We all know that waffles are delicious, but did you also know that they make a wonderful vessel for sandwiches? That’s right, waffle sandwiches (a.k.a. Dutch Tacos)! We know our cheese, but we needed a little help with the waffle side of things so we visited the Portland food cart Flavourspot to find the best way to celebrate….With waffles and cheese of course!

Waffle 1:
Muenster Cheese, smothered in brown sugar, with green apple, and bacon. It’s a riff off the classic baked brie! And it’s very, very tasty.

Waffle 2:
Smoked Medium Cheddar Cheese, veggie sausage, and maple syrup. Need we say more?

Waffle 3:
Turkey, Jalapenos, Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar Cheese, and America’s Best Colby Jack Cheese, all wrapped up in a waffle. Doesn’t get much better than this!

If you don’t have a waffle maker at home, fear not! The frozen waffles you can buy in the grocery store also work just fine. Or, if you’re in the Portland area, Flavourspot is the perfect place to indulge. Happy International Waffle Day!

Stay connected with Flavourspot on:
Facebook
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By Laura

Being born and raised in Portland, Oregon, I was never introduced to a proper biscuit until later in life when I was able to travel to the south. Now living in Portland as an adult, I know the only place to go get the real thing in town is Pine State Biscuits. That’s why I am ecstatic to welcome Pine State Biscuits as the next Tillamook Kitchen restaurant. Even better, I got to spend a whole day at the Alberta location talking about food and nibbling on some of the best grub in town!

Walt Alexander, Kevin Atchley, and Brian Snyder, the owners of Pine State Biscuits, getting their profile pictures for Tillamook Kitchen. All originally from North Carolina, they showed us some true southern hospitality. They’re down to earth, super welcoming, and the type of guys you immediately want to sit down and have a beer with.

Right when you walk in the door of Pine State Biscuits there’s an instant warm feeling. The flakey biscuits in the oven, the homey atmosphere, all the people enjoying their delicious food… It’s a true neighborhood joint and a place where everyone is welcome.

Pine State Biscuits started at the Portland Farmer’s Market and although it’s grown it hasn’t lost that local culture. Even the grits they use come from a local farm. Tillamook, of course, is also a local ingredient. My favorite bite of the day was the first ever Chatfield (fried chicken, bacon, cheese, and apple butter) made with Smoked Medium Cheddar Cheese!

Thanks, Pine State Biscuits, for being such gracious hosts for the day and letting us into your kitchen! You can get more of Pine State Biscuits on Facebook and Twitter!

By Laura

I’ve seen some images floating around online of sushi rolls made with mac and cheese. Could it be that a marriage between sushi and mac and cheese, two of my favorite foods, really exists? There was only one way to find out if this urban legend was as scrumptious as it looked.

My experiment began with creating three different flavors of mac and cheese. The first was your standard fare, not too gooey, but certainly cheese laden. The second, I made extra cheesy. Something inside me said, the more cheese I added, the closer to sticky rice the consistency would get. The third was all about flavor. I used Tillamook Garlic White Cheddar to kick it up a notch. Once my mac and cheese was prepped, I let it cool in the fridge for an hour. You know how when you refrigerate leftover mac and cheese, it firms up? Well that’s exactly what I was going for!

An hour later, I removed it from the fridge and started making my rolls…easier said than done. I covered my sushi rolling mat in plastic wrap and sprinkled breadcrumbs over one third of the mat. Then, I scooped the mac and cheese onto the breadcrumbs and spread it out into a long rectangle, trying to make sure there were no gaps. I tried placing a few different things inside the rolls: pesto sauce, parmesan, more breadcrumbs, and thin strips of cheese. Rolling the rolls proved pretty difficult, especially with the plastic wrap. I ended up trying aluminum foil as well, which held its shape much better. The mac and cheese oozed out the ends of my rolling mat on my first few tries. Once I had the rolls complete and wrapped, I placed them in the fresezer for another hour.

I took the rolls out, unwrapped them, and sliced them into sushi pieces using a sharp knife. I let the rolls sit out and warm to room temperature before eating (I highly recommend this, they’ll hold their shape and taste much better). I sprinkled some cayenne pepper on top of a few of the rolls for good measure, and dipped the sushi pieces in pesto sauce, Tabasco sauce, and Secret Aardvark Habanero sauce.

As far as execution, the rolls with strips of cheese in the center held up the best. The pesto sauce leaked through the center of the roll, but still tasted great. I really recommend trying this experiment with the flavored cheddars. The Garlic White Cheddar rolls were my favorite!

Would you try this cheestastic sushi experiment!?

By Amalya

The joyous Jewish holiday of Purim will be celebrated this weekend, beginning Saturday at sundown. Like all of my favorite holidays, it’s celebrated with a special treat that’s both fun to bake and delicious to eat. The signature triangle pastries of Purim are called Hamantaschen. The triangle shape is said to match the three-cornered hat that Haman (the villain in the Purim story) wore. I must say, they’re best when made with Tillamook Butter and a great baking project to get the kids involved with!

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup Tillamook Unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 cups fine sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Prune, poppy seed or other fruit preserves (I used marionberry)*

*You can also make your own filling from scratch; there are tons of great recipes online!

Preparation
Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, thoroughly mix butter, shortening, and sugar, then beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Gradually sift and mix the flour mixture into the wet mixture. Once combined, take the dough out on a flat surface and knead until smooth. If the dough sticks to the surface, add some more flour. Wrap the dough and place in the fridge for at least three hours.

Preheat oven to 350ºF and then roll the dough on a floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick. Cut into circles using a round cookie-cutter. Place a dollop of fruit preserves in the center and pinch three sides of the dough together to form a triangle shape leaving the center exposed. Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges turn golden brown.

Tillamook Cheese might make for a tasty filling to try! What will you fill your Hamantaschen with!?

By Amalya

Here are the top 5 Miss Muffet approved cheese curd recipes!

Bacon and Cheese Curd Grilled Cheese
This tasty find from Food & Wine is right up our alley!  Grilled cheese with bacon, sharp cheddar, and cheese curds!

Photo courtesy of © Fredrika Stjärne

Grilled Cheese Curd Panzanella
Tuscan bread salad, I would like to introduce you to Tillamook Cheese Curds! A match made in cheese heaven! Buon appetite!

Photo courtesy of Nick Kindelsperger

Fried Cheese Curds
We put our squeeky spin on this recipe from Simple Comfort Food. Fried + Cheese = delicious!

Poutine
There seems to be a little confusion as to where poutine was first invented. Regardless, whoever came up with this gravy smothered mound of deliciousness is a culinary genius in my eyes!

Cheese Curd Quesadilla
Quick, delicious, and squeeky!  A great combination!

Photo courtesy of AwakeAtTheWhisk.com

By Candace

Poutine is arguably my guiltiest, gooiest food pleasure. What is poutine, you ask? It’s a Canadian dish that consists of French fries, covered in cheese curds, drowned in gravy. Is this “poutine” you in a good mood yet? I’ve often sampled poutine from food carts in Portland, but had never thought to make it myself! This recipe is frighteningly easy to make – try it for an afternoon snack or appetizer.

Tips:
1. I thickened my sauce too much – a slightly runnier sauce will help cover all the fries
2. You can make it with vegetarian broth in the gravy (like I did!), but beef or chicken stock work just as well
3. Try adding herbs to the gravy for some extra flavor!

Ingredients
4 Russet potatoes, cut into short, thin strips
Ice and cold water for ice bath
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Tillamook Salted Butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef or vegetable broth
2 cups Tillamook Squeaky Cheese Curds

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Wash and dry the potatoes. Leave the skins on and cut them into short, thin strips. Place the potato strips into a large bowl filled with ice water (tip: this removes some of the starch so your fries come out crispier!). Take the potatoes out of the water after 15 minutes and spread them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes until golden and crispy, turning occasionally.

While they bake, heat the butter and flour in a medium saucepan on low-medium heat. Once it starts to foam, gradually add broth (I used vegetable, but beef works too!), stirring with a wire whisk between additions. Once all the vegetable broth is in the saucepan, bring to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to a low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the gravy has thickened and then remove from heat.

Once the French fries have cooked, remove them from the oven and place onto a serving plate. Top with Squeaky Cheese Curds and pour gravy over top. Serve warm and try not to stuff yourself!

By Katie

As one of the few token moms of the Tillamook Marketing/Communications team, I find myself always sharing stories of my kids (and their love of all things Tillamook). Honestly, mostly my two boys (3½ and 7½) just eat Tillamook au natural – cheese sliced up as a snack (or meal, or lunch box inclusion), yogurt right out of the cup – no need for fancy recipes for them to enjoy the Tillamook goodness. But, they are pretty partial to homemade mac and cheese. We have a few recipes we rotate, but this is one of my favorites because it (in a very non-obvious to kids-way) includes a little bit of vegetable. ;-) Don’t tell the kids, the shredded carrot pretty much looks just like shredded cheddar. Not sure mine have ever really noticed it! If you’re making this for grown-ups and want to add some extra spice, feel free to add a little cayenne or hot sauce into the egg mixture with the mustard powder.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
2 cups macaroni noodles
2½ cups coarsely grated carrot (about 8 small carrots)
3 cups grated Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese
¼ cup (½ stick) Tillamook Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces
¾ cup Tillamook Sour Cream
¼ cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon mustard powder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F and grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Cook macaroni according to package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water. Add grated carrot 3 minutes before pasta is finished cooking, then drain well. While pasta is hot, stir in all but ½ cup of the cheddar and the butter.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, salt, mustard powder, and pepper. Fold mixture into the pasta. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan then sprinkle the remaining cheddar and the parmesan over the top. Bake until the casserole is firm to the touch and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

By Tori

With the Super Bowl charging closer, it’s time to rally your friends for the big game! Whether you’re a 49ers fan, a Ravens fan, or just excited to see that Destiny’s Child reunion you’ve been holding out for, we can all agree, no Super Bowl party is complete without some killer eats!

Here are 5 tasty dips suited for the Super Bowl and best served in a bowl.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
Spinach, artichoke, and cheese join forces to create the dream team of dips.

Queso Blanco
A little sibling rivalry never hurt anyone! As Jim and John Harbaugh duke it out for the big win, Vintage White Medium Cheddar and Monterey Jack team up in this tasty dip. I guarantee you’ll be making more than one touchdown in the queso bowl.

Smoked Salmon Sour Cream Dip
This may not be one of the usual suspects at your Super Bowl parties, but just like Kaepernick’s single-game NFL record, this dip will surprise and delight your guests.

7 Layer Dip
Seven flavors. Seven layers. Seven reasons you’ll love this dip.

Creamy Crab Dip
Leave the crabbiness to this creamy dip! Your friends will be too busy raving over this dip to get angry that your team scored another touchdown.

By Amalya

Every Sunday my family tries to get together to enjoy a leisurely late morning breakfast. I like breakfast and brunch foods that fill the house with mouthwatering scents while cooking. Frittata is a great brunch food because it’s easy to make, looks good, and you can customize it to fit the ingredients you’ve got around the kitchen.

Prep time: 15
Total time: 30
Yield (number of servings): 4

Ingredients
8 eggs
½ yellow onion
5 mushrooms
Olive oil
2 potatoes
½ cup shredded Tillamook Medium Cheddar
Handful of grape tomatoes
Spinach, kale, or fresh basil, just enough for garnish
Fresh parsley
1 pinch of black pepper
1 pinch of salt
Note: You will need a frying pan that can be put into the oven

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Dice onion and place in pan over heat with olive oil. Then slice mushrooms and add to the pan. Sauté onion and mushrooms until onion is transparent. Remove onion and mushroom from pan and set aside.

Beat eggs together and set aside. Arrange thin slices of potato on the bottom of the pan and cook for a few minutes over medium heat. Once cooked, arrange the potatoes to cover the bottom of the pan (this will act like a pie crust when you serve the frittata). Cover with a layer of the mushroom and onion, and then pour beaten eggs evenly over the layer of mushrooms and onions. Cover the eggs with the grated cheese. Garnish with the tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Best if sliced and served right away.

You can make this breakfast frittata using any seasonal vegetables or diced meats you’d like. You can also substitute any tasty Tillamook Cheese for the Medium Cheddar to mix things up!

What will you include in your frittata this weekend!?

By Amalya

What’s the best part of all these rainy, cold, sometimes even snowy days? Soup, of course! I love making soups with a variety of seasonal ingredients and having leftovers that last for days. Here are a few tasty winter soup suggestions to make your next meal a little soupier.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Apple and the 3 B’s (bacon, butter, and butternut squash!) make a hearty soup for dinner.

Flickr/notahipster (Creative Commons)

Beer & Cheese Soup
This recipe uses two of my favorite things: beer and cheese. The combination is seriously mouthwatering. Try it with your favorite local beer (we like to use beer from the Widmer Brothers) and our Special Reserve Extra Sharp Cheddar.

Flickr/Bryan Esler (Creative Commons)

Tomato Soup
Tomato soup: the perfect companion for homemade grilled cheese. Any flavor of Tillamook Cheese will do!

Flickr/adactio (Creative Commons)

Spinach and Yogurt Soup
That’s right. Yogurt. In soup. Give it a try with Tillamook Naturally Plain Yogurt.

Flickr/Ewan M (Creative Commons)

Carrot Soup with Miso and Sesame
Stuck with a million carrots from your January-induced diet? Mash them up into soup!

Flickr/James Cohen (Creative Commons)

By Katie