The Cheese of the Month Club

Before I got to be a stay-at-home mommy, I was an elementary school teacher. In a short three years in the education field I got to teach Kindergarten, a 4th/5th grade split and two years of a 4th grade spectrum (honors) class. I absolutely adore teaching and really miss it a lot... 

... but this isn't a sob post today, it's a happy one! 

Last year, my class knew that I absolutely love cheese - the previous year's class had written them letters about their 4th grade experience and a handful of students mentioned my love of the best dairy product ever created. So, during teacher's appreciation week I received a 6-month certificate for what a lovingly refer to as, "The Cheese of the Month" club. 

It's not a club really, it was just a certificate for 6 lovely cans of cheese from the Western Washington University Creamery. I got a little distracted (having a baby does that to ya!) and didn't get to turn in my certificate until two months ago. We got our first can in April and it was AMAZING! I ordered the Cougar Gold, which is a basic cheddar. We had lots and lots of macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, quesadillas - basically, whatever I could put cheese on, I did. No complaints here.

This month, we received a can of Sweet Basil. And, just like with the Cougar Gold, we are adding it to everything. The most notable meal would probably be tonight's Sweet Basil Mac & Cheese. 

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups of pasta
2. 2 1/2 cups of milk
3. 3 Tbs. flour
4. about 2 1/2 cups of shredded cheese
5. a tiny bit of Sriracha
6. some breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Boil the pasta according to package directions
2. While the pasta is cooking, put the milk on medium/high in a sauce pan, when it's warm whisk in the flour (avoid clumps!). Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. When pasta is finished, drain and put in an oven safe dish.
4. Add the cheese to the milk/flour mix... add a squirt or two of Sriracha too! 
5. Pour the cheese mixture over the pasta - don't stir it though... and add the breadcrumbs on top.
6. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees

If you want to order your very own, WSU cheese, you can go HERE!

Many thanks to the 4th graders of Room 18!

Mary