Thursday, December 10, 2009

Who Loves You, Baby

Today is looking and smelling so much better. Thank you for the support yesterday, but I'm happy to say I've traded the disinfectant spray for a French vanilla latte and a toasty cinnamon raison bagel. Breakfast is my favorite, because it can all be dessert. Oooh, for anyone with the inclination, comment on your favorite breakfast food (in a fat and calorie-free universe).

For you award-lovers who can't wait, scroll down and feel the love! And for you award-loathers, (it's okay, I don't judge), if I awarded you, just think of it as a pat on the blog... a blog hug... a blog high-five... or any other way you express a job well done. You don't need to do any of the posting and linking or even worry about it in any way.

Today I have awards for everyone, but before I get to them, a few things I'm happy about:

1.   Marginally better kids! In the realm of stomach virus signs and symptoms, they are improving! No longer pukey, instead they are suffering from... well, you know. The lesser of the two stomach evils. But moms out there might agree, this is a much more manageable situation. WOO HOO!! 

2.  We got our Christmas tree last weekend and the house is all cute. Sure, it made for an odd combination of smells this week, but holiday cheer is good. And plus, the kids' Christmas excitement is adorable. 

3.   My little sister is engaged! For those of you who've followed since the Honest Scraps Award, she's following in my footsteps and marrying her high school boyfriend. Incidentally, my brother married his high school girlfriend a few years back. For the record, I don't know how that happened. My mom divorced her high school sweetheart and encouraged us to date widely, so maybe teenage-rebellion kicked in. ("So, I shouldn't settle down with the first guy I meet?! I'll show HER!")

Okay okay, enough of my yammering. It's award time! Presents for all!!

First, thank you Mary Anne from Starlight Blog for the 
One Lovely Blog Award

The rules are, link the person who awards you, then find up to fifteen new blogs and link them in your own blog.

Here are eleven blogs I've come across recently, and they're all great!

Catherine Denton at Winged Writer
Nevets at Nevets.QST
Girl with One Eye at A Squirrel Amongst Lions
Tina Lynn at Sweet Niblets
Shannon Messenger at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe
Voidwalker at Into the Void
Lynette Labelle at Chatterbox Chit Chat
Shannon O'Donnel at Book Dreaming
Liza Carens Salerno at Middle Passages
Julie Dao at Silver Lining

I have one more award, and this one goes to everyone on the Coaster. Why? Because who loves you, baby? I do!

Thank you Natalie from Sound of the Rain
for giving all her Followers the Who Loves You Award

The rules are, I have no idea! How about do like Natalie and I... give it to all your followers, and show them you love them too!

Don't forget to do happy-shiny shout outs, everyone! Or tell us your favorite breakfast. Mine is extra gooey cinnamon rolls or belgian waffles with way more toppings and whipped cream than is reasonable.

29 comments:

  1. Woo-hoo!!! *happy dance* Thanks Diana.

    Okay, okay, favorite breakfast food? Chocolate chip pancakes. No butter, no syrup, just yummy melted chocolate.

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  2. Thanks Diana!!! Oh man, there are so many awesome new blogs for me to check out!!

    My favorite breakfast food? Fresh baked cinnamon rolls SMOTHERED in sweet cream cheese frosting... Oh gosh. My mouth just started water...

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  3. I noticed we both stopped by to give Sara an award today, so I had to come see your blog! ;) I see a lot of familiar faces, so I feel at home here already!

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  4. OMG wait! I forgot about Eggs Benedict. Oh man... with tons of hollondaise sauce. Mmmmmmmm. Can I pick two? Because I don't think it's possible for me to choose between the rolls and the benedicts...

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  5. For me? *Gasp* Thank you! And my all-time favorite breakfast is pancakes (emphasis on the cake part) drenched in syrup (because drizzling is whimpy). YUM-MY! Now I want to go to IHOP.

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  6. Steph- I LOVE pancakes, especially chocolate chip! But I do like them with loads of whipped cream. Okay, I'm getting hungry again!

    Sarah- You really know how to speak my language. Cream cheese filling, yummmmm!

    Shannon- Thank you for stopping by! I've seen you around too! Well now I'll have to check out your blog and become buddies :)

    Sarah (again!)- YES pick two (I did!). I'm adding eggs benedict now, so that makes three! Your comments make me hungry!

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  7. Shannon, I had to add you to award roll call. You ARE a blogger I just discovered, and I hadn't passed the fifteen blog limit, so there :)

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  8. ...Hmmm, chocolate cake and a glass of milk the day after a birthday. Or, pecan pie and coffee the day after Thanksgiving. Oh, you meant breakfast food? An almond croissant. Still not breakfasty enough? Egg strata with sausage, or fried eggs over easy, bacon and drowning in butter grits. And I'm not from the South. Oh, and biscuits dripping in butter and honey.

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  9. Diana,
    Wow! Thanks so much! I'm thrilled you visited Book Dreaming and look forward to our daily visits! :)

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  10. I just got back from a "brunch" with a strata that rocked my world. It used sourdough english muffins instead of wonder bread and Gruyère cheese. World = rocked.

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  11. Thank you Diana! You are too cool for school, really, such a nice post :o) I feel all warm and fuzzy! Congrats to your sis, and glad your kids are on the way out of that crap!

    I love, love breakfast food! The ones I love are not of the healthy variety, but there's this "pig in a blanket," deal that they have at a restaurant here. It's a big sausage wrapped in a pancake- and it's devine. Extra syrup on that one= happy girl! I only go to that place like twice a year, but man, is it good!

    Your blog is great too. Thanks again :o)

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  12. Liza- I am such a dum dum head. Of course I recently started reading your blog and I think it's LOVELY, so you are also awarded and link-- this I hereby proclaim! I'm still not at fifteen blogs so the way I see it, this totally counts.

    Shannon- You're mighty welcome! I liked your blog and look forward to seeing more of your posts :) You have some excellent taste in breakfast foods... I totally go for post birthday/Thanksgiving/Christmas dessert leftovers!

    Wendy- I've never even heard of a strata before! I'm all for breakfast foods with cheese so I think I'm in. (Diana scurries off to Google "strata")

    Erica- You are hilarious! When you said, "out of that crap" the literal meaning is so poignant I had to laugh. And I'm a huge fan of pig in a blanket deals, especially overly smothered in syrup! I dunk my bacon in syrup too. Breakfast food can almost always benefit from syrup, whipped cream, or cheese, I think :)

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  13. Thank you Diana! I'm thrilled. You made my grumpy writing day much better!

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  14. Congrats to all the winners! Mmm I love waffles with ice cream, hot fudge, and whip cream. If I'm really bad I might even put a brownie or cookie in there. Hey, waffles are breakfast food! :)

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  15. Oh P.S. - I tagged you. Not sure if you've completed the fun-filled questionnaire yet. Stop by my blog to see what I'm talking about.

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  16. Mmmm breakfast... I love cinnamon rolls. BUT, I love waffles with whipped cream and strawberries even more. Yep, yep.

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  17. Catherine- !!!! How did I miss your comment earlier? I must have been posting a comment at the same time. And YES, for you darling! I agree with syrup drenching, and I love ihop for all their delicious syrups... even though ultimately I always go with traditional :)

    Liza- You're so welcome, and I wish my brain had been turned on sooner but there, now you're up there all shiny and pretty :)

    Karen- Waffles, hot fudge... bliss! Yes, they are definitely a breakfast food! I love them at breakfast buffets when they have a bar of treats to top them with.

    Steph- Oh yay! I'm going over to check it out!

    Natalie- Hi sweetie! You just named my two favorite breakfast foods! Although I never can decide on a favorite topping for my waffles... whatever it is though, I want it smothered on!

    And Wendy, I checked out what stratas are. Cheese and omelettey type of egg? I'm all over that! I can't believe there's a breakfast food out there I haven't tried!

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  18. I love a good Artisan Bacon Sandwich with a Venti White Chocolate Mocha. Starbucks...you complete me. Thanks for the award. It's too funny that we awarded each other...and my son is home today with the stomach flu. Ugh. It ends for you and starts for me. Blech.

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  19. LOL! Yep. Breakfast should be more of a dessert than anything else. I mean really, how else are we to get through the day ahead? Not by eating healthy, that's for sure -snorts-

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  20. Tina, I THOUGHT about you while I was making my homemade vanilla latte this morning. I don't know how to make white chocolate mochas (sob!). Where would I be without you, Starbucks? I'm almost moved to poetry, sniff sniff. And yes, it's hilarious that we awarded each other. When I went to your blog I was laughing. That's twice now that we've posted the same theme on the same day.

    Natalie I wholeheartedly agree! Dessert is my favorite meal of the day anyway, so dessert at breakfast makes complete sense to me :)

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  21. I'm sorry the kids have been sick! No fun!

    We're still behind on Christmas decorating over here.

    Congratulations to your sister on her engagement! If you pick well the first time, why not keep them? LOL

    My favorite breakfast is my husband's home made waffles. OK, he uses a mix, but they're still terrific! And what could be better than a husband who cooks breakfast on the weekend? Even if I didn't pick him up till well after high school.

    Congratulations to you and all the new award winners!!!

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  22. I like bacon, with a side of bacon and then bacon drizzled all over it and maybe my sweet cream cheese stuffed french toast. Mmm, mmm.

    Thank you for the lovely blog award. I'm twice as lovely now.

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  23. Here's the recipe for the strata I had today--it was so good that every single attendee wanted the recipe:

    10 eggs
    3 cups milk
    1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (fresh makes a real difference)
    1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
    1/4 tsp course kosher salt
    10 sourdough english muffins
    1 small brick gruyere (in the specialty cheese section in Fred Meyer)
    1 small brick extra sharp cheddar (I like Tillamook)
    White Cheddar (I used about 1/3 of a 1 lb brick, again Tillamook)

    In a large bowl whisk eggs and milk until combined. whisk in spices.
    Cut the gruyere and extra sharp cheddar in half. Grate 1 half of each
    and set aside the other half. Grate 1/3 of white cheddar.

    Grease a 10x13 pan. Split the english muffins in half and place in the
    pan bumpy side up. Spray with PAM. Top with grated cheeses. Put
    another layer of english muffins halves, bumpy side up. Spray with PAM.
    Pour egg mixture over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

    To bake: heat oven to 325. Cover strata with foil bake about 50-60 min.
    Remove foil. Grate remaining halves of gruyere and extra sharp cheddar.
    Sprinkle over strata and cook until cheese is melted.

    I like the strata fairly dry but if you want it fluffier add more milk.
    Enjoy we make this for nearly every occasion. It also makes good leftovers.
    I recommend reheating in the oven not the microwave:)

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  24. My mom makes strata for Christmas morning every so often because you can just shove it in the oven while the presents are being opened--and do all the prep-work the night before.

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  25. Aw, thanks so much Diana! *blushes* You really are the best!

    As for favorite breakfast foods, I have to be boring and say Krispy Kreme doughnuts-especially WARM Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I almost never let myself have them, but when I do...drool..........

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  26. Thanks for the award, Diana! I enjoy your blog, as well!

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  27. Thanks for the One Lovely Blog Award. I was gone yesterday and just noticed it today! Thanks! Yes, we boys have feelings too :P

    As for favorite breakfast food.... it is hands down the All American Slam at Denny's LOL. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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  28. Mary Anne- Thanks for the sick-kid sympathy, and also for the congratulations for my sister :) :) She did pick a keeper, her fiance is a honey-pie... but it sounds like your husband is an angel too! He makes you waffles?!! I think I need to print out this post and leave it on the remote control, ha!

    Gwoe- Oh man, sweet cream stuffed French toast is to DIE for. Love it! I like bacon with everything... it's the kind of food that makes almost everything taste better. For breakfast, my favorite is dunking it in syrup :)

    Wendy- I love cheese. I could write an ode to that most aromatic food. And this recipe doesn't look TOO hard... despite the fact that I routinely mess up box-recipe dinners, I bet I could do it! (Hey, I like to think positive). Thank you for sharing it, I seriously am going to give it a try and tell you how it turned out.

    Shannon- You're welcome :) Krispy Kreme donuts are such a perfect food. I could use that glaze as a dipping sauce lol!

    Nevets- You're welcome Nevets, and thank you!

    Void- Awww! See ladies? The boys want to play too. I'm glad you liked the award, Void. Aren't they nice little surprises? :) And I like your answer, but my favorite Denny's breakfast is their French Toast Slam, yummers

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  29. So glad today was better! Hope they're all great from here-on-out.

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