Tillamook County Creamery Association has named Lorie Roach of Buckatunna, Mississippi the winner of the National Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Contest. The title of best mac n’ cheese chef earned Lorie $5,000. Who knew cooking mac n’ cheese could be so lucrative?
Lorie Roach of Buckatunna, took home $5,000 and the title of Grand Prize Winner last week, in the 2007 Tillamook Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Contest.
Roach’s “Jumbo Shell Pasta Stuffed with Baby White Cheddar and Chicken Macaroni” recipe won the top prize December 7 against five other regional winners from across the country. Roach’s recipe was selected out of thousands of recipe entries in this year’s national contest.
“It’s essentially double-stuffed macaroni and cheese. The idea hit me in the grocery store. I was in the pasta noodles aisle and thought the two would go well together,” said Roach.
The cook-off was held at Hotel Lucia and sponsored by Typhoon! Restaurants, where local celebrities and culinary experts, including author Gerry Frank and Tillamook CEO Harold Strunk, judged the six regional finalists’ recipes for taste, presentation, unique use of ingredients and other judging criteria.