Monday, August 2, 2010

Fan Request


CONGRATULATIONS TO CLEO.
Her new book: ROAST MORTEM is due out August 3! You can go to Cleo's website and order the book there. She's having a contest and all sorts of fun!

On to other news.

This has been an interesting few weeks for me. Having my first book come out is an eye-opener. Fans write to me to tell me how much they like the book. {Thank you, one and all.} Others have written to tell me that they tried a recipe (or the idea of a recipe when the recipe wasn't provided) [Year on the Grill]. While others have requested a recipe not included in the recipes provided at the end of the book.

That brings me to today's blog. In Chapter 22 of The Long Quiche Goodbye, neighbors bring a potluck dinner to Charlotte's grandmother's house. I wrote that Gretel (the pastor's wife) brought Five-Cheese Mac and Cheese. A fan wrote and said she must have that recipe.

Our very own Krista Davis warned me that fans did this. She advised me to make sure I didn't include a recipe in The Long Quiche Goodbye that I hadn't made myself. But of course, not all recipes made it into the recipe section at the end. My editor chose four.
These are my five (as shared through Gretel).
So, here it is. Gretel's Five-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. The five cheeses can be anything you want them to be. I wrote on Facebook about this and received replies including Cheddar x 5!

Enjoy!


GRETEL'S FIVE-CHEESE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Ingredients:

2 cups dried macaroni, cooked to tender (about 4-5 cups cooked)
3 cloves garlic chopped
8 tablespoons butter [a cube]
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup white wine
3 Tbs. rice flour
1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 cups grated cheese (equal parts Cheddars, Smoked Gouda, Parmessan, Monterey Jack, Havarti)


Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside. May be made a day ahead. Note: Do not forget to drain and set aside. You do not want the pasta to be “wet.”

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 2 minutes. Add rice flour and stir. Cook 1 minute, let boil and thicken, stirring constantly.

Add milk and wine, stir and let boil to thicken.

Remove from heat and add cheeses and seasonings.


Pour sauce over drained macaroni.


Serve with a crisp salad.


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Say Cheese!



12 comments:

  1. Thank you, dear heart for a mac and cheese recipe that doesn't include fluorescent orange cheese powder!! We were just talking tonight about having a good hearty mac and cheese and you answered our prayers!!
    Merci!

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  2. Well, if you are taking requests.... page 299, Mascarpone chocolate chip cookies would make a great post for next week.

    BTW, I did make and post your polenta recipe from the book. Was able to find the real cheese, even on the island!

    Posted as a guest blogger at Our Krazy Kitchen...

    http://www.ourkrazzykitchen.com/2010/07/polenta-with-talegio-cheese-ala-year-on.html

    I completely enjoyed the read. Perfect ending, the clues were there, no last minute reveals or surprise characters, but still had me fooled. We had a rainy day on the island, and my wife read it over the weekend. She wants to know if the cop and the assistant that quotes TV shows are going to hook up... Good thing it's a series.

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  3. I love this recipe! White wine in a mac and cheese recipe sounds fantastic!

    Finally, this sounds like a mac and cheese that my hubby and I can enjoy along with the kids! :)

    And I agree with Dave--I loved "The Long Quiche Goodbye!"

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  4. I've got my copy of The Long Quiche Goodbye. That recipe sounds simply yummy! thanks

    Glad to hear you are in the Top Ten at B&N and Top 20 at Bookscan. Congratulations!

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  5. Great recipe, Avery. And last night I was able to fulfill a goal I've had since reading your book last week. I enjoyed a cheese tasting with wine pairing at our favorite restaurant. Yum. Delicious cheeses and I thought of Charlotte the whole time. Wonderful book!! Congrats!

    Julie

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  6. Aren't you all sweet. Year: I made a comment on your post about the polenta...or was it about the basil pesto? You are too funny, trying out all the recipes. I promise I'll get to the Mascarpone cookies but that's not next week's post. It's a surprise (also from the book).

    So glad everyone is enjoying a mac and cheese post. And better yet, the book. Yeah! (Never telling about Rebecca and Urso, or Charlotte and Urso, or Charlotte and Jordan, but you'll find out "more" in book two.

    Best to all.

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  7. Thanks for this recipe, it sounds delicious. I always make mac and cheese with smoked gouda (along with gruyere cheese), as it seems to make such a huge difference in flavor. As a consequence, I always get requests for the recipe. I love mac and cheese, so I'll be trying this one.

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  8. Avery - you are so amazing. What a great thing to do, fulfilling a fan request for a recipe. Love this recipe, too, and (of course) I loved THE LONG QUICHE GOODBYE. The ending was so satisfying and left me *hungry* for more. (Oh, groan! Sorry, couldn't resist, but given my own coffee titles, you know I can't stop with the puns.) And I also can't wait to read Charlotte's *next* case.

    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  9. Thanks, Pattie and Cleo. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. And Cleo, may your new Roast Mortem be hot!

    Avery

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  10. This sounds like a cheese lover's delight, Avery!

    ~ Krista

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  11. This looks fantastic. I can't wait to try it!

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  12. Adding buttered panko crumbs and bacon bits mixed together as a topping is Lila Luminosity's favorite addition. Your recipe sounds yummy!

    ReplyDelete