Tillamook2

When friends pass out on the sofa it’s tough to know whether your dinner party has been a total flop or a raging success. Whatever it was, last weekend’s finest moments happened in the wee hours. The guests were snoozing and I was tucked up in bed with my door propped open in case someone should trip over the space heater and need immediate medical attention. Around 2 a.m. I heard footsteps in the kitchen. Going out to investigate I saw the Woodsman leaning against the doorjamb. He was staring into the living room at the sleeping forms of Ms. Sassy and the Swimmer.

Let me describe the Woodsman. He has piercing eyes and a luxurious beard and when I first met him I thought he probably killed his own food. Last summer at our lake cabin, two friends fell asleep in a hammock and woke up to find the Woodsman sitting quietly on a bench, watching them. We all had a good laugh about that, but I can certainly imagine how in the initial moments, waking up to the Woodsman could have been frightening.

And yet as I watched him watch Ms. Sassy and the Swimmer, I caught a melty expression on his face. “They look cute,” he said. Or maybe I said that and he agreed-- late night memories can be fuzzy. But whatever it was, that moment was the best part of the evening. Because lying there curled up on their respective couches they did look cute. And so did the Woodsman in his doting, watchful way. I wondered if it was possible to cook enough food to make this happen every weekend and decided it never hurts to try…

MACARONI & CHEESE RECIPE CONTEST

The Rules: All Macaroni and Cheese recipes must serve six people and contain some type of pasta, while maintaining the traditional macaroni and cheese style and at least one type of Tillamook® cheese.

The Prize: The grand prize winner in each region will receive $1,000, 25 pounds of Tillamook® cheese and a McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant gift certificate for dinner for four. This also qualifies the individual to compete against seven other finalists in the grand final cook-off to take place in Portland, Oregon (all travel expenses paid), for the chance to win $5,000. Two runners up will receive 15 pounds of Tillamook cheese and a McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant gift certificate for $50.

The Entry: Sleepy Time Butternut Squash Gratin

8 large sage leaves
1 ½ tablespoons butter
½ cup ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Smoked Cheddar Cheese (Tillamook makes a good one)
2 cups butternut squash soup (from a box or can)
1 cup vegetable stock
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper
14 oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz- uncooked rigatoni

1. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Heavily grease a square baking pan (8” or 9”). Julienne the sage leaves.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. When butter just begins to brown, add julienne sage and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Immediately remove pan from heat.

3 In a mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese, butternut squash soup, stock, salt, nutmeg, and fresh ground black pepper. Stir in the julienne fried sage and brown butter. Add white kidney beans and uncooked rigatoni and stir to blend.

4. Pour mixture into greased baking pan. Cover pan tightly with tinfoil and bake in the pre-heated 375-degree oven for 20 minutes.

5. Remove pan from oven and remove tinfoil. Scatter remaining ½ cup shredded cheese over top. Return to oven and bake 30-40 more minutes uncovered until pasta is cooked through and cheese becomes crusty.