Food Blogger Fun and Awards

Apr 2, 2012 by

Good Monday morning to you, my friends! Today’s post is different – no recipe. No photographs. No drooling or licking your computer screen 🙂 I just want to share some great things with you today. Regular posts will resume in a day or two. The past few months have been a blast when it comes to Food Blogging and Twitter. For a few months, I was on a roll! I was doing at least 4-6 chats weekly. Due to my new family schedule, I’m down to one chat – #HGEATS with The Hungry Goddess, Wednesdays at 12 noon, EST. Feel free to drop in for the hour, if you’re available. Each week is a different food related topic and we always have tons of foodie fun! If you’re lucky, there may be giveaways! I’ve won twice already! Lucky me!

I’m happy to have made some online foodie friends who have become familiar faces on a few other social media platforms. I’ve recently become a member of the Food Bloggers Network founded by the lovely Jessica Hose. She’s so brilliant to have come up with a networking group that allows Food Bloggers to share and learn more about what we do. It’s a wonderful support group and I’m very glad to be a part of it, along with such great bloggers. This group definitely keeps me active and in touch with like-minded individuals. Love it!

I’m so happy, and honoured to have been given awards by my fellow food bloggers! Isn’t that wonderful? [Insert applause here]

I received the Versatile Blogger Award from these fantastic friends:

 

Susan from Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

Renee from Magnolia Days 

Jessica from Oh Cake

Sofie from The German Foodie

I encourage you to visit their blogs! They are a friendly bunch!

 

I received the Kreativ Blogger Award from these fabulous ladies:

 

Susan from Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

Renee from Magnolia Days 

Jessica from Oh Cake

I enjoy their recipes and stories. Please visit and say “hello!”

 

 

As a recipient of the Kreativ Award, I have to write 10 facts about myself, then pass along the award to 6 bloggers

 

1o facts about Lyn

  1. I have lived in 3 countries – London, England. Kingston, Jamaica. I currently reside in Toronto, Canada.
  2. My passion is photography. The sound of the shutter gives me life.
  3. I can be found (as in “seen”) in the deleted scenes on the DVD of the movie titled “How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days” staring starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey
  4. I studied Travel, Tourism & Hospitality in College. The low paying jobs turned me off. I still love the field though.
  5. I dream of vacations in beautiful places with beautiful food, camera in tow. One day, I will be a Travelista!
  6. I love technology. If I could buy every device my heart desires, I probably would.
  7. I’m a lifelong learner (a trait inherited from my Mother)
  8. I love sending and receiving snail mail. YES! I’ll actually write a letter or a card and send photographs.
  9. I believe in these simple things: the words please and thank you. Honesty & kindness CAN co-exist. Treat people with respect.
  10. I LOVE music. In fact, I cook, sing AND dance sometimes. Fun times in my house.

 

I also received the Sunshine Award from these awesome chicas!!!

 

Susan from Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

Renee from Magnolia Days 

Jessica from Oh Cake

You ladies are my sunshine! Thank you for these awesome awards!!

 

 

 

As a recipient of the Sunshine Award, I have to answer 10 questions, nominate other wonderful bloggers and leave a link back on their website.

  • Favorite Color – Purple and Black
  • Favorite Animal – I don’t have one, but I think very small dogs are cute
  • Favorite Number – I don’t have one, but I prefer even numbers or odd numbers divisible by 5 (don’t ask lol)
  • Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink – White Cranberry
  • Prefer Facebook or Twitter – Twitter RULES!!! But I’m trying to be more active on Facebook too. Come say hello!
  • My Passion – Family, Photography, Food/Cooking, Travel
  • Prefer Getting or Giving Presents – Giving (and receiving too)
  • Favorite Pattern – Whatever looks good
  • Favorite Day of the Week – The glorious day that I can sleep in, whichever day that may fall on
  • Favorite Flower – Roses and Tulips

 

I would like to share the love, and pass all three awards to these fabulous bloggers:

 

I received The Fabulous Blog Award from Tina at Pinay Cooking Corner  – Thanks again, Tina! I know I’m late but I’m so grateful for this award from you!

 

I would like to pass this award to Angie from Angie’s Recipes whose recipes and photography inspire me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I received the Liebster Award from Kayle at The Cooking Actress ~ You’re so sweet, Kayle! Many thanks for this award 🙂

I would like to pass this award on to Susan at The Wimpy Vegetarian. I like Susan’s recipes and her writing. I think there’s a vegetarian inside me trying to get out!

 

There are so many blogs that I enjoy reading. Thank goodness for Google Reader. Perhaps I’ll have to do another award post. For now, please take the time to check out these blogs that I read frequently.

Have a wonderful 4 day week!

 

~Lyn

 

 

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Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel & Blog Appreciation

Apr 1, 2012 by

One night late last week, I stayed up late to make muffins for my husband and his co-workers. They are doing an internal course in order to advance within the organization. Let me tell you. The work load is what I consider “University INTENSIFIED”. It’s a lot of work and pressure, especially for those who have families and responsibilities. Time management and balance is key. I thought it would be a nice gesture to send something home-made and not some sugar spiked junk from the coffee shop. They need nourishment as well as encouragement over the next few months and beyond. I figured blueberry muffins were portable and universally enjoyed.

I made these muffins for the first time over a year ago and my husband really liked it – we all did. I actually misplaced the recipe that I had found online. Do you know how many Blueberry Muffin recipes are online???? Luckily I found it (phew) and got to baking around 1am.

Yes, 1 AM.

I wanted to have the muffins as fresh as possible since this Diva doesn’t do early very well. Everyone enjoyed the muffins and my husband totally appreciated me making them for the guys. I’m sure he must have been very happy to wake up to that wonderful aroma of muffins at five o’clock in the morning. Thank you dear husband, for leaving a few muffins behind for the family to enjoy 🙂

 

Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel

 

 

5.0 from 3 reviews
Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Blueberry Muffins - everyone will enjoy them!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups Blueberries (thawed if frozen)
  • 2 Tsp Unbleached All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ Tsp Salt
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
  • ½ Cup Milk
  • 3 Eggs
  • Streusel:
  • 1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Terbinado Brown Sugar (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Unbleached All Purpose Flour
  • ½ Tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. In a small bowl, add Blueberries and 2 Tsp flour. Toss well and set aside
  3. For streusel: in a small bowl, add sugars, flour and cinnamon. Add coconut oil and combine with a fork. Set aside
  4. In a medium bowl, sift together 2 Cups flour, baking powder and salt
  5. In a large bowl, add sugar, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix well to combine
  6. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries
  7. Fill muffin cups about ⅔-3/4 full
  8. Take about a teaspoon of streusel and sprinkle on top of the batter in each filled muffin cup
  9. Bake for 30-40 minutes
Notes
Be sure not to skip the first step. Tossing your blueberries in flour will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the batter. I used Terbinado sugar to give the streusel a nice crunch. It is optional and was not in the original recipe

This recipe is slightly adapted from a recipe found at The Family Kitchen on Babble

 

I prefer Blueberries cooked rather than fresh. Or in a smoothie. However I end up having them, I always enjoy it!

 

Blueberries

 

 

Blueberry Muffin with Cinnamon Streusel

 

 

 

Pretty Blueberry Muffins

 

I know, we don’t eat muffins with a fork. Well, I kinda do…sometimes.. 🙂

 

Muffin, unwrapped

 

Take a Big Blueberry BITE!

 

Bursting with Blueberries

 

Hey, speaking of appreciation… I’ve had some really awesome food bloggers give me some wonderful awards! I’m so humbled and thankful that my online foodie friends thought of me to give me these awards. So very humbled. I love what I do here at The Lovely Pantry and as I continue to grow, it’s really encouraging to know that there are people out there who understand what it takes to do this. We blog for many reasons including the love of food, the art of cooking, the love of sharing, the love of community and my personal favourite – photography. It feels great knowing that there are people cheering you on! I’m going to share the love in my next post.

 

Have a wonderful Sunday!

~Lyn

 

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