Birthdays, the Loaf Love Tour hitting the road, Wednesday afternoon – we’ll use any reason to celebrate, as long as cheese is involved! But of course, we need a plate to serve all that cheese on! I saw this DIY platter and thought it would be the perfect way to class up our daily cheese celebrations!

Instead of painting the whole plate with chalkboard paint, I decided to paint a thin strip along the bottom of the platter; I didn’t really like the idea of cheese sitting on chalkboard paint. There are some food safe paint options out there, so make sure to read the label before painting.

I already had the white plate and tape (I recommend painters tape because it peels off easily without leaving a sticky residue), so all I needed was some standard chalkboard paint, chalk, and a disposable paint brush.

Tape off the area you want to paint and apply two coats of chalkboard paint, allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second. Allow it to dry overnight and peel off the tape!

When you’re ready to party; grab a piece of chalk, cut up your favorite cheese varieties (as you can see, I used Colby Jack Cheese, Swiss Cheese Slices, and Medium Cheddar Cheese), and serve!

Share your cheese platters with us on Pinterest!

By Candace

This Test Kitchen post comes from Krista Harper, a freelance writer and news radio show director who lives on the chilly Canadian shores of Lake Superior. Krista has become a rabid consumer of tea in the last several years (it is her belief that living in a cold climate will quickly drive anyone to drink more than their fair share of hot beverages). Working part-time at her local David’s Tea has done nothing to slow her growing thirst. Krista also admits to having spent up to a third of her otherwise modest grocery budget on cheese – so it only seems natural for her to experiment with pairing two of her favorite things!

I conducted this taste-test with the following teas:
-White
-Green (pan-fired, Chinese-style)
-Earl Grey
-Yerba Maté (a caffeinated herb from South America)
-Sleigh Ride (a tart, fruity, hibiscus-based herbal tea made by David’s Tea)

With tea steeped and seven different cheeses at hand, I was ready to try some pairings. Which teas complemented (or clashed!) with each type of cheese? Read on…

Provolone
The most delicate of the cheeses in the experiment, provolone has a creamy texture and a slightly tangy finish. I thought it would make a perfect fit with the light, refreshing taste of white tea. Nope. Even provolone cheese overpowered the gentle flavor of the white tea. However, the medium-bodied, earthy, almost hay-like flavor of the South American favorite yerba maté, was a slam dunk when paired with provolone. I would suggest pairing provolone with other medium-bodied teas such as oolong, Darjeeling black tea or rooibos.

Colby Jack
This mild, buttery cheese was hard to match. White tea seemed to be the natural choice, but as I found with provolone, it didn’t work out the way I had thought. I found this cheese went much better with green tea. A nice, smooth oolong might also suit it.

Sharp Cheddar
Full-bodied with a nice zing, this aged cheese paired best with green tea, which had just enough lively earthiness to balance it out. It also paired well with yerba maté. For a unique experience, I’d suggest trying this cheese with lapsang souchong (a very smoky black tea, which is dried over a fire) or a milder cup of Russian caravan tea (which is a blend of lapsang souchong, oolong, and black Keemun tea).

Special Reserve Extra Sharp Cheddar
This creamy cheddar’s strong flavor called for something either really earthy or strong. Nothing I had prepared worked very well with it. As with sharp cheddar, I’d suggest trying it with a smoky cup of lapsang souchong. Perhaps a good, earthy assam black tea or a pu’erh tea would also balance it out.

Pepper Jack
This cheese threw a bit of a wrench in the tasting. Would the zesty-yet-mild flavor of Pepper Jack go with any tea at all? I love me some Pepper Jack on a sandwich, but with tea? Turns out that yes, it can be paired with tea, but the robust, dark teas were out of the question. This cheese’s kick demands a light, cooling tea. The white tea paired well, and a Japanese green tea or an oolong might also work. Try icing the tea, and it would almost certainly be a match made in heaven.

Vintage White Medium Cheddar
This was my favorite cheese of the bunch. Creamy and smooth, with a distinctive flavor, the Vintage White Medium was also one of the hardest cheeses to pair. Surprisingly, fruity Sleigh Ride, a hibiscus-based tea, made the best match. Hibiscus-based teas are tart and sweet, in the vein of cranberry juice, or red wine… and Vintage White Medium Cheddar pairs well with fruit and wine, so maybe it’s not such a surprise that the pair complemented each other so well. I would recommend trying this one with any fruity teas – I think a peach or lemon-flavored tea might be especially delicious.

Smoked Medium Cheddar
This was my other favorite cheese in the tasting. The smoked hickory flavor of this moist cheddar was hard to pair, however. Since this cheese has so much going on, it’s hard to justify pairing it with anything more complex than a nice delicate white tea. The other teas I had on hand just seemed to distract from the delicious smoky flavor of the cheese. The other teas I might try to pair with this one are a creamy oolong or a Japanese green tea such as gyokuro (Japanese green teas are usually steamed, giving them a fresher, grassier flavor than their pan-fired Chinese counterparts). Or pair lapsang souchong with this cheese if you’re up for a truly smoky experience!

The final verdict
The results of the cheese and tea tasting experiment weren’t what I had anticipated. While I expected the stronger cheese flavors to pair best with stronger-tasting teas, it didn’t always work that way – and the lighter cheeses didn’t pair especially well with the lighter teas, either. I found that all the cheeses paired at least fairly well (or better) with green tea and yerba mate. Earthy flavors and cheese just seem to match well! And, word to the wise, earl grey clashed with everything. Bleh!

If you’d like to try this at home, I’d recommend making sure you have a good blend of light, medium, and full-bodied teas to experiment with, as well as a diverse spread of cheeses. Work from mildest to strongest cheeses, and give your taste buds a break between cheeses with some water.

Would you try this at home? What kinds of cheese would you pair with which tea?

By Tillamook

Queso, Tamale Pie, Biscuit Bites, Oh my! Find them all in the latest Tillamook Home Entertaining Digital Cookbook.

‘Tis the season for holiday home entertaining! Our new Recipepalooza digital cookbook features tips*, recipes, and inspiration for home entertaining so you can be the hostess with the mostess. Maybe you need an all-natural Queso recipe to curve hunger before the main course? Or a mouthwatering Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese that’s sure to impress? Polish off the evening with Blueberry Mazurka and send your guests home happy!

Visit Tillamook.com/entertaining for more yummy inspiration! Happy holidays (and home entertaining)!

*Does not include tips on handling in-laws.

By Loafy

Setting the table was always the kid’s chore at my house growing up. Perhaps it was my uncanny love of polishing silver that landed me this very important role during the holidays. While the place settings aren’t what your guests will remember the next day (pressure is on all you turkey roasters and pie bakers), a properly set table is one of the first things your guests will notice, and it will set the tone for a festive meal. Although table settings can vary slightly depending on what you’re serving and the age of your guests, here are some basic rules to follow when preparing for your guests this year.

Rule 1: Place your plates about 2 feet apart (center of plate to center of plate) to make sure your guests have enough elbow room. Make sure the placement of the plates is right before you start laying down the rest of the settings. I like to use metallic chargers to add some extra pizzazz to each place setting.

Rule 2: If you’re serving soup, place the soup bowls on top of each plate.

Rule 3: Place silverware in the order of its use, from the outside in. The utensils you’ll use for the main course should be closest to the plates.

Rule 4: Place forks to the left of the plate, and knives and spoons to the right.

Rule 5: Place the cutting edge of your knives toward the plate for safety and consistency.

Rule 6: Napkins should be to the left of the forks, or under the forks if space is tight on the table.

Rule 7: Place a butter plate above the forks, to the left side of the plate with a butter knife on top.

Rule 8: Dessert silverware should be placed above the plate with the fork handle to the left, and the spoon handle (or knife, depending on what you’re serving) to the right.

Rule 9: Coffee cup and saucer should be on the far right above the knife and spoon(s).

Rule 10: Additional drink cups should follow counter-clockwise as such: White wine glass, red wine glass, water glass. The glasses should be in a line with the largest (water glass) behind the other glasses decreasing in size.

Rule 11: If you have festive napkin rings, tis the season to bring them out. You can also add place cards for a festive (and sometimes strategic) touch to your table.

What festive touches do you like to add to your holiday place settings?

By Amalya

Home Entertaining Recipepalooza: We asked some of our favorite bloggers to share a recipe and their tips for home entertaining. This recipe comes from Haley Shivers’ blog Love Life Family…and then some. Haley Shivers is the Author and Mom behind Love, Life, Family…and then some. Based in Houston, Texas she has a passion for all things blogging and social media.

Tillamook Easy Sour Cream Enchiladas 

Overview
A hearty and delicious family favorite, these enchiladas are a huge hit every time I make them! Pair with Spanish rice and black beans for a perfect meal. My tip for this recipe is that if you find that the sauce is too thick after adding in your sour cream, you can use extra chicken broth 1 tablespoon at a time to thin it out.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Yield (number of servings): 8

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb), cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Tillamook Butter
8 flour tortillas
2 cups Tillamook Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese, divided
1 ½ cups Tillamook Sour Cream
1 cup chicken broth
1 4-oz can green chiles
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation
Using a large skillet over medium heat, cook onion and chicken in butter until chicken is cooked through. Next, spoon onion chicken mixture into tortillas, add some cheese, and roll them up. Place the rolls side by side in a buttered 9×13 baking dish, fold side down.

In a skillet whisk together sour cream, chicken broth, and green chiles over medium-high heat. Add in garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Pour sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 17-19 minutes or until cheese becomes lightly brown and bubbly.

About Haley:
Tips for stress-free home entertaining:
“My secret to making entertainment in the home stress-free is to be well prepared. I shop ahead of time so I make sure the day of my event I won’t have to run to the store and lose valuable prep time.”

Kitchen advice for other moms and dads:
“My kitchen advice for Mom’s preparing for a family gathering is to have a fun craft or project to have your kids work on the day of your party (for Holidays, I like to give them a craft kit to create a table centerpiece). Sit them down in the living room with the activity and have dad or another relative supervise. With less to worry about things will go more smoothly in the kitchen while you’re cooking.”

Follow Haley and her blog online:
Facebook
Twitter

By Tillamook

Home Entertaining Recipepalooza:  We asked some of our favorite bloggers to share a recipe and their tips for home entertaining. This tasty recipe comes from Emily Morgenstern of 52 Mantels, a blog about all things home, including weekly mantel makeovers, seasonal crafts, simple recipes and affordable DIY projects. She’s a lover of parties, a drinker of coffee, a believer of grace, a mommy to a sweet girl, and the wife to her best friend of a hubby.

Tillamook Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes

Overview
When planning a holiday or special occasion menu, Twice Baked Potatoes typically make my list. They’re easy to prepare and make ahead, and are a breeze to serve from a buffet line. Plus, they’re delicious enough for even the most finicky party guest!

The beauty of Twice Baked Potatoes is that they can be made ahead OR they can be made in stages: 1) bake potatoes 2) stuff potatoes 3) re-bake potatoes. Potentially, each of these steps could be made on different days. I love the flexibility of this dish!

Prep Time: 1½ hours
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield (number of servings): 6

Ingredients
6 large russet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz Tillamook All Natural Sour Cream
3 tablespoons Tillamook Salted Butter, softened
1½ cup Tillamook Shredded Classic Mac & Cheese Blend Cheese
1 ounce milk
6 strips of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare potatoes by scrubbing clean and piercing with fork in several places. Rub olive oil over potato skins and place in oven, directly on rack. Bake for 60-75 minutes, until potatoes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. When lightly pressed, potatoes should give under the pressure. Let potatoes cool completely.

When cooled, cut each potato in half, lengthwise. Make potato boats by carefully scooping out the interior flesh, leaving the skin plus approximately ¼ inch of potato flesh intact. Set aside 6 boats and discard the remaining 6. In a large bowl, combine potato flesh with sour cream, 1 cup of cheese, butter, milk, and bacon. Mash with a potato masher until combined. Spoon mixture evenly among the 6 potato boats. Place in a large, oven-safe casserole dish, sprinkle tops with remaining cheese, and bake in a 350 oven for approximately 20 minutes.

**To make ahead: Complete all steps prior to the final baking. Place loaded potatoes in an airtight container and refrigerate until 1½ hours prior to serving. To serve, remove potatoes from refrigerator, place in a large, oven-safe casserole dish, and let potatoes come to room temperature. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for approximately 20-30 minutes.

About Emily:
Tips for stress-free home entertaining:
“For my family, stress-free entertaining is all about planning ahead. I always pick dishes that can be prepared ahead of time so the moments before an event are relaxing and fun!

Kitchen advice for other moms and dads:
“My advice for planning a dinner party or family gathering is to choose only one or two specialty dishes to focus your attention on. The rest of the menu can be filled in with semi-homemade fare, store bought dishes or even pot-luck style dishes. Don’t try to take on a complicated six course meal on your own. Instead, wow your guests with a delicious, home-cooked main course…and serve a bakery-bought pie for dessert. Your guests will be delighted and you’ll be a composed, relaxed host or hostess!”

Follow Emily and her blog online:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

By Tillamook

Home Entertaining Recipepalooza: We asked some of our favorite bloggers to share a recipe and their tips for home entertaining. This recipe comes from Cara Ferguson’s blog Culinary Cara. Cara is a devout foodie, hot-rod lover, and hardcore Texan. She’s inspired by the flavors and cultures of the world, giving them a Texas twist in her dishes. Check out this tasty recipe on Cara’s blog.

Tillamook Creamy Red Potato Salad

Overview
Texans love a good barbeque, and potato salad is the perfect accompaniment for any cookout. Tillamook Natural Sour Cream gives this recipe a balanced richness, along with the bright flavors of fresh dill and red onion. Your friends and family will keep coming back for more!

The best part of this recipe is that it can be made in advance. Cook the potatoes and assemble the dressing the day before and combine before you’re ready to serve! If you don’t have rice vinegar, any variety of less pungent vinegar (such as cider vinegar) will make a suitable substitution.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time:  1 hour 30 minutes
Yield (number of servings):  6-8

Ingredients
2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
½ cup Tillamook Natural Sour Cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon brown or dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper
¾ cup cooked & crumbled bacon (6-7 strips)
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (add another teaspoon for garnish)

Preparation
Boil chopped potatoes in water over high heat for 15-20 minutes, or until fork pierces into potatoes with little resistance. Drain potatoes and allow to cool completely. While your potatoes cook, assemble the creamy dressing. Combine remaining ingredients (except for the bacon) in a sealable container, and set aside in the fridge until potatoes have cooled. Gently fold dressing, crumbled bacon, and potatoes together just before serving. Add a bit of freshly chopped dill for garnish, if you’d like.

About Cara:
Tips for stress-free home entertaining:
“When I entertain, I follow one motto: ‘Keep it fresh and simple.’ No need for the Thanksgiving-style spread, just make a few snacking options with a few fresh ingredients. This way, your guests will be able to converse and enjoy each other’s company!”

Kitchen advice for other moms and dads:
“Parents are always very busy, so it’s important to keep things fresh and simple. Choose a recipe that can be made in advance, and something with around a handful of ingredients. When entertaining guests at home, serve just a few great dishes, instead of assembling an entire buffet. You wallet and your hectic schedule will thank you for it.

Follow Cara and her blog online:
Facebook
Twitter

By Tillamook

Home Entertaining Recipepalooza: We asked some of our favorite bloggers to share a recipe and their tips for home entertaining. This recipe comes from Sallie Kinard’s blog Texas Cottage. Sallie is a native Texan, who loves to cook for her family. Her cooking is influenced by the great variety of cultures here in Texas, as well as some great country cooking.  

Tillamook Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas 

Overview
My family loves Tex-Mex, and we eat it at least once a week. Since eating out is so expensive, I’ve learned to make it at home. Chicken enchiladas baked in a creamy, cheesy sauce are perfect for a family dinner or for a fiesta. They are so easy to make with just a few ingredients. I would serve the Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas with tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole salad. Dessert can be as simple as fresh pineapple slices. Gather everyone in the kitchen for some cooking fun!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Yield (number of servings): 6

Ingredients
10 ¾ ounce-can cream of chicken soup
1 cup Tillamook Natural Sour Cream
½ cup milk
4 ounce-can diced green chiles
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
3 ounces of package cream cheese, softened
12 corn tortillas
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup Tillamook Shredded Mexican Blend
Sliced green onions (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13×9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix together soup, sour cream, milk, green chiles, and cumin. Then set aside the bowl. In another bowl, mix together shredded chicken, softened cream cheese, and ½ cup soup mixture.

Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in small skillet over medium heat. Place one corn tortilla in hot oil for a few seconds, turn and heat other side.** Remove and place on paper towels. Spread one heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture down center of tortilla, roll up, and place seam-side down in baking pan. Repeat with the other tortillas, adding more oil to skillet as needed.

Spread remaining soup mixture over the enchiladas and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted and enchiladas are bubbly. Serve with extra sour cream and sliced green onions.

**I heat the corn tortillas in hot oil so they won’t break when I roll them up. You can skip this step by using flour tortillas.

About Sallie:
Tips for stress-free home entertaining:
“Keep the menu simple. Make an awesome main dish and serve it with a variety of store-bought side dishes. Make easy appetizers, such as a slice of Tillamook cheese on a whole-grain cracker.”

Kitchen advice for other moms and dads:
“We often have family gatherings and now that the kids are grown, the family is growing. When you have a party, don’t try to do everything yourself. Ask your guests (especially if it’s family) to contribute to the meal. Everyone has a dish or two they would love to share.”

Follow Sallie and her blog online:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

By Tillamook

I can eat Tillamook any time of day. Actually, let’s face it – I DO eat Tillamook any time of day! I use Tillamook for my everyday needs (cheese and egg toast, yogurt as a snack, ice cream for dessert…), but what can be done to make these everyday products a little more special? Well, here are some recipes to help out those of us who struggle to make things fancy!

- This Pear & Muenster Flatbread sure looks fancy, but it’s actually simple to make! What could be better than that?

- Until recently, I had considered truffle oil to be “too fancy” for me…but I was wrong! This Truffle Mac & Cheese recipe could be made for an ordinary dinner, or can make for a fancy side.

- Impress your guests with this Rum Roasted Pineapple recipe. Homemade frozen yogurt and roasted pineapple take it to a whole new level of delicious!

- Who doesn’t like something salty and chocolaty? This Tortoise Pie recipe is filled with caramel, covered with ganache, and decorated in pretzels. It’s as good as it sounds.

For more recipe inspiration, stop by the Tillamook Kitchen!

By Katie