Liebster Award

I was quite flattered the other day when Haley of If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen nominated me for the Liebster Award. The Liebster Award is a great way to support, encourage, and share relatively new blogs. Blogging can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot of work – it’s always nice to know that there are people besides my parents (love you two!) who are reading along, so thank you, Haley! Here are the rules for the award:

1. Answer the ten questions given to you by the blogger by whom you were nominated.
2. Share ten random facts about yourself.
3. Nominate 3-11 up-and-coming bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.
4. Generate 10 questions to be answered by those whom you nominate.
5. Contact your nominees to let them know the news.

Ten Questions

1. What is the meaning behind your blog name and where did it come from?
Last summer, I mentioned to my boyfriend that I wanted to buy some cake pans when we went to the store, and he misheard and thought I said I wanted to buy cake PANTS. We decided that cake pants must be the type of pants that comfortably stretch enough to accommodate generous servings of dessert. I still have yet to find a pair of fashionable-looking cake pants.

2. What is your first memory?
I remember following my mom around the house the day before my third birthday, asking if I could help her bake my birthday cake. She said no, but she did let me lick the beaters of the mixer clean! To be honest, that’s probably all I really wanted to do, anyway.

3. Dogs or cats?
Definitely dogs.

4. Favorite meal?
It’s tough to name a favorite, but I do know that the ultimate comfort food for me is green bean casserole. I once nearly had an emotional breakdown in college when, after a particularly rough week, I realized that I didn’t have all the ingredients to make green bean casserole, and there was no viable way of getting to the store that night. Since then, I’ve always made sure to keep the necessary ingredients on hand at all times.

5. Favorite thing to do to relax?
Going for a good run, taking a long shower, and then snuggling up with my puppy to take a nap.

6. Pet peeve?
Improper apostrophe usage and incorrect spellings of “definitely.”

7. If you have the house to yourself, what do you do?
Play loud music and eat macaroni and cheese (from a box) for dinner.

8. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
To be able to slow down or speed up time.

9. Favorite quote or piece of advice?
From the first time that I read Plato’s Apology, I was struck by Socrates’ statement that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing. I have been reminded of this time and time again in grad school, but it isn’t a bad thing. It’s rather humbling.

10. On a rainy day would you rather watch movies or play cards/board games?
Watch movies. I’m a total introvert. I’d rather read a good book than watch a movie, though.

Ten Random Facts

1. I played trombone from fifth grade through my junior year of college.
2. The first thing I bought for my first apartment in college was a KitchenAid stand mixer.
3. I once kept a miniature snowman in my freezer for 6 months. It would have been longer, but then I moved across the country and couldn’t figure out how to insulate him for the journey. His name was Jack, and he had a sliver of a baby carrot for a nose.
4. I don’t drink coffee, but I love desserts that incorporate the flavor of coffee. My favorite ice cream flavor is Ben and Jerry’s Coffee Caramel Buzz.
5. I can’t handle scary movies. Even scary books can keep me awake at night.
6. Ketchup is one of my favorite foods. I put it on nearly everything potato-related, including mashed potatoes and samosas.
7. When I was quite young (4 or 5 years old) I took a kids’ cooking class, and one day the instructor cut herself rather badly on a box grater. I’ve been wary of graters ever since.
8. I have studied four different languages (not counting English).
9. I once broke a metal garlic press with my bare hands.
10. The two countries I’m most eager to visit someday are Peru and Italy. I’d love to see the ancient ruins, and I’m sure the food would be phenomenal.

Nominated Blogs

Third Culture Cooking
Recipes that build upon and combine various cuisines in innovative ways

Swirls and Spice
Wholesome, healthy recipes with mouth-watering ingredients

The Veggie Slaughterhouse
Lots of creative and intriguing vegetarian and vegan recipes

I’ll pose the same set of questions to these bloggers – I look forward to learning a bit more about you!