There’s a new batch of recipes in the Tillamook Kitchen! LA’s Simplethings Sandwich & Pie Shop has whipped up 10 of their tastiest recipes to share with Tillamook fans. From Avocado Melts with Apricot Chutney to Red Velvet Whoopie Pies, we think these recipes will tickle your taste buds! Created on the concept that the best things in life are simple, Simplethings owners Ryan and Andy offer in-house roasted meats, sauces made from scratch, and a daily rotating pie schedule.

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean that you can’t crave a taste of fall! Simplethings’ Thanksgiving Sandwich pulls together the best flavors of America’s harvest holiday, mixing together turkey, gravy, jalapeno cornbread stuffing and orange cranberry chutney. Can I get a “yum!”?

For a taste of something sweeter, try your hand at the Apple and Golden Raisin Pie with Cheddar Crust. If you’re like me, and making a cheddar crust sounds beyond your culinary capabilities – fear not! The chef of Simplethings walks you through the recipe and makes it look, well, simple.

To learn a little bit more about Simplethings and their philosophy of keeping life simple with sandwiches and pie in the busy city of Los Angeles, take a look at this video!

See all of the recipes from Simplethings and be inspired by other chefs in the Tillamook Kitchen! We hope you’ll swing by Simplethings the next time you’re in the neighborhood to try all of their tasty sandwiches and pies. Big thanks Andy and Ryan of Simplethings for sharing their deliciously simple recipes with Tillamook!

By Katie

You’ve probably served mom breakfast in bed before, but now it’s time to serve up breakfast Tillamook style. We’ve rounded up Tillamook recipes that are simple to make and easy to eat in bed… And most important, they will make mom smile!

Cheddar Bacon Waffles

Breakfast Burrito

Strata (a.k.a Savory Bread Pudding)

Chilaquiles

Bronson Sunrise Smoothie

Happy Mother’s Day!

By Laura

I consider myself lucky to have been able to spend the day with Hosea Rosenberg for a number of reasons:

1)      He makes DELICIOUS food. Seriously, I was blown away by the simplicity of his Pear and Muenster Flatbread, and it was one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten. See all his recipes.

Pulling together all the essentials for a day in the kitchen.

2)      He has great stories. From growing up in New Mexico, to starting out his professional career as an astronomer, to being the Season 5 Top Chef Winner, to starting his own company, Blackbelly Catering.

Hosea and his business partner, expert mixologist James Lee

3)      He raises Blackbelly Sheep and pigs! We were able to go out to Blackbelly Farm and meet them in person. So beautiful…

Aren’t they beautiful? They were very shy.

Making friends with a curious little pig!

4)      We got to be on location in Boulder, Colorado with the Flatirons looming and the sun winter-crisp and spectacular.

We loaf Boulder!

5)      Over a final bite to eat to finish off the day, I realized spending time with Hosea is like hanging out with a friend. Granted he’s that friend that is in love with the celebration and art and quality of food, but don’t we all need a friend like that?

The whole gang out on the farm after the shoot

You can get more of Hosea and Blackbelly Catering on Facebook and Twitter!

By Gillian

Queso Fundito with Chorizo from Smells Like Home

Dipping Quesadilla from Keegan Gerhard at D Bar Desserts

Mexican Tortilla Pizza from Honey Whats Cooking

By Loafy

Albacore Tuna Melt from the guys at Bunk Bar

Tillamook Kitchen’s Tommy Habetz and Nick Wood fused their love of food and sandwiches together to open Bunk Sandwiches and Bunk Bar in Portland, Oregon. While Tommy’s love is Italian cooking and Nick has a knack for Southern cuisine, when you’re at Bunk none of the labels matter because everything coming out of their kitchen is tasty.

Recipe Details

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 20 minutes
• Yield (number of servings): 4

Recipe Overview

Perfect for a rainy Portland day, this classic sandwich gets a Northwest makeover. Oregon Albacore tuna meets mustard, pickles, balsamic vinegar and a melty layer of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar.

Ingredients List

• 2 - 6 oz cans albacore tuna
• ¼ cup finely diced red onion
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced basil
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 ciabatta rolls, split
• Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, for spreading
• 8 - ¼-inch-thick slices of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar or Tillamook Swiss Cheese
• 24 slices garlic dill pickles
• 2 tablespoons (1 oz) Tillamook Unsalted Butter, softened

Preparation/Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix the tuna with the onion, olive oil, vinegar, basil, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a panini press or griddle. Spread the cut sides of the rolls with mustard and mayonnaise and top each roll half with a slice of cheese. Spread the tuna salad on the bottoms and cover with the pickles. Close the sandwiches and spread the outsides of the rolls with butter.

Place the sandwiches on the press or griddle and cook over moderate heat until the cheese is melted, about 6 minutes. To make sure the sandwiches are fully cooked, open them up and place in a 450°F oven for about 1 minute. Remove from oven, close sandwiches, cut in half, and serve.

By Tillamook

THE AMERICAN Farmers Breakfast Grilled Cheese

The month of April is National Grilled Cheese Month, and we’re celebrating with Tillamook Grilled Cheese Recipepalooza!

Each day throughout the month of April, we will be sharing recipes from chefs, moms, Tillamook employees and some of our favorite bloggers, all with one thing in common – they love Tillamook! Get your fill of grilled cheese inspiration then hit the griddle to make our Tillamook Grilled Cheese Recipepalooza recipes for you and your family with your favorite all natural sliced Tillamook Cheese.

Our first grilled cheese recipe comes to us from Tillamook Kitchen chefs Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak, the undaunted, bread-grilling engineers behind the adventurous menu at THE AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco, CA.

Recipe Overview

You don’t have to be a farmer to appreciate this early-morning sandwich. Artisanal bread is filled with Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, crisp bacon, slices of roasted potatoes, an egg over-easy, and a bit of chive butter.

“The Farmer’s Breakfast sandwich is a delicious and filling way to start the day. Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese, crisp bacon, sliced roasted potatoes, gooey over-easy eggs, artisanal bread and a bit of chive butter combine for a hearty breakfast treat.” – Heidi Gibson of the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen.

Recipe Details

• Recipe Title: Farmer’s Breakfast
• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Total time: 40 minutes
• Yield (number of servings): 4

Ingredients List

• 2 tablespoons (1 oz) Tillamook Salted Butter at room temperature
• 10 fresh chives, minced
• 8 slices fresh artisanal levain bread (or other country-style bread)
• 12 slices Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced thin (about 1/4 inch)
• 8 pieces cooked bacon
• 4 eggs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Preparation/Instructions

Prepare the Chive Butter
Chop chives and cream together with butter.

Roast the Potatoes
Heat oven to 350°F. Spread sliced potatoes one layer thick on an oiled sheet pan and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a small amount of olive oil. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, about 15-20 mins. When potatoes are done, remove from oven, turn the oven up to 450°F, and put a sheet pan in the oven to heat. While potatoes are roasting, cook the bacon.

Assemble the Sandwiches
Spread chive butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place bread buttered side down. Layer two layers of cheddar on each slice of bread, then one layer of roasted potatoes, then bacon.

Cook the Eggs
Heat a nonstick pan or griddle to 325°F. Spray with oil or a bit of melted butter. Crack eggs and gently place in the hot pan, careful not to break the yolk. Place open face sandwiches onto hot sheet pan and put in oven. Watch carefully and remove sandwiches from oven when cheese is melted and bread is barely browned. Flip over eggs, cook for another 10 seconds, then carefully place each over-easy egg onto each sandwich, on top of bacon. Top each sandwich with one slice of buttered bread and place sheet pan back into hot oven for another 30-60 seconds, until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

By Tillamook

We’re excited to announce that we’ve got a new chef in the Tillamook Kitchen! Chef Hosea Rosenberg, owner of Blackbelly Catering and winner of Top Chef Season 5 has shared 10 of his favorite recipes with Tillamook fans. Pairing farm-to-table ingredients from local Blackbelly Farm with tasty Tillamook products, Hosea whips out some creative and yummy recipes here.

If you want to cook like a Top Chef, get inspired by this oh-so delicious (yet wonderfully simple) Pear and Muenster Flatbread! How does something with so few ingredients get so tasty?

If that’s not enough to get your tastebuds drooling, take a look at Hosea’s pupusa recipe. If you don’t know what a pupusa is, think of it like this: a little pocket of cheesy, spicy, Ecuadorian yum.

Despite being a big-wig chef, Hosea keeps it real in Boulder, CO. In fact, Hosea’s got his own farm to help him take food from the source and serve it up on the table. Learn more about Hosea (and see some cute pigs!) in this video:

Pop over to the Tillamook Kitchen to see all of Hosea’s recipes, and keep tabs on the great things Hosea and Blackbelly are up to on Twitter. Many thanks to Hosea for sharing some tasty recipes with all Tillamook fans!

By Katie

There’s a new chef in the Tillamook Kitchen! We are excited to welcome Denver, Colorado’s Keegan Gerhard and his restaurant, D Bar Desserts. Keegan has created four gourmet recipes using Tillamook products that are easy to make and can help even the newest cooks look like gourmet chefs!

One of my favorite recipes from D Bar is the Pate a Choux. Now, don’t be intimidated by the French. This recipe is simple and really versatile! Keegan walks us through how to use the same Pate a Choux dough 3 ways: one simple and sweet with Chantilly cream, one gooey and chocolately with Tillamook Ice Cream and ganache, and one savory with Tillamook Cheese and herbs! Try eating just one of these little cream puffs – it’s impossible! Watch Keegan prepare all three creations in this video:

If you’re in the mood for a tasty dinner, why not try the KGB Bacon Pimento Cheeseburger? Keegan takes the ordinary burger to a whole ‘nother level with this recipe. Instead of buns, he uses a cheesy waffle, and in place of a slice of cheese, he created a pimento cheese spread. Wowza! Take a look at this video to get your taste buds drooling:

If you think you recognize Keegan from somewhere… you’re right! Not only is Keegan an award winning pastry chef, but he’s also been a host and judge on Food Network series Food Network Challenge. Check out this video of Keegan to learn more about his passion for pastry and his restaurant.

Swing by the Tillamook Kitchen to see all of D Bar Dessert’s recipes, and make sure to visit Keegan at D Bar Desserts whenever you’re in Denver (or soon, in San Diego)! Thanks Keegan for being the newest chef in the Tillamook Kitchen!

By Katie

Grilled cheese in a bus?! You’d better believe it! Some of our Facebook and Twitter fans had some burning questions to ask Matt Breslow, grilled cheese in a bus makin’ mastermind of Portland, Oregon’s Grilled Cheese Grill.

Q: What does he eat 4 his midnight snack? Since so many of us go for grilled cheese, does he still crave grilled cheese?

A: First of all, I do not still crave grilled cheese. After making soooooo many of them, they inevitably had to lose a few points on the cravability scale, and yes, that’s a word. However, any time I have given in and made myself one in the past year, as I’m eating it, I always think to myself, “Man this is a good sandwich, I should eat these more often!” So yes, I still love them, but the cravings have definitely subsided. I do have to plug my current favorite midnight snacks though. If I’m out, stopping by the late night cart lot in Southeast Portland at 12th and Hawthorne for a Whiffies Pie is a must.  If I’m home and hungry, my go-to snack right now is the jar of peanut butter (natural, chunky) and a bag of banana chips to use as “crackers”. Those two, and a little touch of honey from the little plastic honey bear. So good.

Q: If he could add only 1 special ingredient to a grilled cheese, what would it be?

A: Oh man, this is like asking what’s my favorite song? So hard to answer, just depends on the mood I’m in. So to simplify it, I’ll assume the parameters are that we’re talking about a classic white bread and Tillamook Cheddar sandwich. My all-time favorite ingredient to add to this sandwich are sliced pickles. Full sour, dill pickles. Those half-sour, “new” pickles don’t qualify as pickles to me. At the cart, we serve the best pickles I’ve had in Portland, but growing up in New Jersey, my mom always took us to a supermarket that had a huge pickle barrel at the deli counter, and she’d always give me a pickle, presumably to keep my quiet while I sat in the shopping cart, and those pickles were the greatest things ever soaked in brine. Ever. If I could put THOSE pickles in a grilled cheese, that would be heaven.

Q: What’s the weirdest thing he’s put into a grilled cheese?

A: This is an easy one. We make a burger at the cart called The Cheesus, which is a burger with two grilled cheese sandwiches on either side instead of a traditional bun. One night, we were asked to make one of the sandwiches with only peanut butter, no cheese. I looked at the guy like he was crazy, sounded kinda gross, but he insisted that peanut butter on a burger is one of the greatest unsung food pairings ever. On further thought, I figured I like cheeseburgers, and I love peanut butter, maybe this guy is onto something, so I decided to make one for myself not too long after. I was really expecting some magical melding of flavors, some new taste profile created by the pairing. Turns out it just tasted like a cheeseburger with peanut butter on it, and it was in fact pretty gross.

Q: What’s your favorite variety of apple to pair with Tillamook Cheese?

A: My all-time favorite apple for anything is the Braeburn apple. It’s the got the right crunch, the right consistency, the perfect sweetness level, and there never seems to be a mealy, bad one. And you know what one bad apple can do….

To learn more about Matt and Grilled Cheese Grilled, visit the Tillamook Kitchen. He’ll teach you how to make three of his favorite sandwiches; The Morton, the Quesus Cheeseburger and the Open Faced Grilled Cheese Benedict. Plus you’ll find recipes for seven more of The Grilled Cheese Grill’s specialties.

Do you have any more cheesy questions for Matt? Don’t be shy!

By Tillamook

The Roast Dip Sandwich by Heidi Gibson of The AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen

Making a good grilled cheese is truly an art form. Sure, almost anyone can whip together a basic bread-butter-cheese sammich with a panini press. But to make a truly ooey-gooey, magically melty grilled cheese? Now that’s something you learn from the masters of melting.

Have you taken some time to explore the Tillamook Kitchen? It features a collection of awesome recipes by our partner chefs: Heidi Gibson of The AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen, Dave Danhi of the Grilled Cheese Truck, and Tommy Habetz of Bunk Sandwiches. The Tillamook Kitchen is packed full of amazing little tips and tricks from these pros. I love watching the video recipes – they’ll have you saying to yourself “Huh, I never would have thought of that!”

In honor of National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, here are some tips and tricks I learned from our partner chefs that will help you make an amazing chef-quality grilled cheese:

- Mayonnaise helps prevent burning. Before grilling his sandwiches, Dave Danhi spreads a 50/50 mix of mayo and butter on the outside of both slices of bread. Dave says this mayo-butter mix helps keep the bread from burning and will give sandwiches like his Pepperbelly Melt that perfect golden-brown crispiness.

- Butter can be more than butter! To sneak more flavor into the Piglet Sandwich, Heidi Gibson mixes rosemary with butter. Another tip: to mince up the rosemary, she uses a standard coffee grinder.

- Cook evenly. To make sure his sandwiches are fully-cooked, Tommy Habetz starts them off on a griddle (or press), then opens them up and places them in a 450°F oven for about 1 minute.

- Get creative! What ingredients sound good to you? Can some of your favorite meals be transformed into a grilled cheese? There are so many ingredient combos that will blend beautifully in a grilled cheese sandwich. Our partner chefs aren’t afraid to try new and inventive grilled cheeses. Their ingenuity, along with their skills, make them grilled cheese masters!

Do you have any tips for making the ultimate grilled cheese?

By Tara