Tag Archives: Foodie penpals

June Foodie Penpals

Posted on June 30, 2012 | 3 Comments

So here’s the result of my June foodie penpal swap!  For the third month, I’ve received a box from a different person, and it’s such a fun surprise each time. This month, I got a box of yummy snacks from Emily in NYC, of http://idratherwalk.com/

What a fun box, I’ll enjoy everything here! I love sesame (oat bran) sticks – my favorite part of an Asian snack mix, and dried apples remind me of my childhood when we used to dry our own fruit from the orchard around my house – these are good quality ones that actually taste like apples.

I haven’t ever tried stroopwafels, but as much as I love wafers and maple-flavored items, I’m sure they’ll be delicious. She suggests placing them over the top of a hot beverage for a few seconds to warm it up before eating and dunking. Dark chocolate is always a favorite, and as long as the chili flavoring is mild it can add a nice punch to a chocolate bar. Still working on an Escazu Beaufort Bar (dark chocolate and sea salt), but as soon as that one is finished, I’ll break into this one.

I couldn’t (and didn’t) wait to open the cashews, flavored with lemongrass and mild chile and including dried pineapple cubes. This is a treat I probably won’t get again, I’ve never seen these cashews anywhere around here. Oh wait! Just looked them up online and it appears that I may be able to find them locally at Whole Foods or Kroger, woo-hoo!! I’ll be keeping my eyes open for them :)

Thanks Emily!!

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Treats from Arizona

Posted on May 31, 2012 | 4 Comments

I didn’t have time to write and share about this last month, but May is my second month participating in a Foodie Penpals exchange, started last year by a fellow blogger, Lindsay. You can find details about the penpals program on her blog; http://www.theleangreenbean.com/  Basically, you get matched up with two people each month, one of whom sends you a box of goodies, and another that you prepare a box for – with a limit of $15 of food items.

This month I was paired up to receive a box from Tenecia in Arizona. I have to admit that when I first looked at her blog I worried that I might receive a box full of health bars and protein powder :)  However, my fears were quickly allayed when I got my first email from Tenecia asking if I liked spicy foods, and Mexican foods – to which I quickly replied yes, and yes!  A couple of weeks later I received this delicious box of Southwestern/Mexican goodies.

The first thing I dug into was the flour tortillas. I had some leftover chili at home so I made a couple of great chili burritos, quesadillas, and actually even ate a couple of these tortillas just plain or with a little honey. They’re that good!

The tea is not something I would have picked up for myself, because on the box they make it sound very flower-y. But it has a gentle flavor and aroma which I’m enjoying, and it’s nice to have a different caffeine free option since I mostly avoid caffeine!

I had just made a big crockpot of chili the weekend before receiving this box, and noticed that I was running out of red chile powder, so the New Mexican chile powder will be great to refill that bottle (and so much better tasting than any “regular” chile powder I might buy in the McCormick section at the grocery store). Haven’t tried it yet, but I’m looking forward to it.

The other fun coincidence is that I had just been thinking the previous week that I wanted to learn to make a Mexican dish called chilaquiles. In the note included with this package, Tenecia mentioned that she likes to use the El Pato Sauce for chilaquiles. Haven’t gotten to make these yet, but I’m hoping to give it a try this weekend, and will blog to share the recipe with you all.

Overall a great box, and I plan to use everything in it – even the Arizona Gunslinger hot sauce (in moderation)! Thanks so much, Tenecia!

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Posted in Mexico

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