Green Macaroni and Cheese and a special announcement…..
November 4th, 2012
I have been biting my tongue for months and months and months and months.
But I finally get to spill the beans, and I-AM-SO-FREAKING-EXCITED-I-CAN-BARELY-STAND IT! Pant, pant, pant….
I wrote a book. A real live, big-fat book. And it’s going to be published this coming Spring!
I didn’t mean to hide it from you- It was more one of those paranoid, “it’s not done till it’s done” kind of things, you know? But if anyone I know has seen me in the past year and noticed that I looked particularly haggard (seriously) or only wearing yoga pants for most of last Spring and part of the Summer (recipe testing doesn’t bode well for skinny jeans) now you know that this is what I was up to!
Filling pages with tried and true recipes, photo’s and hoards of entertaining advice. I wrote my readers a love letter in the form of this book, and I CAN’T WAIT to share it with you!! (OK, I will stop screaming at you in all caps).
As the publishing date gets closer, I will share more details and little sneak peaks, but until then, basically I couldn’t hold the secret any longer.
I also wanted to give a huge thank you to you guys, my very faithful and wonderful readers who made this book possible. You guys are the very best, and I am thankful to each and every one of you.
That’s why I am celebrating this wonderful news with my favorite comfort food- revamped. Macaroni and Cheese. Only it’s green….
Green Macaroni and Cheese. Really good Green Macaroni and Cheese- I swear! Fresh spinach is what gives it the gorgeous color, without a lot of leafy taste! Basically my husband and kids who are purists when given the opportunity loved it- so that’s saying something…
To make this Green Macaroni and Cheese, this is what you do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni until just shy of al dente (about 6 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. **Before draining pasta, remove ½ cup of boling water for the spinach)
In a small pan, melt the butter and add the onions and jalapeno. Let them gently cook over medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes. Set aside.
In the jar of a blender, add the 6 cups of spinach and the boiling water. You probably need to use a spoon to push the spinach down. Blend to a fine, bright green puree.
In the pot that you used to cook the pasta, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir until smooth and cook over low heat about 1 minute.
Add the milk and stir until very smooth. Simmer about 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
Add the cheese and stir and stir until melted, very smooth and thickened.
Add the spinach puree and stir until smooth. Season to taste with Kosher salt.
Pour the pasta into the pot of sauce, and add the onions and jalapeno and toss until everything is well combined.
Pour the macaroni into a 9x13x2” baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes until golden around the edges.
Serve Hot!
Recipe: Green Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- -1 lb macaroni noodles
- -2 Tablespoons butter
- -1 yellow onion, minced
- -1 jalapeno pepper, minced
- -6 cups packed fresh spinach
- -½ cup boiling water
- -½ cup butter
- -½ cup flour
- -2 cups milk
- -8 ounces white cheddar, grated
- -8 ounces fontina, grated
- -Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- 2. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni until just shy of al dente (about 6 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. **Before draining pasta, remove ½ cup of boling water for the spinach)
- 3. In a small pan, melt the butter and add the onions and jalapeno. Let them gently cook over medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes. Set aside.
- 4. In the jar of a blender, add the 6 cups of spinach and the boiling water. You probably need to use a spoon to push the spinach down. Blend to a fine, bright green puree.
- 5. In the pot that you used to cook the pasta, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir until smooth and cook over low heat about 1 minute.
- 6. Add the milk and stir until very smooth. Simmer about 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- 7. Add the cheese and stir and stir until melted, very smooth and thickened.
- 8. Add the spinach puree and stir until smooth. Season to taste with Kosher salt.
- 9. Pour the pasta into the pot of sauce, and add the onions and jalapeno and toss until everything is well combined.
- 10. Pour the macaroni into a 9x13x2” baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes until golden around the edges. Serve Hot!
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 1 hour(s)
Number of servings (yield): 12
Yay!!! What a wonderful thing to be able to do!! Let me know if we can buy it online or in italy!!
I hope you took the pictures for the book yourself, its the reason i even found you on the internet!!!;-) good luck!!
1:06 am on November 4th, 2012
Can’t wait to get the book. Save one for me!
3:34 am on November 4th, 2012
Heather, I couldn’t be happier for you!! I’ve been reading your blog since way before I started myself and it has always been such an inspiration. Congratulations!! I’ll be first in line to pick it up (or pre-order!) :)
4:05 am on November 4th, 2012
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! This is fabulous news. Can’t wait to see it! Please come to Sacramento on your book tour. No one ever comes to Sacramento!
4:54 am on November 4th, 2012
Congratulations! I can’t wait to read it.
4:56 am on November 4th, 2012
Wow! Congratulations, Heather. What an awesome achievement and labor of love! I can’t wait to see the book. I am sure it will be beautiful and inspiring just like your blog.
6:38 am on November 4th, 2012
Thank you so much Beth, what a lovely thing to say :)
7:32 am on November 4th, 2012
Thank you very, very much AC!
7:32 am on November 4th, 2012
Thanks Vicki!! I am actually TOTALLY coming to Sacramento! I have a friend who lives there, and I am going to do a charity event there with her, and will add on a book signing! CANT WAIT to meet you in person Vicki!!
7:33 am on November 4th, 2012
Oh Katrina- thank you so much, that means so much to me. Warm Vanilla Sugar is so lovely, and I am happy to think I could have had the toniest part in inspiring you. Thank you, thank you :)
7:36 am on November 4th, 2012
Thanks so much Barb!!! of course!!
7:37 am on November 4th, 2012
Thanks Vittoria! It actually will be for sale all over Europe since I signed with a British publisher, so maybe that will make it easier to find for you? I did take all of the food photo’s myself! Thank you!!
7:40 am on November 4th, 2012
Congrats on the book! Can’t wait to see it. I love this mac and cheese recipe, too. mmm…
9:09 am on November 4th, 2012
Congratulations! How exciting – I can’t wait to get it in my paws! It will be fabulous, I know. xo
10:04 am on November 4th, 2012
HUGE Congratulations Heather. That is incredible. Cheers to all of your talent and hard work and look forward to buying your book!
10:06 am on November 4th, 2012
I am so excited for you, Heather! I have no doubt the book is going to be incredible. Be sure to let us know when we can pre-order it. Congratulations on such a huge accomplishment!
11:00 am on November 4th, 2012
Congratulations Heather!!! That’s so, so exciting, and I’ll be in line to buy it the day it comes out!
11:02 am on November 4th, 2012
Thanks so much Ginny- yes the mac n cheese is awesome!!
11:05 am on November 4th, 2012
Thnks soupista ;)
11:05 am on November 4th, 2012
Thank you so much Nicole!!
11:06 am on November 4th, 2012
Thank you Marianne!! I will let you know all the details as soon as I know them!!
11:07 am on November 4th, 2012
I totally appreciate it Maggie!!!
11:07 am on November 4th, 2012
We love your recipes and cannot wait for the cookbook!
12:50 pm on November 4th, 2012
Yeah!!! Looking forward to getting your BIG book. I’m sure it will be a great resource to use daily. Thanks Heather.
2:13 pm on November 4th, 2012
Such great news, Heather! I am sure it will be beautiful and I can’t wait to see it. And the spinach puree in this pasta – so genius!
3:38 pm on November 4th, 2012
Oh Anna- thank you so much!
7:20 pm on November 4th, 2012
Thank you Angela! I hope that is the case SO MUCH!!
7:21 pm on November 4th, 2012
Thank you very much Cassie :)
7:21 pm on November 4th, 2012
Recipe is yummy :)) But…. I’m just thinking about your book…. I’d love to buy it!!!! hope will be available for online purchase :)
2:05 am on November 5th, 2012
Congrats, that is just so exciting for you!!!
3:33 am on November 5th, 2012
Thanks Alice! For sure it will. I will put up on my sight for pre-order as soon as it is ready- probably just another few months :)
6:08 am on November 5th, 2012
Thanks so much Lauren :)
6:08 am on November 5th, 2012
Congratulations!!! What a huge thing!
6:26 am on November 5th, 2012
Thank you very much :) For me it feels like the biggest thing ever!
6:30 am on November 5th, 2012
Let me wipe the tears of joy away so that I can CONGRATULATE and THANK YOU at the same time!!! I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and this recipe looks YUMMY.
7:32 am on November 5th, 2012
Congrats Heather! I cannot wait for the book to come out so I can get not only some delicious recipes but also some creative ideas of yours in my hot little hands!!
7:51 am on November 5th, 2012
Love the green mac ‘n cheese and a BIG congrats on your BOOK??!! Can’t wait to see it :)
8:38 am on November 5th, 2012
I am very excited to buy your book! Every recipe I have tried of yours has turned out beautifully, but more importantly DELICIOUS! Congratulations!
8:58 am on November 5th, 2012
CONGRATULATIONS – you clever beautiful stylish woman – can’t wait to get a copy of your book as I know it’s going to be inspiring.
9:09 am on November 5th, 2012
And to think last week I even hinted in one of my comments that you should do a cookbook! Too funny!
I can’t tell you how glad I am you have a book of your own. It is obvious how much work and effort and how much of yourself you put into making this blog great. Your beautiful blog and awesome recipes have been an inspiration to me to start my own blog, which I am just getting ready to launch. Let me be one of many to wish you congratulations. Where can we pre-order our copies?
9:23 am on November 5th, 2012
congats, Heather. You so deserve this! I love the color of that mac – green, afterall, is my favorite color! Can’t wait to see your book, your ideas, and all of your success!
9:30 am on November 5th, 2012
Oh Susan- thank you so much :) very kind.
10:11 am on November 5th, 2012
Kelley! I know- I bit my tongue on your comment :)
Thank you so incredibly much-I do try really hard to make you guys happy!! I love it here in my “virtual world”!
Please let me know when your blog is ready- I can’t wait to see it.
I think you will be able to pre-order in the next few months- I am so excited!!
10:13 am on November 5th, 2012
Thank you so much Lucy- you are the best!
10:13 am on November 5th, 2012
Thanks Lindsey! That is so important to me- thank goodness!!
10:13 am on November 5th, 2012
Thanks so much Marla!
10:14 am on November 5th, 2012
Thank you Julie!!
10:14 am on November 5th, 2012
Congrats!! I’m thrilled for you!
11:34 am on November 5th, 2012
OMG! Congratulations!!! I can’t wait to hear more about it! And to eat this insanely yummy green shiz!
12:46 pm on November 5th, 2012
Thank you so much Carrie :)
1:26 pm on November 5th, 2012
lol! THanks so much BEV!!!
1:27 pm on November 5th, 2012
OMG AMY!! you are so nice! Thank you so much, that is such a nice note!! Thank you!!!
1:30 pm on November 5th, 2012
Congrats!! That is FAB news!! xo
3:05 pm on November 5th, 2012
thanks Maria- I’m so excited!!
3:25 pm on November 5th, 2012
So exciting, you’re own book!!! I can’t wait to find out more about it!
BTW the Green Mac & Cheese is sooo fun!
4:17 pm on November 5th, 2012
How exciting! I’ve been following your blog for awhile now and had hoped you would have a book out someday! Your recipes are wonderful!
7:13 pm on November 6th, 2012
OMG, congrats!!!!
I am SO loving this green mac-n-cheese btw. Yum.
7:57 pm on November 6th, 2012
Thanks Allison!!
8:16 pm on November 6th, 2012
Thank you so much Chris!!
8:16 pm on November 6th, 2012
Congrats on the book! Love the green mac. I need to try that.
9:04 am on November 7th, 2012
How wonderful about your book! Plus, this green mac and cheese looks wonderful! Yum!
4:56 pm on November 7th, 2012
CONGRATULATIONS, Heather!!! I have no doubt it will quickly become my favorite cookbook (and now I know what all my girlfriends are getting for Christmas next year!). I’m so happy for you. And what a beautiful gift to your girls!
6:17 pm on November 13th, 2012