Foodie Pen Pals: April

This month my FPP buddy was a lovely lady named Haley. Haley is from Arizona and sent me a very heavy box of local foods. She also included a recipe, which I made (and will share in this post!) I loved getting a recipe (hint hint hint, next FPP: send me recipes!) At this point, if you haven’t heard about Foodie Pen Pals, you’re probably wondering what on earth I’m talking about.

• On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treat

Easy, yeah?

 

Like I said, this was a heavy box of food! I was actually surprised when I picked it up to carry it in the house. This is by far the heaviest package I’ve received. I was so excited to dig in and see what was in there. And needless to say, I was not disappointed!

 

First things first, chili mango. This is something I never have had and I was hesitant to try it. While the idea of sweet and spicy seems so great, I took the first bite like a little bird. I’m still not really sure what I think about this. It’s probably not something I’d buy again, but at the same time it was good and a lot of fun to get to try something new.

 

Haley included this strawberry jelly on the request of her child. I ate it in one swift swoop. I used to get these as a kid, so it was a nice journey back.

 

I haven’t tried this cactus jelly yet. But the color of it is beautiful! I haven’t taken the time to look up recipes I could use this with, so I should do that.

 

Haley also included this Mango Jalapeno Jelly, along with a recipe for a grilled cheese using this jelly. I haven’t made the sandwich yet, but I do intend to soon!

 

Next were these little hot sauces. They are so cute – I love miniatures! I haven’t cracked open any of them yet though – I think the Hot Sauce from Hell will be first.

 

This was Matt’s choice from the box to steal from me (it seems with every FPP box, he has to grab something and claim it for his own.) This jerky is made different from the traditional beef jerky. First you cook the meat and then you dehydrate it.

 

Next (and the heaviest thing in the box) was the Nopalitos, or tender cactus. I haven’t tried this yet either. Ideas on how to use it?

 

These cans of hominy and green chile peppers provided the base for a delicious dinner, which Haley provided me the recipe. She had sent me an email and asked if I used my slow cooker; do I ever! I made the crcokpot pozole before class one day and it provided a great  meal for several days. The first day I just had a bowl of it. The next two days I used it over french fries, sort of similar to chili cheese fries, but pozole cheese fries instead. I’d had hominy before, but I’ve never actually used it myself. It was a super easy recipe with a lot of flavor!

 

Crockpot Pozole

Ingredients
1 tbsp canola oil
2 lb boneless pork loin, cubed
2 14.5 oz cans red enchilada sauce
1 30 oz can hominy
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 can diced green chilies, drained
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Add meat and cook, browning the sides.

2. Place the meat in a crock pot. Cover with enchilada sauce. Top with hominy, onions, chilies, garlic, cayenne, and oregano. Add the water.

3. Cook on high for 6-7 hours. Add salt and cilantro and cook on low for 30 more minutes.

(serve with lime wedges, shredded cheese,s our cream, green onions, and flour tortillas)

* serves about 8
* sharing this recipe with Tempt My Tummy

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal: March

Wow. I completely forgot that I needed to reveal my foodie pen pal box this month until right now! Things have been super hectic this weekend with Easter. My spring break was actually last week, so I’ve been going to my parents’ a lot in the past few weeks. I feel like I’m getting behind in everything else.

This month’s box came to me from April. Unfortunately I just haven’t had the time to try most of it, but she packed me a great box!

Foodie Pen Pals is a program that Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean put together, where she pairs people together to send boxes of food to each other, based on likes and dislikes.

• 
  On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treat

Before we get to my box, go check out the box I sent Molly! It was full of San Francisco treats.

The box April sent me was full of things I can use easily. It actually arrived while I was out of town. Matt ate the Quakes Rice Snacks before I could try them. So that bag.. It’s empty.

This French vanilla mousse mix will make a nice dessert one night! Since I’m in the process of losing weight, I much appreciate that it’s both sugar free and low fat!

This LaraBar was eaten. Quick snacks for school days are crucial.

I haven’t used these croutons yet, but I bought some salad supplies today and plan to include these!

I love egg noodles. I planned to make some beef stew last week with buttered egg noodles, but it didn’t happen due to my hectic life. I have the big piece of beef in the freezer that will be made into a stew with these noodles.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to try these! Matt enjoyed them though.

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal: February

Once again I received another wonderful box in the mail full of food. I love participating in this program and foresee continuing in it so long as it exists.

This month I received a box from Alyson at Simply Nutricising. In the email I sent Alyson with my likes I told her I liked hazelnuts, chocolate, candy, and spices. I also told her that I rely on snacks during the week when I have my late night classes but that I love to cook. The box Alyson sent me hit the mark perfectly. I love everything in the box.

The box I sent this month was sent to Kiersten. I sent her some Annie’s Mac & Cheese, some jam, some herbal coffee, and some other things.

So if you haven’t heard about it already, I’m assuming now you’re wondering “WHAT IS FOODIE PEN PALS!?” I mean, when I first read a blog post about it that’s exactly what I thought. So here, let me tell you.

Foodie Pen Pals is a program that Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean put together, where she pairs people together to send boxes of food to each other, based on likes and dislikes.

• On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treat

So.. What did I get this month?

I had opened my box so late on Tuesday night. I have class Tuesdays until almost 9:30 p.m. I got home and I shoved some food into my face and realized there was a box sitting on the counter that I hadn’t seen when I walked in. After shoving food into my face I tore the box open like a ravenous dog.

Among the food varieties packed in the box, Alyson sent me a super cute kitchen towel. I’m always in need of these, so this was excellent.

Whenever I get a FPP box I can’t resist but chowing down on something immediately. I obviously don’t eat everything in the box in one sitting, but I always have to have something. Considering I had just finished dinner Matt and I shared this ka-ka-o milk chocolate peanut butter bark. I have the biggest sweet tooth ever. And I have an even bigger love for chocolate. I probably should have made this bark last longer than the minute it took to eat it so I could have savored it a lot more than I did, but it was excellent and was a perfect way to start the February FPP box.

Speaking of chocolate, Alyson sent me a handful of chocolate hearts for Valentine’s Day. I did restrain myself a little bit – I haven’t eaten them all yet.

Alyson really listened when I said that there are some days when I could really use some snacks. She sent me multiple 100-calorie snack packs in three different varieties: chocolate pomegranate, dark chocolate roasted almonds, and dark chocolate blueberry. I’ve tried the almonds and the blueberries so far. I’m actually going to need to find these on my own because they are really satisfying when sitting in a class that feels like it’ll never end and your stomach is rumbling. On top of that, chocolate!

I haven’t had a Dum-Dum in forever. When I was in elementary school I recall having them a lot. I vaguely recall a teacher handing them out as rewards. I love the bouquet she created with the lollipops. They bring me right back to childhood!

Alyson also included this box of instant oatmeal called OatFit. I brought the box to work because when I get hungry after court it’s super easy to pop this in the microwave and have a big bowl of oatmeal. The coolest part about this is the convenience factor. The packet that the oatmeal comes in is also the measuring cup for water. Such a great product!

I’m feeling like this is the endless box of goodies! Alyson also sent me these flavored vinegars in calamansi (citrus) and cherry. Though I haven’t used them yet, I have found several ideas online for things I’m going to make with them. I plan on using the calamansi on roast salmon. Alyson also suggested using it in a salad dressing.

Last but not least, Alyson sent me two Penzey’s spices. One was in Bold Taco and the other is cinnamon. I love spices (and told Alyson that) so I was very excited for these. Also, I’ve been wanting to order Penzey’s for some time now, but I just hadn’t been able to justify the cost of their spices to myself plus shipping. But after trying the Bold Taco spice (I haven’t opened the cinnamon yet) I think I’m going to have to change that and start exclusively buying Penzey’s.

With the Bold Taco spice I made a pasta dish. It was delicious.

Enchilada Pasta Casserole
(inspiration)

Ingredients
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into small pieces
1/2 tbsp Penzey’s Bold Taco spice
3 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/4 cup red enchilada sauce
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 can diced green chiles
6 oz egg noodles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot boil water. Cook the egg noodles to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, cook the chicken until no longer pink. Stir in the Bold Taco spice until the chicken is all covered.

3. Add in the cream cheese until melted.

4. In a large bowl combine the heavy cream, enchilada sauce, half of the cheddar, half of the monterey jack cheese, the corn, and the diced chiles.  Stir to combine. Pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer for 3 minutes.

5. Add the pasta to the chicken. Mix well until everything is coated in the sauce.

6. Pour the pasta into a casserole dish. Cover with the remaining cheese.

7. Bake for 15 minutes.

* serves 3

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal: January

 

After taking a month off from sending food packages to each other and instead donating money to those affected by the storms on the east coast that ravaged towards the end of last year, Foodie Pen Pal’s is back for more packages being sent packed with food.

This month I received a box from Jillian, from Her Split Ends. She did a wonderful job of getting me foods that I love. Flavors and foods I told her I was craving this month included: tea, chocolate, squash, quick to eat snacks, and mango.

The box I sent went to Dominique. She had requested a recipe and told me that she liked Mexican food, so I sent her a recipe to the Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas I’ve made before. The box mainly consisted of the ingredients to make the dish (minus the chicken and the sour cream and other super perishable things) as well as a box of Mexican hot chocolate. I live in a very Hispanic neighborhood. One of the grocery stores I frequent is actually a Mexican market, so coming about Mexican food is very easy for me (as are other cuisines – I love California.)

Anyway, you might be wondering what Foodie Pen Pals is. You’re probably wondering how is possible that some stranger somewhere in the country got your name and address and decided to send you a box of food.

Foodie Pen Pals is a program that Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean put together, where she pairs people together to send boxes of food to each other, based on likes and dislikes.

• On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treat

Without further ado, let’s look at what Jillian sent me.

First things first. Here’s a picture of what I unpacked from my box. I forgot to include the card Jillian sent in the picture, but it read:

“Elizabeth
Happy Foodie Penpal Package! I hope you enjoy all this yummy goodness! Good luck in law school and in your future!!
Love & Joy
Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com”;

 

In the initial email I sent to Jillian I told her that while I love to cook, I have a ton of night classes this semester. I get sooo hungry when it’s 9 o’clock and I haven’t eaten dinner yet. Snacks are essential to my survival. Jillian sent me quite a few snacks, some of which I’d never have before. These Chia & Fruit Clusters, for instance, were something I have never had (or even seen) before. They were great. I brought them to school with me a few nights to munch on during lectures. They were filling without being too filling.

A container of mango coconut water was also included. Honestly, I haven’t had it yet. I brought it to work with me one day to include in my lunch, but then we ended up going out to get Mexican and I forgot I had it with me. I do intend to drink it today. The idea of mango and coconut water together sounds delightful.

 

Jillian also included several tea bags. I love tea. Lately, with how cold it is outside, I’ve been drinking multiple glasses a day. I’ve used two of the tea bags so far and they were both great.

For as much as Justin’s Nut Butters are shared on Foodie Pen Pals, I’ve never actually tried it. I’ve even sent it, but I haven’t tried it. I used the Maple Almond Butter with a bowl of oatmeal. I ate the Chocolate Hazelnut with a banana (though I was tempted to just squeeze the package in my mouth.) I love Nutella. Justin’s tasted like a healthier version of one of my favorites.

I’m a chocholic, so this bar of chocolate did not last very long. And get this! My boyfriend watched as I opened the box, saw this bar of chocolate, and darted off with it. Lucky I got it back. Chocolate and orange is one of the most delightful flavors (and in fact, is my favorite ice cream flavor.) I was good though and didn’t off the bar in one sitting. I shared it with my boyfriend and actually savored it for several days.

Jillian also included a Kind bar for me. This made a great snack during one of those evening classes where my stomach was growling.

Last, but definitely not least, was a box of Butternut Squash Risotto. This was a very easy way to make risotto and was incredibly flavorful. I actually had it for dinner last night. I intended to take a picture of what I had done with it, but I forgot and only remembered when the meal was gone. I made Simple Garlic Shrimp and served them on top of the rice. There were also kale chips for the side. It was a nice, easy dinner.

Jillian did an excellent job of putting together a box for me with things that I loved! Thanks Jillian!

 

 

 

 

Honey-Mustard Chicken and Mustard Mashed Potatoes

 

This is the last meal of my 25th year being on the earth. Tomorrow is my 26th birthday. How do I celebrate my birthday? Do I get a cake? Do I spend the day doing lots of fun things? No, no. I get to write a 5,000 word essay. As of this moment, at 10:46 p.m. I have 546 words written. I have to turn in this 5,000 word essay Monday night. I will be doing a lot of writing tomorrow.

But don’t get me wrong. I haven’t entirely been procrastinating. I wrote a 10 page paper today. I started it last night (after trying to type it all day but only getting a few words typed, I went to bed.) I just managed to stack the worst finals schedule ever this semester. I’ll be done by mid-next week. Then I have hearings at work. I’m really looking forward to my break and baking cookies.

The honey I used in this recipe was from my September Foodie Penpal box. We finally finished off the other honey we had in the house, so it was time to make use of the honey from Sara! The combination of the sweet honey and the savory mustard, bacon, chicken, and mushrooms was perfect.

Also, who would have thought of putting mustard in mashed potatoes? It’s delicious. I’m giving you both recipes.

Honey-Mustard Chicken
(source)

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp light corn syrup
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tbsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 slices of bacon, cut in half
1 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350. Rub the chicken breasts with salt and garlic powder. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Brown for 4 minutes on each side.

2. Combine the mustard, honey, corn syrup, mayonnaise, and dried onion flakes. Remove half of the sauce and set aside.

3. Place the browned chicken in a baking dish sprayed with Pam. Top with honey-mustard sauce. Place bacon slice on top of each piece of chicken. Toss mushrooms over the chicken and cover the whole dish with cheese.

4. Bake for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the bacon is crunchy. Serve with reserved honey-mustard sauce.

* serves 2

Mustard Mashed Potatoes
(source)

Ingredients
3 medium red potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp margarine
1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes, until tender.

2. Combine the rest of the ingredients in with the potatoes and mash until smooth.

* serves 2

* shared with Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff Saturday and Weekend Cooking

Foodie Penpal Reveal: November

I slacked this month. I received this box full of excellent food, including a recipe for a dip, but for some reason I just haven’t gotten around to making it yet, which also means I haven’t eaten the crackers because I want them in the dip. This is what happens towards the end of the semester for me. I get crazy with school. I then slack with school. And then I get nothing done anywhere. I get nothing fun done, I get nothing productive done, I just do very little.

Anyway, without further ado: FOODIE PEN PALS!

What is foodie pen pals you ask? Here’s a breakdown:

• On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treat

I am convinced that my pen pal this month, Alexandra, is actually a mind reader. When I received my treat box in the mail at first I just figured that maybe I had told her that I was having a hot chocolate obsession, that I loved sweet potatoes, and my boyfriend absolutely loves cheesey crackers. But then when I went back and looked at the email I sent her, I had said nothing of the sort! But she knew! She knew things I hadn’t even thought to write down. And I kid you not, my hot chocolate obsession started this month when I was buying my own Foodie Pen Pal a bar of chocolate at a local store that is known for their hot chocolate. So you know, when I emailed Alexandra about what I was looking for I didn’t even know how obsessed with hot chocolate I was going to be this season! How did she even know before I did?! This girl is amazing, I tell you.

So these are the sweet potato crackers I haven’t opened yet. Perhaps I just should have had one to let everyone know how it was – but I really want to make the dip Alexandra suggested. But here’s reason number one why Alexandra must be a mind reader. I love sweet potatoes. I think they outdo the potato most always and make a wonderful sweet potato fry. I put sweet potatoes in stews. I roast it. I love them. How could I dislike a cracker? I really should  open these. Maybe I’ll eat at least one without the dip tonight.

I also got this package of Chai Spiced Hot Chocolate. In love! In heaven! This stuff is magnificent and perfect for when it’s cold outside! I wish I could get more of this, but it has also encouraged me to try more varieties of hot chocolate. Like I mentioned above, I’ve really been having a hot chocolate thing this month. I got my first cup of the season at Ginger Elizabeth when I was buying my pen pal a very special chocolate bar. I proceeded to get hot chocolates from Peet’s, Starbucks, from a local place by work, and pretty much where ever I see hot chocolate. This was the perfect gift, especially given my obsession.

Next were cheese straws. Cheese straws remind me a lot of Cheez-Its. My boyfriend loves Cheez-Its. He also loved the cheese straws. And I don’t blame him! They made a great treat!

Lastly was this innocuous white package. Apparently Alexandra’s fiance works for a food company and this is a product not yet released! It’s a pretzel bite filled with peanut butter and with chocolate. So yummy! The combination of the flavors was on point!

Anyway, despite my own slacking this month with getting the recipe together, Alexandra hit it out of the park with this box.

It might be good there’s no food boxes getting shipped in December, because this is going to be a hard box to top.

If you’re wondering what’s happening with Foodie Pen Pal’s in December, there are no boxes being sent. Instead we are being asked to donate to charity to help those affected by Superstorm Sandy. For more information go here.

Foodie Penpal Reveal: October

 

Welcome to my fifth foodie penpal reveal!

What is foodie penpals you ask? Here’s a breakdown:

• On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treats

This month my box came from Illinois from Gail. My last month has been horribly busy, as you can probably guess by my lack of updates since my last foodie penpal reveal. I’ve been juggling school, work, a sprained ankle, the death of my cat, the welcome of a new kitten, and now an infection on my face. Basically, it hasn’t been easy. And because one of my professors thought it was a lovely idea to assign two papers due on the same week, things just haven’t calmed down. The last of the two papers is due today though, so at least there’s that. Anyway, I have finals coming up in about a month so I’m not expecting things to calm down until mid-December. Especially since right before finals start I have a trial that I have to prepare for. It probably will get dismissed though, but you never know.

Anyway, that’s my hectic life. Understandably, I’m not the only one trying to juggle things. Gail was having some trouble finding a time to get to the post office when it was opened, which I totally get because I have the same problem too. Unfortunately though, because my box was a little later than usual (which is fine!) I wasn’t able to make a meal using one of the components of the box. I do still plan on it though and once I make it, I will link it up with this post.

Gail managed to pack me a box full of things I’ve never tried. It’s been a treat!

Because Illinois is the soybean capital of the world, Gail packed me a container of soybeans. I’ve never actually had a soybean like this before. It was crunchy and salty. They reminded me of a mixture between popcorn and a peanut. It’s actually nothing like popcorn, but I don’t know why it made me think of it. These are delicious though and are a great snack!

 

In the box was also these Trader Joe’s Cats Cookies for People. Given I had just gotten my new kitty Isabelle this week, I couldn’t have asked for a more opportune treat! These little cookies aren’t too sweat and are so easy to just toss into your mouth.

Gail also included these kale chips, at the suggestion of the Trader Joe’s cashier. I’ve had kale chips once before and they weren’t my favorite things in the world. For as much as I like kale, I thought the other ones I had needed something. These Trader Joe’s chips have exactly what was needed! The flavoring on these is great!

 

These pita chips are actually my favorite part of the box this month. I was blown away at how yummy they were. I don’t typically consider pita chips a sweet snack, but these proved otherwise! I ended up getting some pumpkin ice cream and eating the chips and the ice cream together. Not very healthy . . . But yummy!

Gail also packed me up some pumpkin granola cereal, which is great! I love pumpkin flavors and I always look forward to October when it seems like everything gets made in a pumpkin variety. My boyfriend actually had the first taste of the granola cereal. He mixed it with maple yogurt.

 

Lastly Gail sent giardiniera. I’ve never had this before and I haven’t opened the container yet. This is actually what I plan to use to make a meal out of. I’m planning to make Italian Beef Sandwiches. It’s an Italian-American relish that I am excited to try!

 

 

 

Foodie Penpal Reveal: September

This is the fourth month I’ve participated in the most fun event on the web: Foodie Penpals. What is foodie penpals you ask? Here’s a breakdown:

• On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treats

This month I received a box of goodies from Sara from Connecticut. Sara sent me a box that was inspired by fall and apple picking. I wish there was a place I could pick apples fresh around here, but my quick google search tells me there isn’t. Though . . . There are places I could pick green beans and that would be equally cool. I don’t know why the idea of picking my own produce off the vine, or the tree, or plucking it from the ground seems so much more appealing than someone else doing it for me, and then having to pay the mark up incurred from farm to grocery store.  I do go to the farmer’s market to offset that some, but it would still be really cool to get to pick some produce myself – though I’m not going to say it would be cool to grow it too, because that’s too much work.

Anyway – off track. Sara’s box for me was packed with goodies from Connecticut inspired mainly by apples and the fall. This is perfect considering the first day of fall was just a week ago.

Sacramento heat is horrible right now. Sacramento heat doesn’t like chocolate very much (or it likes it too much??) I, on the other hand, love chocolate melted or solid. By the time I got the chocolate it was just soft, but it was still very edible. As I was sitting on the couch opening up my box of yums, Matt grabbed these chocolate cups before I could even get a glimpse at what they were. I snatched them back and told him there had to be a photo first – he couldn’t steal something from the box every time without me snapping a shot first! Anyway, we both got one and they were heavenly. I wish I could get these locally.

Sara also included this kit for apple muffins. In the letter she wrote me she told me that she envisioned a warm muffin with a cup of hot tea. I haven’t made the muffins yet but I do intend to buy apples at the farmer’s market this weekend and make the muffins then. I’m really looking forward to the breakfasts following.  And actually, by the time you read this post I’ll probably have already made the muffins because I’m writing this post early (on the 28th) so I don’t forget to do it later.

Sara also included this jar of Local Connecticut Honey. I actually have some of it stirred into my tea right now. The honey I buy here is a Buckwheat honey and is darker than the honey Sara got me. There’s no reason we opt for the buckwheat except that Matt and I have an inside joke about it. The Connecticut honey is a lot lighter than my buckwheat honey and has a vaguely different taste to it. I love it and will find many uses for it.

Lastly Sara got me this apple cider jelly. Delicious, delicious, delicious, delicious! I don’t think I can say it enough: THIS JELLY IS DELICIOUS! It’s not overly sweet, especially considering the fact that it’s apple cider and not just apples. The texture is really nice and, I don’t even have words for this jelly.

The jelly is the item that made it into my recipe to share for this reveal also!

My cookies aren’t as good as the jelly. And this isn’t the jelly’s fault. It is entirely my fault for rushing things and not refrigerating my dough. But I was tired. I’m impatient. And really, I just wanted a cookie!

How would you use the apple cider jelly?

Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients
1 stick butter at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, with the white and yolk separated
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
6 tbsp apple cider jelly

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter and sugar. With the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter together.

2. Add the egg yolk and vanilla to the butter; beat until combined. Add in the flour and salt and continue to mix until combined.

3. (Do this step, because I didn’t.) Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for a half hour. Preheat the oven to 350.

4. Beat the egg whites until frothy with a fork. Take the dough and roll into balls about 1-inch in diameter. With half of the cookies, roll in the egg whites and then roll into the crushed nuts. Place on a cookie sheet.

5. Use your thumb to press a well into the cookie. Fill the wells with jelly.

6. Bake 15 minutes. Let cool before eating and enjoying.

Foodie Penpal Reveal: August

 

For the third month in a row I participated in the most fun event on the web: Foodie Penpals. What is foodie penpals you ask? Here’s a breakdown:

• On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treats

 

This month I received my Foodie Pen Pal box from Mary at A Small Loss. Mary’s blog and story is inspiring, as she is on a journey to lose 210 pounds. I have about 50 pounds myself and am inspired to start trying again. If Mary can lose 146 so far, I can lose 50. Anyway, Mary just moved back to Chicago recently and she got me my food really quick this month (it arrived before the 15th!) In the original email correspondence between Mary and me I told her that spices were one of my favorite flavors. I recognize “spices” isn’t exactly a flavor, but Mary seemed to get what I meant.

Mary sent me three different snack bars. Yes, yes, I know there’s only two pictured, but number three got opened and eaten by Matt before I got around to taking the pictures. I haven’t eaten the Ginger Snap bar yet (actually, I’m bringing it to school tomorrow for my evening class when I start getting hungry.) Matt and I split the carrot cake one and was very impressed with the flavor.

The missing bar was an Uber bar. It was some sort of banana flavor that I can’t remember off the top of my head. Matt devoured it. I’m surprised I even got this picture of it.

The main component in my box was 6 different spice mixes from a place in Chicago called The Spice House. I’m super jealous that Sacramento doesn’t have a place like this. I even yelped it to see if there was a shop dedicated to spices in the area, but it doesn’t appear to be so. I’m so glad Mary sent me these different spices. They’ll give me a lot of opportunities to spice up dishes in ways I haven’t done before.

The first spice there, Pilsen Latino seasoning is inspired by Chicago’s Little Mexico. Mary told me she uses this seasoning on fajitas.

Gateway to the North sounds delicious. The packaging lists several different ways to use it and Mary also suggests using it on savory oatmeal.

The Italian Sausage seasoning Mary says is delicious on roasted eggplant.

The Argyle Street Seasoning is inspired by a Chinese neighborhood in Chicago. Mary puts it on veggies and fish. I made shrimp and put this seasoning on it. It was delicious.

Bridgeport Seasoning is inspired by an Irish neighborhood in Chicago. Mary says that scrambled eggs or roasted cauliflower is a good combination with this seasoning. This is the seasoning that became my recipe for this post in fact! The seasoning is cheesey (if that’s possible!) It’s very flavorful and when gone I may need to order more. I found the recipe on the Spice House’s website. I’ll be using that site a lot to take advantage of these spice combinations.

Lastly there’s a Moroccan Spice Mixture. Mary says it’s good on chicken and dried plums. I’ll have to give it a shot!

Pick a spice mix from above and tell me how you would use it!

 

Bridgeport Chicken

Ingredients
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp Bridgeport Seasoning
1/2 cup walnuts, ground in a food processor
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Trim each breast. Pound with a mallet until thin.

2. Whisk the egg and water together.

3. Combine the Bridgeport Seasoning, walnuts, and flour in a large dish.

4. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg and then the seasoning mixture.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. When hot add the pieces of chicken and cook for 5 minutes per side.

* serves 3

 

 

 

 

Foodie Penpal Reveal: July

For the second month in a row I participated in the most fun event on the web: Foodie Penpals. What is foodie penpals you ask? Here’s a breakdown:

• On the 5th of the month you receive an email pairing you with information about who you’re paired with. You email that person to get information pertaining to allergies and dietary restriction.
• By the 15th you put together a box of treats and mail them to your partner.
• On the last day of the month you post a blog post about your box of treats.

  This month I received a box of goodies from Erika at You Just Did What?! Erika is also from California, just from a different part of the state than I’m from. She’s a runner and a good treat box packer! Erika sent me a variety of treats, all of which I’ve tried/eaten at this point! Well, except for the Power Bar, but I’m going to eat that tomorrow as a snack at work. First things first. Erika sent me a jar of Trader Joe’s Fat Free Spicy Black Bean Dip. I ate some of it spread on a sandwich. I also ate some off of my finger. I need to get some chips to eat the rest of this with, because it’s so good. The flavor is slightly spicy, but not overwhelming at all. I really like the texture of the dip. It might be fun to make into a seven-layer dip also… Oh man, or on nachos with melted cheese and guacamole. In the box there were also these two bars, a Luna Bar and a Power Bar. Like I mentioned above, I haven’t had the Power Bar yet. But I did have the Luna Bar at work the other day. It really just tasted like candy. For 180 calories for this size bar of what essentially is candy (with a lot more health benefits than just having a chocolate bar), I need to buy myself some of these. I get hungry at work at random times, so it’s nice having a snack in my drawer to grab and munch on. The Luna Bar did the job and I’m sure the Power Bar will as well. Erika also threw in two Crystal Light Margarita mixes. The first pack I used to make a pitcher with just water and the mix. The flavor was really great, especially when my boyfriend pureed some strawberries to add to it. The next packet will be used to make an alcoholic version of the drink (as suggested by Erika!)

Erika also sent me a loaf of lemon bread which she got at a bakery in Rancho Cucamonga. I was mainly surprised at how moist the bread was, even after being in a box and shipped across the state. Seriously, it tasted as if I had gone to the bakery myself and ate the bread the same day it was baked and sold. I had some of the bread for breakfast the day after I got my box of goodies. It made a great breakfast paired with a cup of coffee. While I loved everything in the box, this was my favorite part. It caught me the most off guard (a whole loaf of bread!) and I couldn’t get over how moist and tasty it was.

In my box I also got a container of trail mix, which has also been a great work treat. Now here’s a story for you. My boyfriend is allergic to almonds. I still eat almonds (and everything else he is allergic to), I just make sure to not mix it into his food. He’s not incredibly sensitive to anything he’s allergic to (which includes almonds and some other nuts, avocados, peaches, mangoes, and basically every fruit with seeds in the middle.) I told him when I first got it not to eat the trail mix, it had almonds in it and it was for me. Now, Matt just sometimes can’t resist things that look good to him even if he’s allergic. I mean, he’s even gone to the grocery store for the sole purpose of buying a peach just to complain for hours about how his tongue itched. Matt decided that if he picked the almonds and other nuts he’s allergic to out of the trail mix he’d be okay. I don’t know what he was thinking, but he complained for hours about his itchy mouth. He’s lucky his allergies are so minor because otherwise he couldn’t just decide to put things in his mouth that he knew he was allergic to. Crazy. With that being said, I have no food allergies to nuts or otherwise and I have eaten almost this entire tub of mix. The flavors are so good and I love it!

Last but definitely not least, Erika sent me a jar of strawberry jam from the same farm she got the trail mix from. This jam is soo good. Unlike the Smuckers I buy, this tastes a lot less processed and less sugary. The flavors of the strawberries are so strong and good. Rather than just spread it on toast, I decided my first use of the jam should be fun! I like to pick something from the box to make a recipe with to share here, since this is my food blog where I share recipes I’ve made and all.

This jam made its way into Strawberry Ricotta Stuffed French Toast. This hands down was the best french toast I’ve made. I credit the jam.

What are your favorite things to do with strawberry jam?

Strawberry Ricotta Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients
4 slices white bread
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
3 tbsp strawberry jam
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions

1. Spread 2 slices of bread with ricotta. On the other 2 slices spread with strawberry jam. Place a jam slice on top of a ricotta slice. Press gently.

2. In a shallow bowl, whisk the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture until well coated.

3. In a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp of butter. Cook one sandwich at a time, 4 minutes per side or until golden. Repeat with the other sandwich. Let cool enough to cut in half.

* serves 2
* 397 calories per serving