Foodie Pen Pal

I absolutely adore receiving mail.  Ask Mike--when I know there is a package scheduled to arrive for me, I'm anxiously tracking it online (when possible) and checking the mailbox to see if anything's arrived yet.  I love the suspense of not knowing what's in certain packages--like those I receive as part of the Foodie Pen Pals Program.

This month I received my package from a reader, Kim, who happens to live on the East side of our great state.  She sent me a fantastic package filled with delicious foods--all new to me!

These chocolate covered fruit bites were amazing!  I loved them so much that I went online to see where I could buy some.  I couldn't get the small packages like this around here, but I found a large package at Walmart--sooo yummy!

These fruit strips were perfect for a mid-morning snack.  They fit perfectly in my purse and each strip is 1/2 a serving of fruit.  It's a great healthy snack.  I loved the apricot flavor!

Kim sent me a European chocolate bar--I haven't tried it yet, but it looks delicious.  The almond thins also look delicious, but I haven't opened them yet--I'm saving them for our camping trip!  I did eat the Greek Yogurt bar with lunch the other day--it was delicious!

Mike was really excited to see this stick of salami.  We're big fans of sausage and cheese with crackers.  I can't wait to try this!

I also received some Black Fig Vinegar, Apple pop, and mild green Tabasco.  We had a Mexican dish the night my package arrived so we topped it with the Tabasco and it was delicious.  The pop is currently chilling in my fridge--I'm waiting for my next Mexican food night to enjoy it.  (Kim says she enjoys hers with Mexican food).  I'm looking for a good recipe to use the Black Fig Vinegar in--any suggestions are welcome!

Thank you, Kim, for introducing me to a great selection of delicious foods.  I've loved everything I've tried, and I can't wait to try the rest!

To see the package of Farmer's Market treats I sent to Meg, visit her blog here.

Thank you, Lindsay, for your hard work each month.  This program is so fun!

If you're interesting in joining Foodie Pen Pals, here's some important information for you:

-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.
-Visit The Lean Green Bean for more details!