One reason why I love food bloggers is not only do they understand me, they’re a truly inspiring and mindblowing bunch. Take my blogging buddy Barbara from Barbara Bakes, an amazing mum that came to Australia recently with her family. Not only did she give me 2 awards which I cherish, she included me in her Pay It Forward after I asked her about the cinnamon chips that she used in the fantastic Cinnamon Apple Candy Cane Kolache with Cinnamon Drizzle as I was dying to make it. Check out her blog for more delicious meals and lovely commentary.
Of course our Quarantine inspectors got into this-luckily they didn’t remove anything! 
Fast forward a short time and the package guy (who just laughs at the amount of packages I get) handed me a huge box. I had no idea who would be sending me such a huge package but a quick glance showed me that it was Barbara. To say that I was excited was an understatement. The box was HUGE and beautifully packaged up.
Inside there were the much anticipated Cinnamon chips, 3 bags in fact which means that I can let myself go wild with them, Candy melts in green, blue, yellow and peanut butter (all fabulous colours that I find hard to make with gels as they’re so strong in colour), a packet of Lime Jello (Utah is the state that consumers the most Lime Jello and they even had a Green Jello pin for the Salt Lake City 1992 Olympics!) a brownie serve from a fancy pants store Orson Gygi, 8 packets of Reese’s Limited Edition “The Big One” Elvis Peanut Butter and Banana Creme cups, a peanut butter mould to make my own peanut butter cup flavours, an Elvis CD and a lovely CD where Barbara takes me on a photo journey of her hometown and assembling my package! It was a good thing that my neighbours weren’t home such was the screaming and jumping with excitement!
I stashed the PB cups in the fridge for a bit to firm up and after a very long 10 minutes ripped them open to reveal the most delicious Peanut Butter cup flavour. The Banana creme is just right inside them and a perfect foil for the rich peanut butter and chocolate. You see Barbara is a clever cookie and when she asked me what I might like in my package I mentioned hearing about the Elvis cups but not being able to get them here. So she looked on ebay and found some for me. So not only are food bloggers generous and friendly, they’re also very clever
Hershey’s Cinnamon chips-I was so excited about these!
Here is some information on Pay It Forward:
“There are so many lovely giveaways in blogland, bloggers eagerly commenting and abuzz with the excitement of winning an unexpected gift, but that’s it. Someone wins, and then the generosity comes to a screeching halt and we go on with our lives. Nice, but lacking in momentum. This giveaway is a little different, however, because the “receivers” are also to become “givers”, if you will. In fact, that’s the most important rule of the game… ”
The rules: I will select three people who leave a comment on this story for the next week until midnight on the 1st of March, and will send them a gift within the next 365 days. I am willing to post anywhere in the world, so don’t let that stop you from commenting. The catch is that you must have a blog and be willing to do the same thing.
If you just want to leave a comment but don’t want to be part of Pay It Forward just say that in your comment 
I leave you with Barbara’s recipe for Green Jello and cream cheese salad. It’s a deliciously light and fluffy cheesecake mousse pudding that, light as air with an intriguing flavour.
Lots of love,
NQN
xxx
Lime Jello Cream Cheese Salad
- 1 large package lime jello
- 2 cups water, divided
- 1×8 oz/250g cream cheese, softened
- 1 small can crushed pineapple
- 1/2 pint/1 cup whipping cream
1. Dissolve jello in 1 cup hot water. Add 1 cup cold water. Chill until soupy and slightly set. Mix cream cheese and pineapple together, do not drain juice. Blend jello and cream cheese mixture. Chill until starting to set.
2. Fold in whipping cream that has been whipped. Chill.
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53 Comments | Add your own
Oh my. Cinammon chips! I’ve really wanted them since I’ve seen them pop up quite a few times in random blogs, but they are quite hard to find! I actually bought some Reese’s today, but those special edition ones sound really good. You have to let us know what you think of it.
my boyfriends mum makes this every christmas! it’s delicious!! they’re canadian and they call it pineapple salad? and they serve it with the roast. yum yum.
Lorraine, what a lucky woman you are!!!! What a charming gesture from Barbara!You have all the luck! What an exitement! Rock Elvis!I hope that it all tastes fabulous!
Your lime jello cream cheese salad looks fab!
I am willing to do the same thing!, With pleasure!
What a fantastic package—how kind of Barbara!
And how funny… I made a lower-fat version of that pudding the other day. Twas delicious, but I’m sure the full-fat one is much, much yummier!
Look at all of the goodies! I really like the sound of a jello salad wit cream cheese!
Cream cheese salad? How interesting. At least it’s green.. MUST be healthy!
Mmmm that salad looks yummy! It reminds me a bit of the cranberry “salad” my mother in law made at Christmas which had lemon jello, mini marshmallows, cranberries, pineapple and a few jars of miracle whip (there may have been cream cheese too, I forget). It’s not what I expected when she said she was making a cranberry salad but it was really really yummy
And aren’t you a lucky girl for scoring such an awesome Pay It Forward package! Nice job Barbara
ps- I think I’ve told you this before but I love your Jasper Conran china!
wow what a nice surprise receiving a nice package ;like that. I would love it.
This mousse looks delicious. I ve got some jello packets I need to use i ll try this recipe 
thanks for sharing
Love your blog…The salad looks yummy! I’m very familiar with the cinnamon chips, are they are delicious.
What a lovely idea! The global village in action.
Love the packaging on the Big Cup – ‘King Size’ – LOL.
OOOh green jello…this recipe is something my grandmother used to make when I was a little girl in Indiana…I can’t wait to make it myself…BTW, those peanut butter cups were made near where I live, in Hershey PA
Wow! That pay it forward idea is great! Such a nice thing for the blogging community. There are a few shops that sell American candy in Brisbane but they are so expensive. That pudding sounds interesting too!
Ohemgiii the Reeses big ones sound soo goodd!! And and your cheesecake pudding mmmmm
Oh and I love Pay it Forward (movie and idea) hee hee how generous of Barbara ^^!
How cool! Have fun with these great gifts.
I remember going to the Hershey’s store in Times Square when I was in New York and having so much choice that in the end I couldn’t buy anything! Same as when I went to the M & M’s store! For a chocolate addict, that’s pretty sad!
I’ve only just discovered you links page earlier this week and am still looking through all those blogs. I’m still on An Empty Stomach is the Best Cook, and now thanks to this post I’m reading Barbara’s, too.
That green Jello pudding looks so delicious. Like mango pudding. I’m gonna give it a go with Aeroplane brand. Is this a southern dish?
I might bake those cinnamon cookies you made the other day sometime this week. Don’t have those Hershey chips so I’ll have to make do with white chocolate. Love how you presented it with that brown ribbon. So beautiful! Very Donna Hay!
I think the whole Pay it Forward thing is a sweet idea. (Oh, and how pretty your pudding looks! Such a fresh and cool green!)
You will absolutely LOVE the cinnamon chips.
We discovered the magic of cinnamon and chocolate together years ago from a local candymaker here. They did little dark chocolate after dinner squares consisting of 2 dark chocolate layers with a cinnamon candy filling layer in the middle. Just heavenly.
Do enjoy your package!
Such a lovely, beautiful way of spreading joy across the globe!
Your lime jello pudding is positively beautiful… The fluffy texture looks heavenly!
That recipe is very similar to what my boyfriend’s mum calls Bavarian Cream. It’s pretty much the same thing except she uses pineapple jelly not lime. Oh and no cream cheese. Its so very yummy – I bought some pineapple jelly just the other day to make it. I’m glad you put the recipe up so I can now follow it
I really love the idea of Pay it Forward too and even though mine is not a food blog – if I won your package (I am sure it would be so full of yummy goodies!!) then I would have to post about it!
That’s a great collection of goodies! It reminds me of the international candy exchanges that I’ve seen people do on message boards. Only with the pay it forward thing, which is a really nice idea.
Oooh I’d like this. I’d even use it to start a blog! I did a lemon and almond tart today which I could blog but I’m so tired …. but if I was so honoured as to receive a delicious parcel, I’d definitely blog it. I was thinking about starting a blog about my preparations for my 40th birthday anyhow …
Elvis themed peanut butter cups is just so appropriate.
Candy Melts! I so wanted a closer look.
The whole concept of green cream cheese & jello salad looks so wrong but sounds so right at the same time.
I like how the cinnamon chips are labelled as being both naturally and artificially flavoured, like it somehow only makes half-bad
365 days? That’s mean in 1 year? I think it will be a big surprise if you post it to someone else whi is not living in Australia as it will be something that they rarely had?
However, I will take my chance and get involved in this Pay it Forward.
365 days may be long enough to do research what the other people like to receive rather than just send anything. This is a good idea.
That’s a stunning pudding & I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cup & saucer. What a cool idea Pay It Forward is. Now that was an exciting box full of yummies to receive! Good for you!!
That’s a marvellous idea, it’d be fun to connect with people all over the globe. I think I’ve stumbled across it before I started blogging, but I can’t remember where…
very good blog, congratulations
regard from Reus Catalonia
thank you
you do something real good with those cinnamon chips, ya hear?
What a wonderful and thoughtfully put together package Barbara sent you! I’m so glad she made you so happy!
I get a lot of my odds and ends American groceries from USA Foods (http://www.usafoods.com.au/)
They stock a lot of things you’d probably be interested in including American flavours of Jell-o and Hershey’s/Reese’s Baking Chips.
Candy and soft drink you can buy on import at the campus convenience store at my work, including pretty much the entire Reese’s range which are my weakness when my diet allows for chocolate bars.
aww, barbara is such a sweetie. lucky you.
i love getting parcels. online shopping is my vice – my postie must hate me.
My mother used to make a very similar jello salad. I haven’t had anything like it in ages. Sounds great! Love the pay it forward idea, too. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Pay it forward is a great idea! And what a wonderful package you got from Barbara!
ohh! i love the “green stuff”, as we call it in my family! We use cottage cheese, strange, but soooooo good. i eat it with EVERYTHING at family gatherings. Always gotta have the green stuff! hope you are enjoying!
nice haul! i didn’t know you were a PB cup fan, L. i am impressed
i love them too. in all forms!
i get so excited everytime i see your posts. Will be heading for sydney’s le cordon bleu soon to pursue my long time dream of becoming a patissier. Maybe I’ll catch you there sometime.
and oh yesh.. i wld love a surprise package. heeh. *winks*
Hi Su-yin-I made some Cinnadoodles cookies with the cinnamon chips and they were really good. I have taken to eating them by themselves which is probably not great but they’re really moreish
Hi pearlypop-Oh wow this world of jelly salad that I’ve never heard of before and Canada too?
Hi Sophie-I am very lucky indeed. Barbara is such a lovely person
The salad and the Elvis cups were so good. In fact everything was!
Hi Angela-great minds think alike!
A low fat one would be quite good to do I think, is it sugar free jello and low fat cream cheese?
Hi Kevin-Yes it’s the first time I’ve tried it!
Hi Y-Haha it’s very good I do have to say!
Hi Kathy-Cool, are the marshmallows melted down or left whole? Thankyou! I heart it too
Hi snooky doodle-It’s definitely a great dessert or accompaniment for a big get together
Hi Diana-Thankyou so much! I’m so glad I am not acquainted with them
Hi Christie-Hehe I think the cups were definitely Elvis sized. They were frighteningly delicious
Hi Lee-Oh lucky you! So you can easily get PB cups and all the Limited Edition ones? Grandma recipes are always wonderful aren’t they?
Hi Bria-Yes we have some shops but one packet of PB cups (just the regular ones, no Elvis ones) are $3 here. I loved the idea too!
Hi Ffichiban-It’s great isn’t it! It’s so much fun!
Hi Cakelaw-Thankyou so much!
Hi Reemski-too much choice can be paralysing I agree. When I went to America I’d stand in front of the huge cereal aisle wondering what to get before finally walking out 15 minutes later with 4 boxes
Hi Javs-Ah cool! I’m not sure of the origins of it although it seems to be quite popular all over the US (and Canada from pearlypop’s comment). Yes I love Donna Hay styling and photography!
Hi Midge-Thanks so much, I loved the matching greens!
Hi Beth-That sounds lovely! Yes I’m afraid I’m already addicted
Hi Astra Libris-It’s so light and fluffy, like a kiss of air. I agree, the PIF idea is a great idea
Hi Esz-Ah interesting! Perhaps it came from there? Don’t worry you don’t need a food blog, just a blog!
Hi anna-Oh wow, an international candy exchange would be brilliant!
Hi SydneyGal-Sounds amazing! You should definitely start one. It’s definitely lots of fun
Hi Arwen-I currently have 3 packets left, being closely guarded!
Hi Theresa-They’re coloured white chocolate buttons in blue, green, yellow and peanut butter flavoured.
Hi Simon-The proof is definitely in the tasting. It’s unusual but in a good way!
Hi Lilia-Yes a year. Sure, if the person is overseas I would send a different type of package than one to someone in Australia but of course it would be tailored to the person I send it to. Yes it’s great!
Hi deeba-Thankyou! I thought that they were a perfect fit colour wise
Hi Chris-I have done all sorts of swaps and things like that but this is my first time in a Pay It Forward!
Hi Té la mà Maria -Thankyou very much!
Hi grace-Hehe you mean apart from gobbling them all down? I made Cinnadoodles and I want to make Barbara’s Cinnamon Kolache
Hi HoneyB_it was really amazing! It was so exciting seeing what she sent and beyond my wildest dreams!
Hi Amaya-Yes USA foods is good, I ordered Root Beer from them ages ago.
Hi reddoorred-Yes when I hear the buzzer I get very excited. Imagine my disappointment when it’s religious people or a workman
Hi Carolyn-Thanks for stopping by! It seems like everyone has tried it whilst this was my first time
Hi Alexandra-Yes that was definitely a fun day (that continues on with all of this delicious chocolate)
Hi courtney-Ahh ok it’s interesting to see the variations and the names (hehe at the Green Stuff!) I’m having lots of fun with these thanks
Hi lindsey clare-Oh yes, I’m a big fan from way back. As soon as I tried my first one I was hooked
Hi Sihan-Aww thankyou!
Wonderful! I hope it is everything that you want it to be. Hehe well you’re in with a chance here!
Hi
Ha ha ha Elvis Reece’s. I gotta get me some! Barbara is VERY generous. Can she be my friend too?!
Yep, sugar-free jelly, some additional lime juice and a mixture of low-fat cream cheese and natural yoghurt. Alas, no cream, but if you miss the fluffy texture then you can whip up the semi-set mixture.
Hi NQN, it’s put back in the fridge after mixing to “set” so most of them stay whole
I love that pale green color & the plate & the cup u served it in!! I have never had hersey’s cinaamon chips!
What a fantastic package – you will be having lots of fun for ages with all that stuff. I am always jealous of the amazing baked goods ingredients they sell in the US.
Oh Lorriane, what a brilliant package! Brenda has spoiled you! I would love to try the cinnamon chips too – isnt it a shame that peanut butter chips, cinnamon chips, toffee chips etc arent available in Australia and NZ. I would love to participate in Pay It Forward!!
Hi Soma-It’s a gorgeous Jasper Conran set. I love it for anything green
If you ever see them definitely try them! They’re delicious 
Hi Suzie-Yes I haven’t even started on the candy melts-yet! They have so much range in the US, it’s not fair
Hi tammy-Barbara is a gem
I’m hoping that some places will stock them although they must be quite scarce in NZ. Cool!
I haven’t bought jello since I was in college but I suddenly have a desire to now.
Hi Eva-I’m not a huge jelly eater but I was a big fan of this and using it brought back memories for me too
I’ve only just begun to read your blog… am an international student and have been following up on your posts and making my boyfriend drive me everywhere to find those great eats! Thank you for informing me about the ‘We Love sydney’ card… we’re gng o a big date tomorrow just before the promotion ends.
Hi michelle J-Welcome!
Oh great, hope you’re liking your meals. I love going far and wide for a good meal 
Good idea to use the We Love Sydney card before it ends! I hope they do another promotion like that soon.
When you make the lime jello, just add the cream cheese to the hot water and let it cool together. I also use pears instead of the pineapple.
If you’re looking for American products, like cinnamon chips, there’s actually a store in Melbourne called USA foods. They also ship their products, although I’m not sure how much it would be to Sydney. It’s about $6 to send the products to the other side of Melbourne where I am.
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