California’s #BestMilkRecipes – Oakland’s Homeroom for Gilroy Garlic Mac & My Version Too! {Recipe}

This is a sponsored conversation in collaboration with the California Milk Processor Board. All opinions are my own.

When I think of comfort food, one of the first things that comes to mind is Mac & Cheese. Not that instant stuff either, I’m talkin’ about homemade Mac & Cheese! The kind of Mac & Cheese your favorite Auntie or Grandmother makes, the kind you eat on special occasions & at big family gatherings…yeah-you know exactly what I’m talkin’ about don’t you?! That’s the kind of Mac & Cheese you can find in Oakland, CA at Homeroom.

Homeroom, Oakland, Calif. November 16, 2011.

When the kind folks over at GotMilk? asked me to come up with my own version of Homeroom’s Gilroy Garlic Mac, I gotta admit, I was a bit nervous. I mean Homeroom’s has Creamy Gouda, sharp Pecorino and just the right amount of roasted garlic. Their mac and cheese is like the king of comfort foods! But I was up for the challenge & gladly accepted. I come from a long line of Mac & Cheese Lovers & I’ve learned a thing or two by watching them in the kitchen. Plus, I’ve never had any complaints about my mac & cheese, in fact it’s always one of the first dishes that disappears at family functions.

First, let me share Homeroom’s recipe, their mac is pictured above:

Gilroy Garlic Mac

Gilroy Garlic Mac

1/2 lb dried pasta

2 cups mac sauce

1 1/2 cups Gouda, grated

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, grated

3 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature

2 tbsp. garlic, minced

Directions:

Bechamel (mac) sauce

Heat the milk in a pot over medium heat until it just starts to bubble, but is not boiling, about 3-4minutes. Turn off the heat. Heat the butter over medium heat in a thick-walled pot. When the butter has just melted, add the flour and whisk constantly until mixture turns light brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat off on the butter-flour mixture. Slowly pour in the warm milk, about one cup at a time, into the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. It will get very thick when you first add the milk, and thinner as you slowly pour in the entire three cups. This is normal. Once all the milk has been added, set the pot back over medium-high heat,and continue to whisk constantly. In the next 2 to3 minutes the sauce should come together and become silky and thick. Use the spoon test to make sure it’s ready. Add the salt.

Gilroy Garlic Mac

In a small bowl, mash together the minced garlic and the butter. This forms a compound butter – you can try it with herbs, spices,pretty much anything! Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain pasta again. This is to keep pasta from overcooking. Add mac sauce, cheeses and garlic butter to a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cook on medium heat. Stir

until cheese is completely melted. Slowly add cooked pasta, stir, and continue cooking for another 4 minutes, until pasta is hot and steaming. Serve and enjoy.

*Homeroom tops off the dish with house-made bread crumbs for added texture, per request. 

 

Next time you’re in Oakland, drop by Homeroom & oder some some Mac & Cheese:

Homeroom

400 40th street

Oakland, CA 94609 – on the corner of Shafter Ave. (In between Broadway and Telegraph). 

 

 

Now it’s my turn! Mine isn’t quite as fancy as Homeroom’s- but it’s definitely delicious. It’s already been established that I’m a Milkaholic/dairy freak-so of course Mac & Cheese is one of my faves not only to prepare-but to devour! Here’s what mine looks like:

Looks yummy, right? My recipe is called Mommy Powers Garlic Mac & Cheese (Mommy Powers is my alter-ego, follow me on Twitter @MommyPowers), I hope you’ll try it & let me know what you think. 

 

Mommy Powers Garlic Mac & Cheese

2015-08-11 17:06:03

Serves 8

Overflowing with cheese and flavor, this Mac & Cheese will have you feeling the love in minutes! #GotMilk

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Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2. 1 lb macaroni pasta
3. 8 tablespoons butter
4. 1 tablespoon butter
5. 1cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded
6. 1⁄2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
7. 1⁄2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
8. 2 cups whole milk
9. 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
10. 2 eggs, lightly beaten
11. 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
12. 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
13. 2 tablespoons crushed garlic

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
3. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rapid boil.
4. Add macaroni and the 1 TB oil.
5. Cook for 6 minutes, until slightly tender.
6. Drain well, & return to pot.
7. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt 8 TB of butter.
8. Stir into macaroni.
9. In a large bowl, combine all of the shredded cheeses.
10. Add to macaroni the 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheeses, whole milk, cubed Velveeta cheese, eggs, crushed garlic, salt & pepper.
11. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
12. Top with remaining 1 TB of butter.
13. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven when done, let it cool off, I don't want you to burn yourself.

Notes

1. I added bacon crumbs to the top of mine for extra flavor & color! Enjoy!

Adapted from Homeroom's Gilroy Garlic Mac

Adapted from Homeroom's Gilroy Garlic Mac

Mixed Blessings Blog https://mixedblessingsblog.com/