Think you have what it takes to become the next “Big Cheese”? That’s the title that awaits the winner of the fourth annual Tillamook Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Contest.

Amateur food lovers from across the country have the opportunity to submit their homemade macaroni and cheese recipes on the contest’s new website, www.MacaroniAndCheeseAndCheese.com/Contest.

Select recipes will be tested by a professional chef and narrowed down to the top six recipes in the country. The six chosen finalists will compete in the grand finale cook-off here in Portland (OR) on October 24th, 2008.

The Grand Finale winner will receive $5,000 cash and 25 pounds of Tillamook cheese. The first runner up, meanwhile, will receive $2,000 cash and 20 pounds of Tillamook cheese, and the second runner up will receive $1,000 cash and 15 pounds of Tillamook cheese.

For the first time ever, the Contest will also feature a “People’s Choice” winner. Beginning August 22nd, 2008 you can vote online for your favorite among the six finalists. The “People’s Choice” winner will walk away with $2,500 in cash.

The deadline for online recipe submissions is Monday, July 28, 2008, at 12:01am (PST). Entries can also be mailed to Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Contest at 1100 SW Sixth Avenue, Suite 1425, Portland, OR 97204-1014. Mailed recipe submissions must be postmarked by Wednesday, July 23, 2008 to be considered with other recipe submissions. For more information, including how to submit a recipe online, go to www.MacaroniAndCheeseAndCheese.com/Contest.

Here are a couple of sample recipes from previous Tillamook Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Contests:

2006 Tillamook Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Contest Grand Finale Cook-Off Winner 

Finalist Name: Elizabeth Guise

Recipe Title: Tillamook Crab & Macaroni Bake

Serving Size: 8+

Ingredients:

10 oz rotini pasta

3 tablespoons butter

¼cup flour

2 cups 2% milk

½teaspoons salt

¼teaspoon fresh ground pepper

¼teaspoon granulated garlic

¾teaspoon garlic and herb Old Bay seasoning

4 ounces cream cheese

4 ounces TillamookÒ Medium Cheddar cheese, grated

6 ounces TillamookÒ Monterey Jack cheese, grated

½cup finely diced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

8 ounces fresh crabmeat

3 slices white bread

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic and herb Old Bay seasoning

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 375°. 

Boil pasta in salted water until tender, drain and set aside. 

Place slices of bread on baking sheet. 

Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with seasoning, and bake for 5-7 minutes until golden brown.

Turn over and bake an additional 5 minutes until golden on both sides.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. 

Add flour and whisk until smooth. 

Continue stirring butter and flour mixture over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until it has a slightly nutty aroma. 

Pour in milk while whisking and whisk until smooth. 

Cook while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens.

Add salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and Old Bay seasoning. 

Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth.  

Remove from heat and add the grated cheddar and monterey jack cheese. 

Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. 

Stir in peppers, onions, shallots, and cilantro. 

Stir in pasta and gently fold in crab meat. 

Spray a large shallow (12" x 1 1/2”)ceramic casserole dish with pan spray. 

Pour in filling and spread out evenly. 

Grate toasted bread slices and sprinkle over filling. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling around the edge.

Serves 8 as an entree with a side salad.

2007 Tillamook Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Contest Grand Finale Cook-Off Finalist

Finalist Name: Veronica Vichit-Vadakan

Recipe Title: Autumn Comfort Macaroni & Cheese

Serving Size: 8+

Ingredients:

1 – butternut squash (approximately 2 lbs), peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces

2 tbsp – Olive Oil

4 oz – pancetta, diced

1 – shallot, minced

12 oz – Cavatappi pasta (hollow corkscrew pasta)

4 tbsp – unsalted butter

4 tbsp – all-purpose flour

2 cups – whole milk

1/2 cup – heavy cream

1 cup – Tillamookâ Italian blend shredded cheese

1 cup – Tillamookâ Medium cheddar, shredded

1 1/2 tbsp – fresh chopped sage

1 tsp – black pepper

4 oz – crumbled goat cheese

Topping:

1 tbsp – Tillamook Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter

1 cup – Panko bread crumbs

1 1/2 tbsp – fresh chopped sage

1/2cup – Tillamookâ Italian blend shredded cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450°.

In a large bowl, toss butternut squash pieces with olive oil.

Spread squash pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway.

Remove when squash is tender and caramel brown.

Set aside and reduce oven heat to 350°.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.

Add cavatappi and cook approximately 8 minutes or until al dente.

Drain well.

On the stovetop cook the pancetta over medium heat in a skillet for 6 minutes.

Add shallots and cook 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat.

In a 2 quart sauce pan, melt butter.

Add flour and, stirring constantly, cook approximately 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Add milk and cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth.

Stir 2 cups of cheese and stir until melted.

Remove from heat.

Stir in 1 - ½ tbsp of chopped sage.

Add 1 tsp black pepper, or add to taste.

Mix cooked cavatappi, cheese sauce and pancetta mix together in a large bowl.

Gently fold in roasted butternut squash and crumbled goat cheese.

Pour into a lightly greased 9" x 13" baking  pan.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in the microwave in a large glass bowl.

Stir in sage, cheese and bread crumbs.

Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture in the pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Turn on broiler and move pan to the top rack of the oven.

Brown for 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and wait 10 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle each serving with minced fresh sage, if desired.