Lamb and Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipe (+Giveaway)

It makes me sad that lamb is so under-utilized and under-appreciated. I love lamb! Whenever I want to introduce lamb to someone who may have had a bad experience, I give it to them in appetizer form. Getting a large chunk of a meat you don't know or haven't enjoyed in the past can be intimidating. Bite size appetizers are much more inviting in that if after a bite you don't like it, you can stop right there without offending anyone.

I bought a lamb tenderloin to create appetizers with the tender meat. I would usually stack cold meat on toasted brioche, but I needed to add something studier to hold the little bites together. I used mini wafer crisps and topped them with hash-brown style sweet potatoes. I created many layers of flavors so the elements would complement each other. I made a mint goat milk yogurt sauce to pair with the lamb and finished the appetizer with two different kinds of Cypress Goat Cheese chevre to repeat the flavor.



Today our friend Jason from Cypress Grove Chevre is offering the Flashback Family Gift Pack (which I used for this recipe) as part of our 25 Days of Giveaways. The giveaway includes five amazing flavored goat cheeses. Each flavor has a groovy name: Ms.Natural (plain), Sgt.Pepper (exotic spices & pepper threads), Purple Haze (lavender), PsycheDillic (dill) and Herbs de Humboldt (Herbes de Provence). I like them all and I've told you Cypress Grove Chevre is really dear to my heart (find out why). As an added bonus, it also includes John Lennon-style tinted glasses to help your chevre lovers properly mellow out. That's 24 ounces of delicious chevre, a $75 value! Enter now.

Make sure you're a fan of PhamFatale Facebook fan page and Cypress Grove Chevre, or follow @Phamfatalecom and tweet about this giveaway. To make it easy, you can just copy and paste this tweet if you’d like: "Flashback Goat Cheese Family Gift Pack $75 value #Giveaway from @Phamfatalecom and @CypressGrovers: http://bit.ly/sp4V7y".

Madeleine Cookie Recipe (+Giveaway)

Whenever I have time, I prepare breakfast in bed for my husband. And since madeleine cookies are his favorite, I prepared the batter the day before and stored it in the refrigerator to surprise him today. It took me less than 15 minutes to bake them the next morning and I was able to serve hot, straight from the oven vanilla-flavored madeleines to Lulu. If you're planning to serve breakfast, keep these French cookies in mind; they're absolutely delicious and not that difficult to make. Just read my secret to the characteristic bump for an authentic version of madeleine cookies and these cookies are guaranteed to turn out well.

Vanilla is a great flavoring in general, and I think it adds another dimension to madeleines. I can't imagine a home baker's pantry not having a bottle of vanilla extract around the holidays. I used Nielsen Massey vanilla extract in this recipe. In case you’re not familiar, Nielsen Massey vanillas are full flavored and there are distinct differences between the varieties. It may be vanilla, but it's definitely not plain! The folks at Nielsen Massey were kind enough to provide one (two-ounce) bottle of each Tahitian, Mexican & Madagascar vanilla extract and "A Century of Flavor" cookbook as today’s giveaway. Be sure to enter for a chance to win (click on the link).

Make sure you're a fan of PhamFatale Facebook fan page and Nielsen-Massey Vanillas or follow @Phamfatalecom and tweet about this giveaway. To make it easy, you can just copy and paste this tweet if you’d like: "Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extracts #Giveaway from @Phamfatalecom: http://bit.ly/uiJfq9". Good luck everyone!

Onion Masala Manicotti Pasta Recipe (+Giveaway)

I came up with this new dish after I received masala marinara pasta sauce from our friend Dave of DavesGourmet.com. This special sauce was the winner of the Sofi Award for outstanding pasta sauce in 2010. The sauce is very creative and definitely has a South Asian flair with hints of ginger, coconut and kaffir lime leaves. It's a must try.

Since the sauce itself is a fusion of cultures, I thought it would be fun to continue the theme and make an Italian pasta dish with Indian flavors. I made Indian-style pearl onions cooked in onion masala sauce, called dopiaza. I used that mixture to flavor manicotti stuffed with ricotta cheese and a generous helping of French triple cream cheese. If that sounds a bit decadent to you, well, it is!

If you're itching to try the sauce I used in this dish, Dave's Gourmet kindly agreed to be a part of our 25 days of giveaways. For a chance at winning, just go to our 25 Days of Giveaways page and enter. We'll announce the winner tomorrow!

Make sure you're a fan of PhamFatale Facebook fan page and Dave's Gourmet or follow @Phamfatalecom and tweet about this giveaway. To make it easy, you can just copy and paste this tweet if you’d like: "Dave's Gourmet Pasta Sauce #HolidayGiveaway from @Phamfatalecom and @DavesGourmet: http://bit.ly/vVk4L8".

Prime Rib Roast Recipe

It’s December! Hard to believe there's only one month left in 2011, huh? If you're planning on hosting a holiday dinner, a flavorful prime rib roast might be the centerpiece you’re looking for at your holiday feast. The preparation of the meat is relatively simple and requires no marinating time. The key to success is to measure the internal temperature (135-140 degrees F) to guarantee proper doneness. The cooking time varies and isn't necessarily an indicator of a perfectly cooked prime rib. 



I wanted to give my prime roast rib an Asian flair, so I seasoned it with kaffir lime leaves, miso paste, red chili powder and fresh ginger. I rubbed the meat with the mixture and roasted it until the thermometer indicated the right internal temperature. You could of course add your favorite flavors here, but I think because of the high quality of this cut of meat, you should stick to the old adage that less is more. It's a simple, yet very tasty recipe that ensures a succulent and extremely tender prime rib. I finished the dish by broiling the crust for added crispy, intense flavor. It's hard to mess this one up!



We’ve done several giveaways this year, and they’ve been a lot of fun. I wanted to do something special for December, and the Advent Calendars (Calendrier de l’Avent in French) of my childhood came to mind. Each day, I would tear open the corresponding day on the calendar box and claim a little present (usually a little toy or a chocolate). It was so exciting! I thought we could count down the days in the same manner and showcase some really high quality products. With that in mind, the 25 Days of Giveaway project was born.

We're kicking off the season with La Cense Beef and their Four-Bone Prime Rib Roast, which is exquisitely marbled and oh-so tender. La Cense Beef is grass fed and carries no hormones, no antibiotics, no pesticides and is dedicated to restoring the place of nutrient-dense foods in our diet. The beef is intensely flavored with an almost natural “herb-y” flavor. You should really give it a try, and if you enter the contest, you just might win one! Can't wait? Buy a Four Bone Prime Rib Roast and get 4 pounds of beef burger free! A Pham Fatale Exclusive!

Fill out the entry form for a chance to win.

Make sure you're a fan of PhamFatale Facebook fan page and La Cense Beef or follow @Phamfatalecom and tweet about this giveaway. To make it easy, you can just copy and paste this tweet if you’d like: "La Cense Prime Rib Roast #HolidayGiveaway from @Phamfatalecom and @LCBBurgerTruck: http://bit.ly/rz5gbZ".

Be sure to check PhamFatale daily, win delicious prizes and find lots more fun things to do. Happy holidays!

PhamFatale 25 Days of Giveaways Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary. All prizes in the 25 days of Giveaways were generously donated by the companies featured. PhamFatale does not accept money or gifts in exchange for these items. The companies featured in 25 Days of Giveaways did not pay to participate in the 25 Days of Giveaways. Winners will be chosen at random, and odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. PhamFatale is not responsible for late, lost, stolen, illegible or incomplete entries which will be disqualified. By entering the PhamFatale 25 Days of Giveaways, you give your consent to the prize-giving company to use your email for future marketing. Only one entry per person per giveaway. Prizes are not refundable or returnable.

French Green Beans with Baby Bella Mushrooms

This is the time of the year when haricots verts ("green beans" in English) are available everywhere. Don't be fooled by fancy-schmancy French names; the main difference from the regular kind is that these are thinner, more delicate green beans with a crisper texture. Either way, green beans are a great ally in the struggle to keep healthy (especially after days of eating heavy Thanksgiving food).

They're rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals; I think they're also a great side dish that makes you feel full without packing on the calories. I sautéed the French green beans with baby Bella mushrooms for added flavor and also incorporated caramelized onions, thyme, oregano and basil.