With quality ingredients and simple steps, create a savory masterpiece combining creamy potatoes, roasted garlic, crispy bacon and the bold flavor of Tillamook Cheddar Cheeses all baked to perfection.
Ingredients
6 strips of bacon
5-6 cloves of roasted garlic
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
12 oz Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, shredded
1⁄4tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
6 oz Tillamook Sharp White Cheddar, shredded
4-5 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon, crumble it, and set it aside. Reserve 2-3 tbsp of bacon fat in the skillet.
Add butter to the skillet with bacon fat. Once melted, add flour and whisk to create a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes until golden.
Gradually pour in milk, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.
Add roasted garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to combine.
Gradually stir in Tillamook Sharp Cheddar and Tillamook White Cheddar until the sauce is creamy.
Place the sliced potatoes in the greased baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes, ensuring they are evenly coated. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then, uncover the dish, sprinkle additional Tillamook Sharp Cheddar on top, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, and the top is golden and bubbly.
Let the potatoes rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your Roasted Garlic and Bacon Cheddar Potatoes Au Gratin!
TIP: Use a mandolin to cut the potatoes extra thin for that cheesy sauce in every bite.
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Meet the chef
Toni Chapman
A New Jersey based cook, author, entrepreneur, food blogger, and resident creator at Buzzfeed’s Tasty, Toni aka The Moody Foody awakens the link between your heart and your stomach with her date night dinners, which are often paired with the perfect cocktail recipe. Toni’s cookbook, Made with Love, was beautifully crafted and released on Valentine’s Day 2022. As an entrepreneur, Toni started Toni Cooks, a meal prep company servicing NYC/NJ. Over 75% of staff are Toni’s family, and they give back to their community by supplying thousands of free meals to the needy with her charity, Toni Feeds.