November Foodie Pen Pals

Remember how I did the Foodie Pen Pals last month?

Well, it was such a great experience that I tried it again. And boy, am I glad that I did!

I was matched with Hannah, a college student at Florida State University. She told me that baking is her forte, but I actually think that it should be gift baskets! Take a gander at what I got in the mail this week:

My box included coffee, trail mix, Earl Grey tea, Gingerbread-flavored coffee syrup, Ritter dark chocolate marzipan, cinnamon, cumin, and a sweet potato. Yep, a sweet potato. I can say with confidence that this is the first time I received a tuber through the US Postal Service.

What a seasonally-appropriate and delicious mix! My coworkers and I have already enjoyed the coffee and gingerbread coffee syrup. However, the best part was that Hannah included recipes for some of her favorite things–including an easy recipe for sweet potato fries.

Here is the gist of it (gist because I put the recipe in my purse–or so I thought–and I don’t know where it went):

Slice the sweet potato in thin strips as you would for french fries. Toss the strips in olive oil with 1 tbsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp cumin, 2 tbsp brown sugar (or whatever ratio to your liking). Then place on foil-lined baking sheet and place in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. Flip. Then put in broiler to finish it off to your liking.

I made the sweet potato fries and, although I incinerated them because the numbers have burnt off my in-oven thermometer, I could tell how good that they would have been if I’d been working with big-girl appliances.

My apartment smelled like heaven the next day–just like a Christmas-y Yankee Candle. I am definitely going to try my hand at this one again–but after I get myself a new oven thermometer!

Wanna join in on the fun and be a Foodie Pen Pal? Click on the button on the right of this page. Or visit the Foodie Pen Pals web site and learn all about it. It really is simple and all for under $15.

And yes, I know that you are all waiting for me to address the greatest television event of our time–but not just yet. I made a dish specifically for Lindsay and Liz and I need a little extra time to blog about it. In the meantime, please enjoy the following commercial, which was indeed the best part of the Lifetime broadcast. My mum would concur.

Pittsburgh and Flashdance and Abby Lee Miller, these are a few of my favorite things!