5 Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese Recipes From the 2008 Tilamook Contest Winners

Popularized and enjoyed frequently by Thomas Jefferson, baked macaroni and cheese manages to be one of the most supremely comforting and filling dishes there is.

However, with a few culinary tweaks and additional ingredients, the humble mac and cheese is more than ready to crossover from comfort food to the gourmet.

Below are five easy to make recipes for gourmet macaroni and cheese, from the recent winners of 2008 Tilamook Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Contest (as well as two recipes I submitted to the contest)…enjoy!

Grand Prize Winner: Caramelized Sweet Potato, Garlic & Rosemary Macaroni & Cheese by Angie Phillips of Tarzana, California.

First Runner Up: Tillamook Triple-Play Macaroni & Six Cheese Strata by Kathi Jones Del-Monte of Rochester, New York.

Second Runner Up: Tillamook Macaroni & Cheese Chile Relleno Pie by Rhonda Allen of Lake Oswego, Oregon.

People’s Choice Award: Cornbread Topped Apple Macaroni and Cheese by Melissa LaCaille of Kirkland, Washington.

Widmer Brothers Choice Award: Smokey Black Pepper Cheese and Macaroni with Wild Mountain Chanterelles by Catherine Wilkinson from Dewey, Arizona.

Just for Fun: My Two Tilamook Recipe Contest Submissions

• 4 Cheese Mac-A-Rita "Cocktail"

• Mac & Cheese Orzo Paella With Shrimp and Scallops

--Doug DuCap/HuggingtheCoast.Com