Foodie Pen Pals: September

As much as I loved my July and August packages, this one was probably my favorite. As you can see, the exotic vegetable chips and chocolate bar didn't even last long enough for a proper photograph!

If you haven't heard about the problem.. Lindsay at the Lean Green Bean organizes a pen pal program where you receive a package of fun foods from one person and send a package of goodies to another! The idea is simple and fun. After all, who doesn't loving getting mail? Especially delicious mail.

This month, I sent a package off to an interior design major at the University of Arkansas and received a package from Heather at What Does She Do All Day? - and how great of a blog name is that? Her blog features stories about her family, home decorating inspiration, crafts, recipes.. the list goes on. Apparently what she does all day is think of great blog posts to write.. or something like that.

As a lover of all things bicycle related, I died over this cute little card! It's from Thirty-One, too and I'm already a sucker for their lunch bags. Also included in my package was the great little photography print shown in the upper right. As a photographer, foodie and francophile, I was smitten with this image that shows a food stand in Provence. It's already found a home on our kitchen wall. According to Heather's sweet card, she picked it up at a local festival - along with the local honey.

Heather knew that I was soon leaving for a weeklong trip to Pennsylvania and she included some great travel snacks in my package. I had seen the dessert flavor gums at the grocery store but honestly, I haven't found myself chewing much gum since I'm not attending college classes. Strange but true. Fortunately, I had this pack for my flight home! As much as I love flying, my ears hate it and of course gum seems to help. I also snacked on two great Fiberful fruit and fiber bars from Trader Joe's - Heather included Apple Blueberry and Fruit & Veggie.

A few other items in the package we haven't quite gotten to yet. Heather also included some chocolate rice milk, her favorite. Unfortunately, the high altitude caused it to explode before arriving to our door so, while it smelled fabulous, I wasn't able to enjoy it but it's on my next grocery list! We're big fans of any type of chocolate beverage. Heather also included some dinner staples. She put a box of Lundberg Risotto (my favorite) in the package and while that alone is great, what's even better is that we haven't yet tried this Garlic Primavera flavor. Heather also included a curry simmer sauce from Trader Joes. Lately we've been on a real curry kick and so this is a great shortcut for the next time we're craving some indian flavor.

Honestly, I was so impressed by this package - it made my own feel inadequate. Heather included such a great mix of foods - good snacks (UGH those vegetable chips! even Trevor loved them), perfect travel treats, some dinner necessities, and that print? So. In. Love. Thanks for the incredible package and early delivery, Heather! I especially loved getting some Trader Joe's treats that we can't find in Montana.

Unfortunately, I'm terribly under the weather from all my travel and now, I'm fighting with the altitude difference. Don't worry though, I'll be back soon to tell you about my wonderful birthday, to share photos of my beautiful best friend and her family and to brag about all the great people I got to spend my week with.

Foodie Pen Pals: August

Okay guys. I have some confessions to make:

There is a huge pile of dishes in the sink.
There is a basket of laundry on our bed.
The dog just tried to eat a propel packet off the living room floor.
Trevor is going to be eating reheated pizza for dinner.
And I’m exhausted.

As you’re getting used to hearing, sorry I’ve been a bit absent lately! I seem to fall off the blogging bandwagon some weeks but you’ll have to bear with me. I had a job interview first thing Monday morning, a last-minute surprise trip to Missoula on Tuesday, six hours of errands (including more job paperwork and grocery shopping) on Wednesday and yesterday, I began a new job (!!) as a teller for EdTech Federal Credit Union.

And then you have today.
I cooked breakfast. I went to work. I did laundry. I made dinner (or picked up pizza, however you want to look at it). Turned in my first homework assignment of the year. And now here I am, trying to squeeze in a foodie pen pal reveal post before my Montana clock strike’s 10 - meaning the start of a new day for the east coast.

But boy was this package a great surprise in the middle of a busy week.
(And with a little luck and priority mailing, it even managed to get here the whole way from New York!)

If you’re not familiar with foodie pen pals, the premise is simple - each month, bloggers (or readers) are matched with one person to send a package to and one person to receive a package from (all thanks to Lindsay at the Lean Green Bean). Then, you pack $15 worth of yummy things into a package with a handwritten note and send it on its way. Plus, you receive a package in return! And really.. who doesn’t love getting packages in the mail? Especially ones filled with food?

As I said last month, my food allergies made me apprehensive to participate but once again, I was paired with someone who eats gluten-free! Imagine my surprise (and luck!).

My pen pal, Adam (owner of Need To Know Tutoring), went above and beyond.
When the first package failed to arrive thanks to the deficient Montana mail? He sent another one.
He makes things like insalata caprese with homegrown tomatoes and basil for dinner? Peach tarts for dessert?
My kind of pen pal.. and just wait until you see what was in this package!

From the moment I opened the box, I knew it was going to be good - I could smell the chai. Within minutes of opening, I e-mailed Adam begging to know if he had researched my favorite foods or if by some culinary coincidence, he just chose our favorites - it was the second. As Adam put it, "I just sent you some of my 'faves', and hoped that you would enjoy them.” Enjoy them, I will. 

I’ve been tempted to drink this Masala Chocolate Truffle chai tea from Mighty Leaf since it arrived but I’m trying to hold off for a cold Montana morning. Perhaps to celebrate the first day of fall?

The package also included a can of Hatch green chiles from Trader Joes. As you likely know, Trevor’s obsessed, seriously obsessed, with Hatch green chile. (As evidenced by a thirty-four hour drive to obtain several containers full.) Often times, you can find green chile at the grocery store but I promise you, these are different. Seeing as though we ran out of green chile sauce yesterday, I think these will come in handy for heuvos rancheros or shrimp tacos before the end of summer.

Adam also included two packets of honey ginger crystals. From the packaging, it seems that these are typical used to prepare a beverage that can even be used to help with motion sickness. Adam’s suggestion was to use them for gingerbread or ginger almond cookies, instead. I’m thinking that the fall’s first ginger baked goods would be a good compliment to that chai tea, don’t you think?

We also received dried mushrooms which are perfect for making soup, anchovies that are an essential ingredient for our classic caesar dressing, and creamed coconut, which I plan to utilize in a thai style sauce for dinner this week. Look forward to recipes with these fun ingredients over the next few weeks! (All of which was be in thanks to Adam - for the delicious choices, for sending a second package, and for the great cooking suggestions).

Trevor and I will both be working early, full, days this week and thankfully, that means dinner together every night - though that doesn’t mean I’m thankful for our 4:45 a.m. alarm. That being said, things may continue to be a bit quiet here over the next week as I train full-time in our busy Butte branch. I hope to stop by later this weekend to tell you about the season-opening University of Montana Griz football game we are going to tomorrow! I’m hoping to also make it back for Ten on Tuesday - besides, there are also lots of home remodeling projects and fall plans to catch you up on.

Foodie Pen Pals: July

If you read my guest posts over at The College Cuisiner, you know that my friend Marisa has given me a lot of tastes for food over the past years. My love of chinese food.. and cous cous.. and chai tea.. But this year, she introduced me to two great ideas - Foodie Pen Pals and What I Ate Wednesday - both of which you will get to see this week.

Being in Montana has been somewhat of a culinary struggle. (By that, I mean a TOTAL culinary struggle.) There are no ice cream shops or frozen yogurt within one hundred miles, we’ve yet to find a restaurant or coffee shop worth visiting twice, and compared to the stores back east, our grocery options are incredibly limited. When I saw Marisa’s reveal post for last month’s Foodie Pen Pals, I knew I had to join in.

The premise is simple - each month, bloggers (or readers) are matched with one person to send a package to and one person to receive a package from. Then, you pack $15 worth of yummy things into a package with a handwritten note and send it on its way. Plus, you receive a package in return! And really.. who doesn’t love getting packages in the mail? Especially ones filled with food?

So I signed up.

At first, I was a little nervous to join in because of my food allergies. If something arrived that wasn’t safe for me to eat, Trevor couldn’t enjoy it either - hooray for the wheat-free household. But, when my pen pal e-mailed me to ask about food allergies, it turned out that she was gluten-free too (What an odd coincidence, right?). Immediately, I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to explain what we could and couldn’t eat.

Somehow, in another strange twists of coincidence, I received my package from Marisa Rodriguez, a blog reader from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Can you believe it? When I saw the return address on the envelope, I crossed my fingers for Utz Potato Chips and Lebanon Bologna (though I don’t think the second would hold up well through the mail.. huh?). Unfortunately, neither of my wishes came true but instead, I opened the package to these wonderful treats.

You’ll have to forgive the sub-par photos - I was too eager to start snacking!

In my package, I received products that were mostly new to me - Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale (Natural Nacho flavor), roasted chickpea snacks from The Good Bean, Artisana Cashew Butter and an Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Bar (which we consumed before even thinking to take a picture, oops?).

Before taking a bite of this, I had never tried kale! I had once had a sip of a sausage soup with kale but I don’t know that my soup experience counts for much. With the green smoothie trend taking over the blogging world, I’ve heard a lot about kale so I was anxious to try this. It’s definitely interesting! Probably not my favorite snack in the world but it was neat to try. Plus, it’s gluten-free, nut-free, not baked or fried, natural and vegan - impressive right? And, it’s made in Pennsylvania!

The chickpea snacks were new to us, too. Eating gluten-free means finding new starches and flours and one of those is garbanzo bean flour. So, over the past few years, my consumption of chickpeas has definitely grown. I loved these little packages and the silly figures pictured on the front. The cinnamon package has a fisherman, while this looks like some impressive gymnastics. Marisa sent us the Sweet Cinnamon and Sea Salt flavors. Both delicious and a great mindless snack for those times when you’re watching a movie or making a long drive (which is pretty common in Montana).

The last little treat, the cashew butter, has yet to be opened. Since I’m allergic to peanuts, I’ve never really enjoyed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.. or peanut butter and apples.. or any of those staple foods my boyfriend seems to live on! (I swear I have to buy a jar of crunchy peanut butter every week.) As fans of almond butter, we are sure that we’ll love this but haven’t found the perfect use yet. We’ve been trying to avoid purchasing bread lately so toast hasn’t been an option. I was going to have it today with an apple but of course, Trevor finished the last one. Any suggestions?

While I loved receiving a package, I think I loved making one even more. Elena from the Happy Little Gnome got to enjoy lots of on-the-go snacks and some popcorn that I was envious of. (Life is hard without a microwave.) Next month, I’m hoping to scope out some local goodies to include - after all, they seem to be obsessed with huckleberries, here. But, you can find out about the package I sent this month right over here. You should also take the time to stay and check out her other posts that range from topics like a new puppy to the color run - once again, envious of both! She writes about healthy living and baking, and always shares great photos. What more could you want? 

If you want to participate next month, there is still time - click on over to The Lean Green Bean for more information and send in your form by August 4th! I know that I’m really looking forward to doing this again.