Today is….wait for it….National Strawberry Picking Day. And since it’s peak strawberry eating season (April – June), these little bursts of natural sweetness make the perfect afterschool or anytime snack. And so to celebrate, we’re hand-picking (pun intended) our top 5 things to dip strawberries into…once they’ve been picked, of course.

1. Tillamook French Vanilla Bean Yogurt – Light and naturally sweet, it’s like they were made for each other!

2. Lemon Curd – Tart, sweet…perfect. If you’re like us and believe everything tastes better with lemon curd, then this is a must try.

3. Peanut Butter – Give your apples a break and try something a little more seasonal with this yummy ode to PB&J.

4. Tillamook Sour Cream + Dark Brown Sugar – For the cheesecake lover in all of us, this is the perfect bite sized treat.

5. Nutella – Few things are simpler or more delicious than this decadent combo of chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberries.

How do you dip? Let us know at Facebook.com/Tillamook or on Twitter @TillamookCheese.

By Tillamook

Breakfast in Bed is a classic Mother’s Day move. Don’t fret if your standard pancakes and eggs just won’t cut it this year – I’ve got some delicious ideas. Here’s my top 5 recipes for treating your Tillamama on Mother’s Day this year!

Tri-Berry Parfait with Granola and Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Yogurt
Start the morning off on a berry good note! This super-easy and delicious parfait is the perfect companion to a morning spent lounging in bed. Just top Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Yogurt with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and your favorite granola. Then lean back and dig in!

Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
If your mom’s got a sweet tooth, these almond poppy seed muffins from the blog Your Cup of Cake are sure to hit the spot. Don’t forget to use Tillamook Butter! Spoiler alert, there’s a delicious almond filling surprise when you bite in the middle.

Cheesy Frittata
Frittata – it’s a brunch classic! A hearty cheesy breakfast chock full of veggies and flavor that will set a great tone on the morning. Be sure to use lots of her favorite Tillamook Cheese!

Mixed Berry Tartlets made with Tillamook Light Lemon Squeeze Yogurt
This recipe comes from the blog Patty’s Food. These beautiful tartlets with Tillamook Light Lemon Squeeze Yogurt mixed into the pastry crème make for a delicious fruity tartlet perfect to treat your Tillamama. Top it off with your mom’s favorite fruit for an extra special breakfast.

Cheddar Bacon Waffles
These waffles from the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen are a dangerous combination of sweet and savory. This is a special treatment we could all get used to!

By Amalya

Mexican Bell Stuffed Peppers with Monterey Jack Cheese!

I love crock pots! When I first moved away from home it was one of the first kitchen accessories I got myself. I had to get one of the largest ones I could find so I could fill it up and make a huge delicious meal to enjoy with friends. In fact, I think they’re so fabulous that they shouldn’t just be used for comfort food or soup in the Winter… they can still work magic in the kitchen in the Spring! Here’s a round-up Spring crockpot recipes to enjoy this year:

1. Crock Pot Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers topped off with Monterey Jack Cheese.

2. This Cauliflower and Broccoli in Swiss Cheese Sauce recipe is a great side for any spring meal! Tillamook Swiss Cheese adds a sweet nutty flavor to these vegetables!

3. Lasagna in a slow cooker?! That’s right, start up the crockpot with this Vegetarian Lasagna featuring Tillamook Shredded Mozzarella and you’ll have a yummy Spring dinner with little effort.

4. I don’t know about you, but tacos are a spring stable in my house. With this Chicken Tacos recipe you’ll be able to make simple, delicious tacos and top them off with Tillamook Cheese and Sour Cream!

5. You might not think spring when you first look at this Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe, but if you had the foresight to start your spring garden and plant some spinach then all you have to do is skip to the garden, harvest your spinach, throw in the artichoke hearts, cheese, and sour cream, and you’ll have the freshest spinach artichoke dip anyone has ever tasted.

What other recipes will you be cooking up in your crockpot this Spring?

By Laura

After being on the road for almost a month and a half already, it’s easy to start missing home a little bit! My cheesy family and I always get together once a week for a “family dinner” where we all make something to contribute. These last couple weeks have been a lot of fun with everyone cooking up recipes that make them think of home!

Potato + Broccoli + Onions + Cheese = Yum!
When Tillatastic Ash is missing her hometown of Walla Walla, WA she whips up a perfect recipe to make her feel at home again! Her cheesy, baked Idaho potato, broccoli, and Walla Walla sweet onion dish is quick to make and leaves the belly feeling happy!

Cheese and Crackers
If you’re wondering how I spend my Friday nights at home, it’s usually sitting around a table with friends playing games and snacking on cheese and crackers! My favorite combination is with an array of crackers to choose from and the 3 Year Aged Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar. The cheese is so decadently delicious, I usually just end up using the crackers as a vehicle for the cheese to get in my mouth!

Gluten-Free Pasta
Although ShellBe Sharp can’t have gluten anymore, that hasn’t stopped her from making delicious gluten-free meals that even gluten lovers like PepperJack Matt enjoy! Her favorite dish to make when away from home includes gluten-free brown rice pasta, a little of this, a little of that, and of course some Tillamook Cheese! Her cheese of choice is usually the Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar! To ShellBe Sharp this colorful dish reminds her of Fall in Portland, OR when the leaves are changing colors and the weather starts to get a little cooler.

Grilled Salmon with Butter, Rosemary, and Garlic
One of the perks of spending my Spring in Texas has been the 70+ degree weather on a regular basis! If I were at home this time of the year, I know I would not be uncovering my BBQ for at least another couple months! During one of our “family dinners” we grilled up some salmon with Tillamook Salted Butter, a little salt and pepper, garlic, and some rosemary! It was juicy and scrumptious and reminded me of warm and sunny summers in the NW!

Waffles
Food carts have really come into their own over the past few years in the NW, specifically in Portland. One of my favorite food carts to visit is Flavour Spot. They have several cheesy waffles featuring our very own Tillamook Cheese, but one of my favorites is their Sausage and Maple combination! To help me recreate this tastiness on the road I usually add Tillamook Unsalted Butter, maple syrup, and sausage on top of my Texas shaped waffles! While my version is a little different from Flavour Spot’s, it still helps me reminisce of all the wonderful food carts in my hometown!

Now that I’ve shared some of my favorite NW dishes, what are some of your favorites? Share with me on Twitter or Facebook!
Twitter: @AprilFoCheezy
Facebook: April FoCheezy

By Tillamook

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

To celebrate National Something on a Stick Day (yes, there really is a holiday for it), we’re sharing our favorite tasty snacks on sticks!

Fig Vanilla & Sour Cream Popsicles
These sweet and tart Sour Cream Popsicles are the perfect treat to kick-start Spring. The trickiest part is waiting patiently while they freeze!

Photo courtesy of BayAreaBites.com

Cheese Dipped Apples
Cheese, fruit, and chocolate are some of our favorite things to eat, and with this recipe you can have them all in one with help from a handy stick!

Sweet & Savory Kabobs
If you’re looking for a fun way to serve sandwiches, these creative, colorful kabobs make a great after school snack.

Photo courtesy of GlitterGuide.com

Cheesy Chocolate Fondue
Treat you taste buds to a cheesy, chocolaty fondue.

Cheese Sticks
All out of sticks? Make your own for a yummy late night snack!

Photo courtesy of SmittenKitchen.com

By Callie

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

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

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