Gourmoo Cookoff Dinner Party Challenge + a Giveaway!!

I have always been lactose-intolerant. I was "that kid" at birthday parties growing up popping the white, chalky Lactaid pills before digging into the party pizza.

So, when Moovision approached me and asked if I'd like to promote their Gourmoo Cookoff Dinner Party Challenge - which promotes recipes using Lactaid Milk - I happily obliged. Gourmoo Cookoff consists of five episode challenges: Appetizer, Side Dish, Entrée, Dessert and the Wild Card finale. For this week, I'm hosting my own “Gourmoo Cookoff Dinner Party Challenge” on The EE to correspond with the Appetizer Challenge. My mission: Watch the video below, critique it, and enter my own recipe/dish that I would have entered into the challenge if I was competing.

I thought most of the contestants in this appetizer challenge really created delicious-looking dishes that most people would think would be impossible to make with trace amounts of lactose. Nicole's Blue Cheese Sweet Potato Chips, for instance, seem like a fairly easy dish, but it's great to know someone like me can enjoy it with wanting to rip out our intestines afterwards (too graphic?).

Robert's Mediterranean Spread with Garlic Bread didn't really scream "creativity" to me, and I agree with the judges that his bread slices were overly thick and large. Morena's Thai Galanga and Mushroom Soup, as well as Laurie's Pan Seared Scallops with Johnny Cakes, seemed the most innovative to me. I had hoped Laurie would win, as her appetizer also seemed the easiest to eat - think standing over a cocktail table - so I think the judges made the right decision in the end. I just wish each contestant gave a little more description on how Lactaid Milk played a central role in their dish.

If I had participated in this challenge, I would make my own variation of a Cheese Herb Dip. Personally, I refused to ever give up cheese, even when my lactose-intolerance was at its worst. No one should ever go without cheese. My recipe would consist of some plain Greek yogurt - which is easier on the stomach than, say, sour cream - a little bit of fresh goat cheese, lemon juice, Lactaid milk, chopped parsley, chopped green onions, chopped chives, some fresh thyme and rosemary, and salt and black pepper to taste. Throw it all in a food processor, mix well, and serve with baguette slices. Elegant and stomach-friendly.

Now - what does any of this have to do with you guys?? You have the chance to enter my GIVEAWAY!!!! Courtesy of Moovision, I am giving away a $50 Amazon gift card and $25 worth of Lactaid Milk coupons to one lucky EE reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this blog post about what appetizer featuring lactose-free milk you'd make for this challenge. For additional entries, tweet "I entered @MichellePC's giveaway for @Moovision's #GourmooCookoff Challenge!" Winner will be picked and announced by me, at random, on February 22nd. Good luck!!