Name: Blakely
Food Site: Cooking for Bimbos
Twitter: @cook4bimbos
Location: Southwest FL

How would you describe your culinary style?
I would describe my culinary style as “Easy Gourmet”. I’m not a fan of shortcuts and boxes. I love making everything from scratch. I believe that what you eat is very important so why would you put anything less than the best in there?!

What is the main source of inspiration for your recipes?
My main source of inspiration would have to be my family. My mom is an amazing cook and so are both my grandmothers. We have a very close family and are fortunate enough to all live in the same city, so when we get together it’s always a feast. My mom has always had me in the kitchen with her helping her out since I was just a little thing. I’ve learned everything from her… and she’ll be the first to tell you that she taught me everything!

If you could have one food while stranded on a desert island, what would it be? 
Mashed potatoes. I don’t know why. I’m obsessed with mashed potatoes. They’re my ultimate comfort food. I’m not talking about using the fake butter and 1% milk… I’m talking about the real butter and whole milk smashed to perfection with some good sea salt. Oh man…

For someone new to your blog, which recipe do you recommend they try first? 
Well I get a lot of different feedback as to my users favorite recipe but for some reason everyone loves my Cuban Pork! My dad is obsessed with it. It cooks all day long and the meat ALWAYS comes out falling apart and its so juicy and flavorful. Need I say more? For something sweet, try my Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust.

What is your ultimate guilty food pleasure? 
My ultimate guilty food please would have to be truffles. I know, I know… they’re the most expensive thing out there but I just absolutely love the earthiness of them. What’s weird is I’m not even a huge fan of mushrooms. Put a little truffle on some mac and cheese, or some fries, or in a butter sauce over a roasted pumpkin ravioli, or even truffled salt and you have a good dish turn into an amazing dish.

Define Yummly.
(adj) Word used to describe a dish that makes you feel euphoric, satisfied, and yet…. leaves you wanting more.

Name: Nik Sharma
Name of blog: A Brown Table
Twitter: @nikarama80
Location: Washington DC

How would you describe your culinary style?
A twist on traditional culinary techniques and recipes by infusing new ingredients and spices but at the same time keeping it simple.

What is the main source of inspiration for your recipes?
My C.S.A and local farmer’s market are the biggest sources of inspiration for all my food. Its true that occasion necessitates recipes but most of the time I try to work with what I can find with fresh produce. The challenge in any recipe is learning and conquering the correct technique, keeping it easy and fun.

If you could have one food while stranded on a desert island, what would it be? 
Tiramisu, I mean how could I not? It has all the necessary components to sustain me on a deserted island!

For someone new to your blog, which recipe do you recommend they try first? 
I definitely recommend my squash yogurt soup with panko crusted chicken as it showcases how anyone could reinvent squash soup and give it a new vibrant flavor with ease!

What is your ultimate guilty food pleasure? 
I would definitely have to go with frozen mango yogurt with pieces of frozen mango fruit in it.

Define Yummly.
When I hear the word Yummly,  the main ingredients of creativity, fun, love and joy all tied together with the common thread of cooking, come to mind immediately.

Name: Rachel Conners
Name of blog: Bakerita
Twitter: @rachbakes
Location: San Diego, CA

How would you describe your culinary style?
I try to have a variety of baking styles, with easy and difficult recipes, so there is something for every level of baker to try! I definitely have a tendency to try flavor combinations that others wouldn’t think of, and while sometimes they end up wonderfully (like these Cranberry Lime Muffins) sometimes they end up not so wonderfully…like that time I tried to mix coffee and citrus. Bad idea, don’t try it.

What is the main source of inspiration for your recipes?
Other food blogs! I mostly just creep around on sites like Food Gawker and Taste Spotting. I love seeing what other creative people are doing, because it helps inspire new flavor combinations for me, and always gives me new recipe ideas to try. Oh, and boring classes help too. I have a notebook full of recipe ideas that I scrawl down when I should be taking lecture notes (sorry professors!).

If you could have one food while stranded on a desert island, what would it be? 
As unhealthy as it is, I have to say homemade macaroni and cheese. I could live on the stuff.

For someone new to your blog, which recipe do you recommend they try first? 
Tough one! It depends on your flavor preferences, but if you want something rich and decadent, my vote is this browned-butter dulce de leche tart. For something less rich, try the pumpkin spice whoopie pies with cream cheese frosting (light is relative, I guess). 

What is your ultimate guilty food pleasure? 
Ultimate? Oh boy. Despite being a baker, I prefer savory foods, so for this one I’m going to say short ribs with mashed potatoes. My favorite restaurant in San Diego, The Market, has short ribs down to an art, and that dish is no-doubt the best plate of food I’ve ever had. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs dinner, but it’s worth it every time.

Define Yummly.
A word to describe a food that always, always evokes an audible “mmmm” when you take a bite. The kind of food that makes you happy to be alive and have taste buds.

Name: Heather
Name of blog: Farmgirl Gourmet
Twitter: @FarmgirlGourmet
Location: Cheney, WA

How would you describe your culinary style?
Garden fresh or local family friendlies with a gourmet twist.

What is the main source of inspiration for your recipes?
Hunger usually.  I also get food visions at random moments and have sticky notes everywhere in my house.

If you could have one food while stranded on a desert island, what would it be? 
Popcorn with lots of butter and parmesan cheese.  It’s what I eat when I’m not cooking up something extravagant.  Seeing a bottle of Kraft Parmesan Cheese gets me every time.

For someone new to your blog, which recipe do you recommend they try first? 
This is the hardest question of all.  I think the Lasagne Muffins.  They are so unbelievably easy to make, they taste fantastic and people will think you slaved all day long.

What is your ultimate guilty food pleasure? 
Nachos.  Nachos from Qdoba.  I’m sure they are off the charts in calories that would make Bob Harper cringe in fear, but I adore them with the habanero salsa.  Caliente!

Define Yummly.
A repository of deliciousness!!

Name: Candice Le Noury
Name of blog: The Gorgeous Gourmet
Twitter: @GorgeousBlog
Location: Cape Town, South Africa

How would you describe your culinary style?
Classic recipes and flavor combinations, with an added extra to encourage my readers to try something a little different.

What is the main source of inspiration for your recipes?
Everything in my blog is something I’d want to eat and make again. I try to find the balance between budget-friendly, practical, delicious and healthy, but sometimes sway quite heavily to the side of delicious!

If you could have one food while stranded on a desert island, what would it be? 
My chocolate brownies. Every time I make them I’m reminded how amazing they are, and wonder why I don’t make them more often! Perfectly fudgy and chewy centre, with a crisp outside.

For someone new to your blog, which recipe do you recommend they try first? 
Definitely my Vanilla Buttermilk cake with chocolate ganache icing. This is the best cake I’ve ever tasted. So moist, and packed with vanilla, while it bakes a thin “crust” forms on top, which is the perfect surface for icing, and gives the most delicious “crunch” before you hit the soft, pillowy centre. I also have a very easy recipe for homemade quesadillas, which everyone should know how to make – cheap, simple, quick and so versatile.

What is your ultimate guilty food pleasure? 
A big bowl of cheesy macaroni, with bacon and leeks, with a fair amount of tomato sauce on top!

Define Yummly.
A place where people who love food go for inspiration and community.

Name: Hani Bacova
Name of blog: Haniela’s
Twitter: @Hanielas
Location: Bucks County, PA

How would you describe your culinary style?
Adventurous, but keeping my heritage recipes really close. I love combining old with new.

What is the main source of inspiration for your recipes?
I love old cook books. I tend to combine several recipes to form the one I like, there is never a dull moment in my kitchen when I’m developing recipes. I’m a big fan of “Chopped show”(food network), where I also find lots of inspiration, especially when it comes to combining certain ingredients, this works for both savory and desserts. 

If you could have one food while stranded on a desert island, what would it be? 
I’d say my Honey Cookies, they last for a very long time, who knows how long am I going to be stuck on that island ;-), secondly honey has good amount of antioxidants and is good  for you and I love cinnamon, my favorite spice, plus they are delicious, that is just a bonus.

For someone new to your blog, which recipe do you recommend they try first? 
Well this is hard, because it depends what the visitor is looking for, is it a cupcake, cookie, dessert, savory, something easy to make or more decorative?
I love this Caramelized Banana Blueberry Cupcake Recipe it is a pure joy.

What is your ultimate guilty food pleasure? 
Fresh Artisan Bread  I wish there was a way it wouldn’t affect size of my waistline so much and I’m huge on Jams, I love them.

Define Yummly.
Yummly is an ultimate source for yumminess of all kinds.

Name: Nikki
Name of blog: Pennies on a Platter
Twitter: @penniesonaplatt
Location: Southern California

How would you describe your culinary style?
Simple, easy, non-intimidating. :) I’m self-taught, which means a lot of trial and error in the kitchen.

What is the main source of inspiration for your recipes?
Other food blogs and cook books, especially America’s Test Kitchen.  LOVE them.

If you could have one food while stranded on a desert island, what would it be? 
Boxed chocolate fudge brownies. Cake-like. With a big glass of milk. Nothing would take my mind off the fact that I was stranded alone on a deserted island more than biting into a fudgy brownie then satisfying it with a cold glass of milk.

For someone new to your blog, which recipe do you recommend they try first? 
The Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos.  They are by far the recipe I make the most in my own house and also share the most with our friends.  They serve in many capacities, such as game day appetizers, a full meal, or a quick snack right out of the freezer.

What is your ultimate guilty food pleasure? 
Barbecue.  Take me to a good barbecue restaurant (preferably with hush puppies) and I’m your happiest friend.

Define Yummly.
Yummly is the world’s biggest cookbook, without the paper cuts. :)