Just A Quick New Year Update… And A Word About Loony Lovers

First of all, happy New Year everyone!

It has been a pleasure getting to know all of you over the past few months, and I am really looking forward to a new blogging year.

I have taken a bit of a blogging holiday over the past couple of weeks, so I will spend the next few days catching up on all your posts, acknowledging awards, and taking care of a bit of housekeeping.

I haven’t been totally idle during this time either, and I have been working on a few new recipes, more on this soon…

 

I also wanted to spread the word on Loony Lovers. I have been following Loony for a little while, and this amazing and beautiful lady has come up with a wonderful idea. She has created the badge above as a way to raise awareness of, and start discussions about, mental illness.

If mental illness, in any guise, is or has been part of your life in some way, and you want to spread the word and break the silence, then feature this badge on your blog, and let Loony know you have done it. Whether you have been through depression, or have a friend or relative who is bipolar or suffers from schizophrenia, or whether you just want to show your support, please go over to http://thoughtsofalunatic.com/ and join the Loony Lovers!

That’s it for now, I will be back soon with my recipes. Thanks for reading!

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Liebster Blog Award

Thank you very much to Fae for nominating me for this award! I urge you all to go and have a look at her delightful blog Fae’s Twist and Tango. Her recipes are mouth-watering and show a true love of food and life. Fae clearly knows her way around the kitchen, and her relaxed style would inspire anyone to cook! So please, go and have a look at this little gem of a blog!

Now for the rules:

1  Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you. 2  Acknowledge that blogger on your blog and link back. 3  Answer the 11 questions proposed by the person who nominated you. 4  Select 11 people for the award. 5  Pose 11 new questions to the new nominees.

Fae’s questions:

1. What inspires you? More often than not, inspiration comes when I am confronted with an almost bare fridge and cupboard, and have to produce a meal in under 30 min. Talk about pressure…

2. What is your favorite dessert? Oooh, I cannot possibly narrow it down to just one! There is lemon tart, melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding, profiteroles, sticky toffee pudding, Tarte Tatin… I could go on!

3. What is your favorite comedy? I always laugh at Friends. Always!

4. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a teacher by day, and a dancer by night (no, not this kind of dancer! a ballet dancer), and claimed I wouldn’t need any sleep. I didn’t become either, and I do (badly) need my sleep…

5. Why did you start a blog? I wondered whether anyone outside my immediate circle would enjoy my food…

6. What is your favorite part of blogging? Trading comments with other bloggers, coming across wonderful ideas, great writing and stunning photos from all over the world.

7. What would be the name of your ‘reality show’ to describe your life? “In the Kitchen with the Greedy Frog”

8. If your were to give a speech on any topic, what would it be? The correct use of ‘s and s. It drives me bonkers when people get it wrong.

9. If you changed your name, what would you change it to? Madonna. I bet I could get a table at any restaurant in the world at very short notice…

10. What is your dream career? teacher dancer food writer

11. If money was no object, where would you live and why? I would buy my own little Greek island, and enjoy the food, wine, and sunshine…

 

And my 11 nominees are:

1. Thoughts of a Lunatic: The Lunatic is funny, engaging, intelligent, touching, but above all, unique. I list following her blog among the best things I have ever done.

2. 5 Kinds of Rice: A brilliant, inspiring, mouth-watering, non-recipe-based food blog. I long to be invited for dinner over there… (hint 😀 )

3. Happiness Stan Lives Here: This blog is a wonderful glimpse into the fun- and love-filled life of a true lover of food. Some seriously yummy recipes, and a killer sense of humour to boot; what’s not to love?

4. The Foraging Photographer: I am always fascinated by her pics, and I am not even into nature that much… Unmissable!

5. Palisadespete: Now, here is a blog that takes trivia to a whole new level. I absolutely love it!

6. Gas Station Gastronomy: A very original concept, and hilarious too! You just HAVE to go and read it!

7. Righter’s Kramp: Musings about life, family, the toughies life throws at you, and deep-fried candy bars…

8. Do Not Get Sick In The Sink, Please: The subtitle of this blog says: News and Sex. Mostly Sex. What it doesn’t say, is that it is very, very funny!

9. Mrs Fringe: I am hooked to this New Yorker’s writing; you will be too if you follow this link…

10. The Green Study: Here too you will find a truly talented writer; this blog is a real pleasure to follow!

11. Snotting Black: A very funny lady, who will make you laugh about pretty much anything.

 

As I am both too lazy and too tired to think up 11 new questions, I shall do my bit for the planet and recycle Fae’s questions…

One Lovely Blog Award

First of all, thank you very, very, very much to the Lunatic for nominating me. It means a lot to me, especially coming from you, as I adore your blog! Please guys, go and have a look it is absolutely brilliant!

Now for the rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Add The One Lovely Blog Award to your post.
3. Share 7 things about yourself.
4. Pass the award on to 15 nominees.
5. Include this set of rules.
6. Inform your nominees by posting a comment on their blogs

7 things about me:

1. I have the lowest comedy threshold in the known universe.

2. I like board games. Which I would never admit to anyone in real life.

3. I can touch my toes while keeping my legs straight.

4. At a party, if I have had a few drinks and there is a dance floor, I will turn into this person you are very embarrassed to know.

5. I sing along badly to the radio when alone in my car.

6. I cannot stand Cadbury’s chocolate. There, I have said it.

7. I have never been to a music festival. Nor do I intend to.

And my nominees are…

1. Tony Marquis’s Blog: Tony has opinions on a lot of things (from fashion to plagiarism), and some lovely recipes as well. I love this blog because you just never know what the next topic will be.

2. Lattes and Leggings: Oh, the food. And the photos. And the food. And the photos. I could read this blog all day!

 3. Do Not Get Sick in the Sink, Please: Very funny blog about news and sex. ’nuff said.

4. The Living Notebook: Great insights into creative writing, makes me wish I were a writer.

5. Playful Meanderings: A lovely blog about life, love, and books.

6. The Muddy Kitchen: This blog makes me wish I had an allotment, and the time and inclination to tend it, so I could cook with my own produce and be all wholesome and happy. Jealous doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel!

7. The Empty Pen: another great read; every single post on there is interesting and very well written.

The keen observers among you may have noticed that there are only 7 nominees instead of the 15 required. This is because I haven’t been around for very long and I am only following a few people at the moment.

So here it is!