{FPP} - Guest Post from Mary

My FPP for this month asked to write a guest post since she doesn't have a blog.  Here's Mary's take on the goodies I sent her!

I love receiving Foodie Pen Pal treasures in the mail, and Lauren's package far exceeded my expectations.  Each item was thoughtfully selected, and everything has been consumed except for the Pepper Jam, which I am saving to make an appetizer for Christmas Eve.  The apple butter was devoured at a meal of chili and homemade biscuits.  The honey, pumpkin bark, and tea mints were confiscated by my grandchildren (and only the honey lasted long enough to make it to their house).  While all those items were amazing, my absolute favorite was the home canned tomatoes.

The day the package arrived I had tried my hand at making Tasso Ham.  I have a Big Green Egg, and have been experimenting with all things smoked.   I was also responsible for the main dish at a pot luck on the following day, and was preparing a cassoulet using the Tasso and smoked sausage.  I put my 28 oz. can of tomatoes back into the cupboard, and used the jar of canned tomatoes.  YUMMY!!

Sausage Cassoulet

2 T. olive oil

3 medium onions, chopped

3 lbs assorted fully cooked smoked sausages (kielbasa, andouille, smoked sausage, ham)

3 to 5 toes garlic, pressed

2 cup red wine

2 Knorr Beef Homestyle Stock Concentrate

3 T. Tomato Paste

2-15 ounce cans Pinto Beans

2-14 ounce cans great northern beans

2-14 ounce cans butter beans

1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1-1/2 teaspoons dry rubbed sage

1 T. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

Saute onions in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes.  Add sausage/ham/etc. and saute for another 3 to 5 minutes.  Add garlic, wine, stock concentrate, and tomato paste, stirring until stock is dissolved.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1/2 hour.

I made it the day before, let the flavors develop, and then reheated in a crock pot.  It can also be warmed in a 350 degree oven, in a casserole dish, for 1 hour.

The original recipe suggested using 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 cups diced country style bread, 1 lb tomatoes seeded and diced, and 1/2 cup chopped parsley.  Saute the bread cubes in the olive oil until golden brown, stirring often, about 25 minutes.  Combine fresh tomatoes and parsley in a large bowl; and mix in the bread.  Spoon over the warm cassoulet,and bake uncovered 15 minutes longer.  I just opted to have it served with crusty bread....easier for me.

This was my second time of participating in Foodie Pen Pals.  I was surprised at the amount of foods, the great quality of the items, and the fun I had with the consumption of the awesome food items that were sent.  Thanks Lauren, for the wonderful treats, and for allowing me to write a guest entry for your blog.

You're very welcome, Mary.  I'm so glad you thoroughly enjoyed everything.  And if anyone wants to get in on the FPP fun, check out Lindsay's blog The Lean Green Bean. 

{FPP} - October Foodie Penpal Reveal

For my second Foodie Penpal I was matched up with Alek from Run Serve Cook, an adorable 15-year old from Ohio.

I got some great treats from Alek.  I especially loved the coffee and the packet of Justin's Peanut Butter - I had been wanting to try it for awhile.  And his note, which he wrote in study hall :), explained all the items in the box.  Thank you Alek for your thoughtful foodie box!!  Keep up the great work running, being healthy, cooking and blogging.  Don't forget to stay young :)

{FPP} - September Foodie Penpal Reveal

Last month I happened upon a post (maybe it was from someone in the TWD gang), about a foodie penpal program. What?  Sign.Me.Up.  The program is run by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean, and you can head over to her blog if you want to participate next month. 

Here's a quick run-down of the program (from Lindsay):

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions. -You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penpals is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

So, my first foodie penpal was blog reader Brenda from California.  I promptly received my package around the 15th.  I really hit the jackpot with Brenda!  She put so much thought into the package which contained some local and homemade goodies and even a book!

 

Inside was coffee (I love Peets!), mixed nuts, California raisins, teas, chocolate covered almonds, a chocolate espresso bar (divine!), some fruit leathers, a book on dessert (can never have too many) and some healthy homemade cookies.  My favorite part of the box was that Brenda put little notes on each item explaining why she chose it.  She also explained some of the health benefits of the teas and I've been making a conscience effort to drink them more often.  And her box couldn't have come at a better time.  I was leaving for a business trip and took a lot of the goodies with me for healthier snacks while traveling.  Everything was delicious, but if I had to chose, I'd say the chocolate almonds were my favorite.  Thank you, Brenda!!

 



Now the person you receive from is not the same person you send to.  Head on over to 111 Pounds blog to see what I sent to Leslie. 

 

How fun this was!  I've already signed up for next month.  Wanna join?  Click here!