My mom’s birthday was a couple weeks ago, and we sent her this snack basket since we weren’t able to deliver a gift in person.  She called to thank us and explained that she wasn’t able to try everything in the basket since dad hid the snack mix and butter cookies from her – apparently they were so good that he didn’t want to share!  She did enjoy the fruit candies, chips and dip.  She was even able to sit down and relax with a cup of the Vanilla Spice Tea while she controlled the remote for the night (dad’s birthday gift to her).

We visited mom and dad house last week-end and I was pleased that the gift chest was being used to store her scarves. It was nice to see that the gift was not only tasty but also contained a practical item!

I ordered a half gallon container of soup for $49 (which can only be shipped via 2nd day air).  The soup arrived in a large plastic container and I could immediately see big cuts of carrot and celery and the large white dumplings.  I followed the cooking directions sent with the container, and was rewarded first with a delightful aroma filling the kitchen.  The steaming chicken broth reminded me of days when I was sick and mom would cook chicken soup to make me feel better.  There’s something about the aroma of this soup that will clear your sinuses and bring an overall sense of contentment to your home – even if it’s only for a little while!

The soup was quite flavorful and very delicious.  I was worried that the dumplings would be water-logged or gummy since they weren’t served the same day they were made, but they were actually still light and delicious.  It’s great to find a company that not only produces a superior quality product but also finds a way to maintain that quality while shipping across the country.  I was so inspired by this soup that I’m actually thinking of trying lutefisk – maybe!

The folks at Alaska Harvest offer 10 different types of seafood, all of them freshly caught and quickly frozen for shipping througout the United States.  The company is in control of the product from the time it is caught until the time it is shipped to you, so there is no middle-man markup and they stand behind the quality of their foods 100%.  I highly recommend both the products and the customer service from this company.

For a savory hors d’oeuvre at your next dinner party, this cheese torta is second to none!  The mix of tomatoes and pesto give just the right amount of flavor to the smooth cream cheese base.  We garnish ours with fresh tomatoes and serve with a variety of whole wheat snack crackers – the guests love it!  Order this 9.5 ounce appetizing spread from the Wisconsin Cheeseman for only $14.99.

Instead of the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage, try some clover-shaped pasta for St. Patrick’s Day.  Your dinner guests will be lucky indeed when they are served these colorful shamrocks with a hearty meat sauce or spicy pesto.  You can also create a new tradition by adding some of these pasta shapes to a meaty Irish stew.  The clover shaped pasta is available at Around The Table Pasta Shoppe for only $5.99.

Many websites offer Duck Liver Mousse, but I have found the best customer service at earthy.com – where 7 oz sells for $9.00 plus shipping.