The Liebster Award

So first off, this post is a little different to my usual kind. Instead of containing a recipe for a yummmmyy treat of some sort, I'm writing to share some great news -- I logged on to Blogger yesterday to find a comment on one of my posts. It said that Yummmmyy had been awarded the Liebster Award!!! I was shocked to be honest, I share my posts with many communities and often receive the odd +1 on Google + (don't get me wrong, I'm always over the moon to see them) but I never thought that my blog would be recognized for such an award. Reva from Yummy Cooking Made Easy chose Yummmmyy along with ten other up and coming blogs to award. I'm so grateful to her for choosing Yummmmyy and hopefully receiving the award will give me some recognition in the Blogger world -- I absolutely LOVE blogging and what I love even more is receiving feedback from those who have read one of my posts - there's actually nothing better! 

So the Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Its seen as a way to discover new blogs and to give them some recognition. The German word Liebster means sweetest, dearest, beloved, lovely, cute, valued and endearing.

There are a few rules that go along with receiving the award... (If you choose to accept it that is)

1. You must post 9 random facts about yourself

2. You must answer the 9 questions set for you & also must set 9 new questions

3. Choose 9 people to award and link them in your post

4. Go to your chosen 9 bloggers pages and tell them the good news

5. And finally, no tag backs! (under no circumstances do you have to accept the award)

9 Random Facts about me

1. I'm Irish

2. I have triplet brothers

3. I love playing COD 

4. I can't sing - I haven't a note in my head

5. I don't know where I'd be without my family, boyfriend & friends

6. I just bought my first car

7. I'm dying to visit Hawaii 

8. I wear Diesel Fuel for Life perfume

9. I LOVE Ben n Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice-cream 

Here I am :)

So here are the questions set for me by Yummy Cooking Made Easy...

1. What is your favourite food?

Well that one's a toughie, I love so many different foods... If I really had to choose I suppose it would be ice-cream or coconut or Mam's lasagne or chocolate or pineapple or cheesecake or biscuits.... (I could go on and on!!)

2. From where did the idea of blogging come?

Well it actually came from my friend Rhona from college - we had a dinner party one night and she was flicking through my recipe book and suggested I start blogging. At first I dismissed the idea as I would have been too embarrassed to put my stuff out there but the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea and the more confident I got.

3. Who's your favourite author?

Hmmm... I don't really have a favourite author - I like a bit of everything, but I do love Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses trilogy, John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and Lee Child's Jack Reacher books

4. What's your dream car?

Oh that's easy - an original Mini Cooper for sure. I do love Ford Capris, Mustangs and mark 2 Golfs as well, but an original Mini is definiiiiitely my dream car!

5. Do you think you'll still be blogging in 10 years time?

I do. My dream is to open a small cafe/coffee shop like one we visited in Fuerteventura that serves coffees of all kinds, freshly squeezed orange juice along with fresh cakes and slices, either at home or in another small town abroad. However I still hope to be blogging and sharing any new recipes I have.

6. What do your friends think about your blog?

Some of my friends still aren't aware that I'm blogging but those who do love it! :) They're all really supportive - Klara even set up a blogger account just to be my first follower! They especially love when I ask them to sample my creations before I blog about them (especially my brothers and my boyfriend Dave)

7. If you won the lotto, what would you do with the money?

Hmmmm.... If I won the lotto... Firstly I think I would use the money to buy a house with a huge, modern kitchen... then I'd open my dream coffee shop and use the rest to travel the world (don't worry, I wouldn't forget about my family and friends - they'd get their share ;)

8. What do you usually do in your free time?

That kind of depends on the humour I'm in but I do bake a lot in my free time  that's one thing I love to do -  I really can't wait until I have my own kitchen to bake what and when I want, I like to go for walks with my dogs, hang out with my buddies, watch all the TV series I love: New Girl, Grey's Anatomy, The Walking Dead, Modern Family (I swear I'm not a couch potato) and of course, I love to blog.

9. What is your favourite cuisine?

Emmm... that's a tough one, but, if I had to pick I think it would be the Italian. We always joke and say that my mam is from Italy because she makes the best Italian dishes. Italian food is really fresh - olive oil, tomatoes, herbs and I absolutely love the way that in Italy, food revolves around family.

And now for the tricky part - Choosing the 9 blogs that I think merit the Liebster award...

This was such a tough thing to do but I think that the following 9 blogs are most deserving... (these are no particular order)

My Vanilla Sprinkles
Paula's Kitchen Table
Hello, Sunshine.

The Pomegranate Kitchen

The Fashion Meteorologist
Two Hungry Piglets

Jacob's Crackers
Annie's Appetite
Sweet Lavender Bake Shopper

And here are the 9 Questions I've set for you...

1) Where did the idea of blogging come from?

2) What's your favourite season and why?

3) Describe your ideal 3 course menu.

4) Where is your favourite place and why?

5) Describe what you'd do on an ideal date.

6) What do you mostly do in your free time?

7) Describe yourself in 3 words.

8) What is your most prized possession?

9) What do your friends think about your blog or have you been brave enough to tell them yet?

I can't wait to see the answers to your questions - I really love all of your blogs and I definitely think that you deserve the Liebster Award - I hope that receiving this award will gain you some new followers and also that it will introduce you to some new blogs - Happy blogging!!!