I’m a longtime lover of a grilled cheese sandwich, but lately, I’ve been searching for an extra kick in my ooey gooey toasty creations. After countless taste tests, I’ve found these five additions to be the perfect spicy complement to my grilled cheese addiction.

Gulden’s Spicy Brown Mustard
Gulden’s is known for its spicy brown mustard, which includes a blend of mustard seeds and spices. If you’re looking for a little spice, without getting too crazy, spicy mustard might be the choice for you – hot, but not too spicy!

Kelly’s Habanero Jelly
If you’re nervous about going too spicy, but want to dapple in the Habanero world, this is the perfect jelly for you! Made with a blend of Habanero and Bell Peppers, this unique jelly is a perfect balance of spicy and sweet.

Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce
This Portland native sauce is a mix of habanero peppers and roasted tomatoes that complements the creaminess of Tillamook Cheese without commandeering the flavor of the sandwich as a whole. With a taste that is spicier than Tabasco, it’s a great choice for the spice seeker.

Sriracha
This sauce was named after its birthplace, the Thai seaside town Si Racha. Sriracha Chilli sauce is made from sun ripped chilis ground into a smooth paste with vinegar, salt, garlic, and sugar. Sweeter than Tabasco, this sauce is a friend to any grilled cheese looking for a kick of heat.

Jalapeños 
This chili pepper means business. If you’ve tried Tillamook Pepper Jack, you’ve sampled the spice, but if you’re looking for more, try adding some into your sandwich. You’ve seen them, tasted them, and maybe even shed a few tears for them in sandwiches like The Jalapeno Popper Sandwich.

By Amalya

This year’s Loaf Love Tour is going deep in the heart of Texas! In that spirit, we’ve decided to share some of our favorite Texas-inspired recipes so fans from all over the country can enjoy a taste of Tillamook and Texas.

Natural Queso

Photo: Tillamook

Courtesy of Top Chef season 5 winner, Hosea Rosenberg of Blackbelly Catering

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (8oz) Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese, cubed
• 1 cup (4 oz) Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese, cubed
• 2 jalapeno chile peppers, de-seeded, de-stemmed and finely chopped
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1 dash of cayenne pepper
• 3 dashes of Tabasco sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Mix all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, then arrange in a terracotta baking dish (or any dish that holds heat well).

Bake in oven until the cheese is thoroughly melted, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 2-3 minutes, then enjoy immediately.

Chicken and Cheese Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon Tillamook^® Salted Butter
• 2 large onions, diced
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 – 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
• 1 – 8 ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 1 – 8 ounce can red or pinto beans, rinsed
• 12 ounces tomato juice
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2½ cups Tillamook^® Shredded Medium Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

In a large pot, saute chicken in 2 tablespoons of oil until opaque, remove from pot.

Add butter and remaining oil to pot and saute onions over medium high heat until translucent.  Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and marjoram, cook mixture about ten minutes to medium brown color.  Add the cooked chicken, carrots, celery, and jalapenos, stir just to coat.  Add chopped tomatoes, beans, and tomato juice.

Cook on low for 1 hour.  Add more tomato juice if needed.

To finish, stir in 1 cup of cheese until cheese is melted.  Spoon chili into bowls and sprinkle each with the remaining cheese and chopped cilantro.

Serves 6

Photo: ginnerobot/Flickr

Giant Cheesy Double Corn Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (8 ounces) Tillamook^® Shredded Medium Cheddar Cheese
• 1½ cups fresh, frozen (thawed) corn, or 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup whole milk
• 1-8 ounce box self-rising corn muffin mix
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup of green onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚

Grease a 6-cup large muffin pan (1 cup capacity each).  Measure out ½ cup cheese for topping; reserve remaining for batter.

Pulse corn in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses.  Add eggs and milk; pulse to blend, about 3 pulses.

Place corn muffin mix in a large bowl.  Add sugar, remaining 1½ cups cheese, and corn mixture; stir until no lumps of mix remain.  Spoon into muffin cups, dividing evenly, (batter will almost fill cups).  Sprinkle with reserved ½ cup cheese.

Bake until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on wire rack 5 minutes; turn out and serve hot.

Makes 6 large muffins

Serving suggestion:  Split and top with chili.

Add-ins:  Stir in ½ cup minced green onion or crumbled bacon when adding cheese to batter.

Grilled Cheddar and BBQ Pork Sandwich 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large onions, julienned (4½ cups)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 pounds pulled pork*
• 1½ cups chipotle BBQ Sauce
• 20 1-ounce slices Tillamook^® Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 20 slices Texas Toast
• 5 ounces softened Tillamook^® Salted Butter

*Pulled Pork

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon each: black pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, oregano, chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 pound pork shoulder roast at room temperature

Directions:

Pulled Pork

Preheat oven to 225°.

In small bowl combine salt, seasonings and cumin seeds. Rub shoulder with spice mixture. Place roast on rack in a large roasting pan and place in oven. Roast about 9 hours until a meat thermometer reaches 175. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Shred pork, removing any excess fat. Combine shredded pork with BBQ sauce and set aside.

Yield: about 2 pounds shredded pork

Heat oil in large skillet over medium. Stir in onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions begin to wilt. Reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onions are soft and have caramelized to a rich golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

To assemble individual sandwich:

• 2 slices Texas Toast
• 4.5 ounces pork mixture
• 3 tablespoons caramelized onions
• 2 slices cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter

Place one slice of cheese on slice of bread. Top with pork mixture, then onion, then second slice of cheese. Top with second slice of bread. Spread with half the butter. Heat heavy skillet over medium-low and place sandwich, butter side down, in pan. Spread remaining butter on top slice. Grill until golden, turn and grill the other side until golden and cheese has melted.

Texas Mac & Cheese

Photo: Tillamook

Submitted by Kendra Schuring – Dallas, TX Cook Off – 2005 Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Contest

Ingredients:

Pasta:

• 1 pound dry large rigatoni pasta
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 1 cup softened Tillamook® Unsalted Butter
• ½ cups shredded parmesan cheese
• 1½ cups half and half
• 1½ cups ricotta cheese
• 2 cups Tillamook^® Shredded Medium Cheddar Cheese
• 3 cups Tillamook^® Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese

Egg Mixture:

• 3 eggs, beaten
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Topping:

• ½ cup crushed lime and green chili tortilla chips
• ½ cup Tillamook^® Shredded Medium Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup Tillamook^® Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
• ¼ cup melted Tillamook^® Unsalted Butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Add salt in large pot of boiling water. Cook pasta until done.  Drain water, leave pasta in pot, do not rinse.  Add butter and parmesan.  Mix until creamy.  Stir in one cup of half and half.  Add ricotta cheese.  Mix until smooth.  Mix in Tillamook Medium Cheddar and Tillamook Pepper Jack cheeses.  Blend in egg mixture.  Mix until smooth.

Once all ingredients are incorporated, pour into 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Mix topping ingredients by hand until crumbly and sprinkle over the top.  Slowly pour remaining ½ cup of half and half over topping.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is golden brown on top.

Sopa De Tortillas (Tortilla Soup)

Submitted by Angeles Martinez, Los Angeles, CA – Grand Prize Winner – Los Angeles, CA Tillamook® Recipe Contest 2001

Ingredients:

• 24 tortillas
• 1 pound sausage
• 1 pound Tillamook^® Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• 2 pounds red tomatoes
• 1 large piece of onion
• 1 poblano chile
• 2 cups heavy cream
• broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Have a large casserole dish or mold ready for baking and serving soup.

Fry the sausage in a teaspoon of cooking oil until browned.  Add the chile and sliced onion.  Immediately add the tomatoes mixed with the salt, pepper and broth.  Leave on burner to allow flavors to blend.

Take sausage mixture off the heat and add the heavy cream, then let it set.  Heat a frying pan with oil until hot and quickly fry the tortillas, removing them just when they soften.

Place a layer of 6 tortillas, two-by-two, in the casserole dish (or mold).  Add the salsa mixture, then a layer of cheese, followed by another layer of tortillas, salsa and cheese again, until all ingredients have been used.  Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 15-20 minutes.

If you’re as excited about Texas as we are, check out this Tillamook + Texas  t-shirt!

Do ya’ll have any tasty Texas recipes using Tillamook? Share with other fans on Facebook or in the comments below!

By Katie

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and if your family is anything like mine, you’re not only planning for the BIG turkey meal, but the dozens of meals you’ll make after Thanksgiving with the leftovers! One of the classic post-Thanksgiving meals is a turkey sandwich with all the holiday fixings – turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Our friends over at simplethings sandwich & pie shop in Los Angeles are famous for their Thanksgiving Sandwich and have agreed to share the secret to their mouthwatering recipe with all Tillamook fans!

SIMPLETHINGS THANKSGIVING SANDWICH (4 sandwiches/servings)

4 tablespoons Tillamook Unsalted Butter
4 slices of bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons jalapeno, minced
2 cups (16 oz) prepared cornbread stuffing
1/2 cup (4 oz) Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1 cup (8 oz) turkey gravy
1 lb (16 oz) oven roasted turkey (sliced 1/8” thick)
1/2 cup (4 oz) cranberry relish
4 rustic rolls

Prepare the stuffing:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the chopped bacon and sauté until crisp. Add the jalapeno and cook until jalapeno is soft, then set aside. Place the stuffing in a large bowl and add the bacon mixture, Monterey Jack Cheese and eggs. Mix completely. Place mixture in a buttered dish and bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside until ready to make sandwiches (note: this may yield more stuffing than what’s needed for 4 sandwiches).

Make the sandwiches:
Heat gravy in a saucepan. Add the turkey to warm through and coat completely. Split each roll and top the bottom slice with ¼ cup of the jalapeno stuffing. Top the stuffing with the gravy soaked turkey. Spread the cranberry relish on the top piece of bread and place on top of sandwich to serve.

This sandwich is amazing! Give it a try with your Thanksgiving leftovers and let us know what you think!

P.S. If the cold weather and holidays have you craving warm, comforting home-cooked dishes, such as the Thanksgiving Sandwich from simplethings sandwich & pie shop, stay tuned for exciting additions to the Tillamook Kitchen! We have a new group of Chefs and restaurants we’re excited to introduce to you and your family this holiday season.

By Mary

A cute way to celebrate National Sandwich Month - a cheesy Tic-Tac-Toe sandwich!

Today begins National Sandwich Month, which got me thinking about my favorite childhood sandwich that my mom would pack in my school lunches: sliced cheddar cheese on wheat bread with a little mayo. That was it. No meat or veggies, just the cheese. And because I grew up in Oregon, you can bet that cheddar was Tillamook!

What was your favorite sandwich when you were a kid? How will you celebrate National Sandwich Month in August?

Photo courtesy of Cookie Cutter Lunch

By Loafy

Tillamook partner chefs Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak of The AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen.

What’s a sandwich without cheese? To celebrate two of the all-time tastiest foods – sandwiches and cheese – our Loaf Love Tour has partnered with five notable Bay Area restaurants. Each restaurant is offering their take on specialty melts, sandwiches (and even burgers!) featuring award-winning Tillamook Cheese.

‘Tillamook Sandwich Week’ runs from June 11th – 18th, so grab a map  and start plotting out your sandwich crawl around town!

Participating restaurants:

The AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen
1 South Park Ave.
Suite 103A
San Francisco, 941070
(415) 243-0107
Tillamook Sandwich Week Special: Tillamook Signature Chef Heidi Gibson has created a Mac n’ Cheese Grilled Cheese with Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese, pork belly, smoked tomato, caramelized onions, and avocado ($8.00).

Ironside
680 A 2nd St.
San Francisco, CA 941070
(415) 896-1127
Tillamook Sandwich Week Specials: Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese tops off Ironside’s Northern Bison Burger and Pacific Pastures Grass Fed Beef Burger  (market price; $15).

Nickies
466 Haight St.
San Francisco, CA 941170
(415) 255-0300
Tillamook Sandwich Week Special: Lower Haight local eatery and neighborhood bar, Nickies, will be featuring a Crispy Chicken Sandwich with a trio of melted Tillamook Cheeses – Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese, Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese, and Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese – served with a side of fresh cut fries or bleu slaw ($9.50).

Globe
290 Pacific Ave.
San Francisco, CA 941110
(415) 391-4132
Tillamook Sandwich Week Special: Chef Joseph has created his all-time favorite Bacon and Tomato Sandwich featuring melted Tillamook Medium Cheddar on grilled sourdough (lunch: $9, dinner: $11).

Brown Sugar Kitchen
2534 Mandela Parkway
Oakland, CA 946070
(510) 839-7685
Tillamook Sandwich Week Special: Owner and Chef Tanya Holland has created a Smoked Vegetable Muffaletta topped with Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese ($8.50).

Meet the Loaf Love Tour team (and our cute little Baby Loaf buses!) at several participating Tillamook Sandwich Week restaurants on Thursday, June 16! Starting at 1:30pm, we’ll visit The AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen, Nickies, and Globe. Later that evening, we’ll head on over to Ironside to try their Bison Burger topped with Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese (yum!). Come join us – we’d Loaf to meet you!

By Tillamook

Roasted Poblano Torta

I’m not a vegetarian, but I’ve been staring at the Roasted Poblano Torta recipe image since the day it was added to the Tillamook Kitchen.  A sandwich with vegetables pouring out of it – yum! One of my favorite parts of Mexican food is the flavorful beans, and the Torta has these too. What a fun idea! I think I’ve found my perfect Cinco de Mayo meal. Thanks, Bunk Sandwiches, for this new take on a classic Mexican taqueria standard.

Roasted Poblano Torta

Ingredients:

4-6 large poblano peppers, roasted and cleaned
1 small jalapeno, diced
¼ cup diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz can pinto beans
2-3 limes
½ – ¾ cup (4-6 oz) prepared mayonnaise
2 cups (8 oz) Tillamook® Monterey Jack Cheese (also try Tillamook® Reduced Fat Monterey Jack Cheese), shredded
1 cup guacamole (use your favorite recipe)
4 ciabatta rolls, split open
4 tablespoons Tillamook® Unsalted Butter
2 cups shredded lettuce

Preparation:

Roasted Poblano Peppers
Turn broiler on to high and cook poblano peppers until their skin is blackened. Let peppers cool, then remove skin and seeds.  

Bean Mixture
In a small pan, over medium-high heat, sauté the jalapeno and onion in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tender. Drain the pinto beans well, and add them to the pan. Season again and taste. Mash the beans together as they cook. Finish with a little lime juice, and cool.

Assembly of Sandwiches
Lightly spread the mayonnaise, beans, then cheese on the bread. Next add the roasted poblanos. Lightly butter the outside of the roll. Heat a panini press or griddle. Add the sandwiches to the press and cook over moderate heat until the Monterey Jack Cheese is melted, about 6 minutes. To finish the sandwich, open it up and top it with some shredded lettuce, guacamole, and another squeeze of lime juice.

Tip: For the non-vegetarians, adding a little shredded chicken, beef, or pork to this dish is an excellent option. I love hot sauce, so I will be adding some extra spice to mine as well!

By Laura

These little grilled cheese earrings look suspiciously real. I wonder what they’re made from? Look at the toasty bread!

Would you rock these during National Grilled Cheese Month? 

Photo and earrings by Alliesminis on Etsy.com.

By Tara