Excuse me GG, That doesn't look like a "mini-swap" to me!

...adding Hawaiian Sea Salt to TJ's Lust List!

wow can't wait for the deets!

janet

First, see my post on the Cooking Forum (oops, posted to wrong thread) to see what a really trying morning I had. Then this box arrives and it is filled with all kinds of fun packages with very clever notes and a headliner that says "A Red Hot and Gold Summer".

Secondly, Goldgirl has ESP, and I will be contacting her shortly regarding some stock buys, lottery numbers and help in reading a 4 year old's mind! Note to self: Keep her contact info handy!

Item #1 was "Heat things up while Keeping Cool" This was a great cookbook "Cool Kitchen" with "no-work recipes for summertime -- no oven, no stove, no sweat." I love cookbooks,I live in San Antonio where supposedly it is summertime ALOT, so this is awesome. I hope to try some very soon and post pictures....a first!

Item #2 "Stir it up and be a Star" was a very nice large whisk and an awesome Chantal baking/serving dish. Important note: my large not so nice whisk, along with my favorite baking dish were two of the items destroyed by our movers. Awesome!

Items Numbered 3 were some wonderful looking, soon to be tried, regional fare, which included the following: "This Philly favorite sure is tasty" was some wonderful looking TastyKake Butterscotch Krimpets that are local fare and will be dessert tonight! "Some local gold to sweeten the pot" was some local honey. ""Doylestown is jammin'" was some sour cherry jam (dh's favorite), and "Bucks County is just peachy" was some great looking peach butter. We love regional fare, and had to deplete all of ours prior to our move as our belongings were headed to storage for 30 days and no food products. This group rocks!

Items Numbered 4 were my Trader's Joe items: "The CF Swap makes me a little nutty" was chilie lemon pistachios (my favorite from a trip a year ago to a pistachio farm in New Mexico) while attending a cherry festival, "A toast to Texas" was some wonderful looking orange muscat champagne vinegar, headed for a salad. "Hope its not so hot that you're roasting" was some roasted red pepper and artichoke tapenade" that I can't wait to try and "Do Texas girls do the Hula?" was some Hawaiian Red Sea Salt that is very intriguing and will love experimenting with that.

Last, but certainly not least, was "Woof" for Aleksi from goldgirls six golden retrievers. The surprise for her was priceless as she had had a couple of down days. She loved it and hope to post the picture of her hugging it soon.

Goldgirl, as I told you, totally awesome package, thank you for your creativity, generosity and also your kindness in thinking of Aleksi.

So, yes, as they say around here "I dun good"

I guess the Red Hots are because you are a Red Hot Momma, Brenda.

Good going, Goldgirl!

Brenda, what a nice package! Goldgirl...good job.

A great theme with terrific gifts.
Peach butter- haven't tried that one, maybe this is the year.
I'm sure that puppy helped Aleksi feel better.
Linda

Very nice box of goodies. Love the serving/baking dish. I love unusual dishes and plates and that sure fits the bill!

Whoo Hoo! I love when the swap packages start arriving!

Good going Goldgirl! Enjoy your package Brenda! Cute doggie!

I love when the first swap box arrives too.

Goldgirl you put together a wonderful box for Brenda. Love the baking dish.

Ann

Oh, yes, I also like that baking dish, but my favorite is the doggie. That red sea salt and the orange vinegar look very interesting too.

I hope we see pictures of Aleksi soon, happy and healthy.

Great swap, goldgirl, you did very well indeed. And so, it begins.

Annie

What a fun package! You're going to love that wisk when it comes time for clean up and that cookbook sounds great, please share some recipes! Enjoy!!

I love the baking dish, too! The orange vinegar and Hawaiian red sea salt sound great! I especially love "regional" fare! Love everything!

Great job, goldgirl! Luck you, Brenda!! Enjoy!

'Woof' from your girls to Aleksi was a very sweet touch, Goldgirl! Some great goodies in your box, Brenda ~ that peach butter sounds yummy and the pan is awesome!

This is getting exciting!!!

Oh, love the baking dish!

Brenda, isn't it almost creepy the way somebody can nail it so well? I remember after my first swap, I started getting paranoid because it was so perfect. DH joked that she must have been peeking in our windows. LOL

Very nice job, Goldgirl!

I too just love that baking dish...and those pistachios are addictive. I have had peach butter, and you are in for a real treat! And honey is always wonderful to receive. Since joining this forum, I now cook with honey a lot! This is a wonderful package, Brenda. Very nice, goldgirl!
Sherry

Brenda, it's neat that your package arrived on a day that wasn't the best, what fun. I had a pkg of those pistachios...I opened them when some friends were over and they were gone in a flash. Very addictive.

Great assortment Goldgirl, you put together a really super box.

Nancy

goldgirl, I just love your theme! WHat a great assortment - and very very thoughtful.

Brenda have fun with your goodies - looking forward to seeing that picture of Aleksi hugging that doggie.

Stacy

dedtired - the Red Hots were from a CF post where Brenda mentioned melting them with sauteed apples. She had also mentioned not liking stuff *too* hot, so rather than go that route, I went with a red & gold color theme.

And the five items, if it isn't clear ;), are: cookbook, bakeware, local food, Trader Joes, and dog LOL.

I'll repeat what riverrat said: Whoo Hoo! I love when the swap packages start arriving!

Great package goldgirl!

Yummy package Brenda. Way to go goldgirl!

Let the fun begin!
Wow, this box will be hard to top! Love that pan and Woof is so cute!
Great job, Goldgirl. What a nice "pick me up" after a very tough morning, Brenda!

Linda

HEY! My Trader Joe's doesn't have that sea salt!

Yup, that pan is a looker, whatcha going to make in it?

What a fantastic package and talk about teamwork getting the pictures up and such a lovely description of each item!

Great swap starter!

Susan

Nice! Great job on that package. Did you ever get the stock tips? :)

Jessy, I saw that sea salt at my TJs on Tuesday (here in the midwest where we never have anything interesting!).

Nancy and Sherry, pistachios??? What pistachios? LOL. You were right, they are very addictive, I really liked the chili/lemon flavor. The krimpets were deeelish. Enjoying going through the cookbook! Looking for that special dish for my new dish! Here's hat's off again to Goldgirl who, by the way, is having a not so good of a day, with 3" of water in her basement. Yikes!

Brenda

This is only my second......but I love swaps.

How great it cheered up your day and your daughters!

janet

Wonderful swap box, Goldgirl! I covet that little doggie.

Funny, but I didn't see the krimpets - I didn't even see the empty wrapper? Are they there??? Wouldn't blame you if they weren't. I bought some of those one year in Lancaster just because I'd never had a Tasty Kake Krimpet. Oh my!

Enjoy, Brenda!
Teresa

I love how each item was named so cleverly. That salt look interesting. What does it recommend using it on? Great package!!

-Robin

Niiiiiice......Brenda you will love the orange muscat champagne vinegar. It's one of our favorite things. (Note to self: Look for salt and chili lemon pistachios at TJ's when I get the time to drive the 300 mi. to Seattle.)

Great start Goldgirl-- enjoy your goodies Brenda--esp that dish .

Diane

I also get excited when the first swap box arrives. And I just received my swap box too! Goldgirl you put together a wonderful box for Brenda.

Debbie

Nice box of goodies Brenda. I love that baking dish.

Great package Goldgirl. I can't believe you got it out so quickly.

Tracey

Ah oh! The pressure is on! Great assortment of goodies and so fast....Well a "star" baking dish is very apropos...it's a star who sent it and a star received it.
Well done!

Bubbe (who is trying to juggle Solomon's 1st birtday party, downsizing for a move, and getting just the right things for her swap partner, sigh)

Really nice. The baking dish is pretty. I don't know if the package I have will have a cute theme like that, but it will have to do with summer the way I experience it. It all looks so pretty and color coordinated. Not like my summers at all! lol

What a wonderful array of tastes! Peach butter used to be my favorite preserve, but I haven't made it for years. I'll have to watch out for the good peaches this summer. Chili-lemon sounds like another good one to try and make this summer. Red Hawaiian sea salt and orange muscat champagne vinegar -- and krimpets as well? My taste buds are tingling!

Nice job, Goldgirl; Brenda, I know you'll have fun sampling everything!

Well done! Love the baking dish and Stonewall kitchen whisk..Love SK period!

And I just bought chili lime peanuts.. never saw the pistachios,,and that pretty Hawaiian salt! It's here in QC!!So is the OM CV..a fav here too..Great..great package:)

Now that's taking a theme and running with it! You are good goldgirl, very very good!

That is a lovely swap package. I'm getting impatient to send mine, as it will take at least three weeks in the mail, but there is still one item missing - a friend is trying to get it for me.

Now we have two Red Hot Mammas on the forum!!!! Goldgirl I love what you put together, never cease to amaze me how creative folk can be. Good job!

Woof, certainly made me smile. I can just imagine Aleksi giving nonstop hugs. The Orange Muscat Vinegar is always on my two or three times a year shoping list for TJs too.

It's a lovely package Goldgirl. Enjoy it all Brenda.

Lee

So creative! Great job, goldgirl. I love that whisk! Have fun, Brenda:)

What a great swap! I'm curious about the chili lemon pistachios, bet they are tasty! And I personally love a cookbook that helps you find summery dishes without heating up your kitchen. Great gifts, Goldgirl. Hope you enjoy your stash, Brenda!
Catherine

I'm guessing the pictachios are history by now, trust me I know! (Thanks Ellen!) Cool baking dish, really, everything. I know you will enjoy all of it!

David

Hopefully, here is a picture of Aleksi after she awoke from her nap and found "Woof" from goldgirl! She loves that little doggie.

Brenda

What I want to know is...which is the item that Goldgirl had to replace because her dog ate it? Also, what is the item that she thought she would have to order on-line, and then found in a store after having a pizza? Inquiring minds (at least mine) want to know!

It's a great package, but I want the rest of the story!

Lars

LOL Lars, I was thinking I might have to explain :)

The little plush dog was taken hostage by my 12 year old Golden when my back was turned. She managed to reach up and and in a very agile, and silent manner, grab it without me having a clue.

The other items was the Red Hots candy. I was having trouble coming up with a theme, and then found one of Brenda's posts that mentioned Red Hots. Instant theme, but Red Hots are very difficult to find in this area, although I *knew* I had seen them. The store I wandered into was a Dollar Store :)

I am lusting after that star dish! Great maxi into mini package!

Great package! Terrific gifts!

Love the pic of Aleksi with her new pal!

Nice box -- I especially like the yellow dish and the cookbook sounds perfect for the summer.