularly, he always gives a complete and thorough lesson on each ingredient. I am impressed with this gentleman's know-how and workability around the kitchen and the grill. He's got gadgets and equipment the make me think he really is a professional chef and he's pulled the wool over our eyes this entire time. But to love food is to know food. And this man does both very well.

From Kat at A Good Appetite and Rachel at The Essential Rhubarb Pie, I thank and gracefully blush because these ladies giving me this award warms the cockles of my keyboard. I think my blog is pretty yummy, too. While I do occasionally lick my screen while posting, (because my fingers are still sticky with sauces and flakes of truffle salt) I'm happy that someone other than my dog likes my food.

1. Teresa at Mexican-American Border Cookbook: This fine lady is a cookbook author, wife, mother, and culinary diva extraordinaire! Her spreads are always seasonal, beautiful, and full of Mexican and Southwestern US history. I love Mexican food and I've been learning the ins and outs of this cuisine because of her. She's got a Spanish word of the day at the bottom of every post, that crack me up...every time!

2. Christy at Southern Plate: This Southern diva makes the food I grew up on and reminds me of my roots every time I visit her spot. She's got a cookbook featuring all her family's recipes for sale and it's chock full of everything I know, love, and remember from "below the Mason-Dixon line."

3. Bekka at Potlikker: Potlikker is the liquid leftover after all of the collard greens have been eaten out of the pot. Some say it's the best part. Bekka's blog is one of the best parts, too. Another Southern lady, her blog was the reason why I started my blog. She says she sometimes fills the void of Southern food blogging, and that she does. The road trips and foodie ventures she and her husband take are full of interesting finds and deliciously gorgeous bites.


Also given to me by Christy, this award is just an excuse to give out more accolades to more blogs. Yay...'cause I didn't want to leave anybody out.

1. Kat & Matt at A Good Appetite Kat makes the food and Matt sometimes does, too. More often than not, he points to recipes and asks Kat to make them. But Matt is no slouch. He takes to the grill like a master from one of their favorite books. This couple makes food I'd eat if I had the time to plan. Each week, their CSA box is the inspiration for some tried and true favorites and some experimentation. I go here for inspiration for dinner. Thanks, guys.

2. Ivy at Kopiaste: There is a large Greek community here in Winston-Salem and I went to school with a lot of Greek kids. There are Greek restaurants all over the city. I thought I knew what Greek food was until I met Ivy's blog. I learn something new every single time I visit her. I've only been past Greece on a yacht headed to Italy but when I get the chance to stay, I'll know exactly what to eat. Thanks, Ivy.

3. Shirle of Rockin The Stove This personal chef lives down the road in Durham, NC (a great place for food, btw) and has the most interesting take on food I've seen locally. She rocks out in a band (though not currently, I don't think) and she rocks out with her pots out in the kitchen, too. Focusing on vegan and vegetarian food, if I weren't a professional foodie (I can't imagine my life otherwise) I'd hire her to make all of my meals (and ask if she'd sneak some chicken in every now and again).


This award is from Elle of Elle's New England Kitchen. It is my award, but it's not mine to give out to anyone. It's yours for the taking. She created this award for all of the Hard Working Food Bloggers on the Leftover Queen's Foodie Forum. But I'm going to take creative license and tell you that this is for you, too, dear reader.

OMG, that was time consuming. I can only imagine how the real Academy people feel. Oh, but yeah...they have people. Multiple persons. This cottage industry named Nikki is tired. No post-award party tonight. Unless you count me celebrating the Panthers win over the Falcons....

Oh, and if you see tonight's winners before I do, will you let them know what I have for them??

Thank you. And good night.