"Back To ____" Mac & Cheese Recipe w/ Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay Always Pairs With Good Ol' Mac & Cheese
Whether it’s back to school, back to work, or just regular back to reality now that we’re winding down from summer, we’re welcoming the time (and cooler weather) to enjoy getting “back to” the kitchen.
Our favorite dinners are easy ones…the kind that are easy to make, unfussy, and of course easy to sip a glass of wine while you’re making it!
Enjoy one of the greatest comfort foods to welcome you in to the Fall season and enjoy an extra glass or two…it’s time to Get Back To It!
Here’s our favorite recipe to a creamy, delicious serving of Mac & Cheese paired with our crisp and refreshing Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.
- One package of your favorite tube-shaped pasta
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
- 4 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a large baking dish, or two setting sized cast iron serving dishes.
Combine all cheese - except parmesan- in a large bowl and set aside.
In a pot of salted water, cook pasta just before done and drain. Add 1 tbsp butter to pasta and toss to coat.
Melt the rest of the butter butter in a saucepan and whisk flour over medium heat until bubbly and started to turn golden.
Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until smooth and free of clumps. Continue whisking for 2-3 minutes. Season mixture with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.
Add two cups of shredded cheese mixture and whisk until smooth. Continue adding cheese gradually until the sauce thickens.
Stir cooled pasta into cheese mixture to combine.
Pour half of the pasta and sauce into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese and then the remaining mac and cheese.
In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Top with chopped chives and serve with a cool glass of 2014 Sangiocomo Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.
4 Ways To Save The Environment This Holiday Season
We have a lot to be grateful for this year at Sea Bird Wines. Great wine, great company to share it with, and a beautiful place on Earth to enjoy it…what else can you ask for? As the holiday season approaches, there are so many opportunities to be a conscious consumer and shop with boutique brands that are contributing to a more sustainable footprint on the world.
The CDC reports that Americans throw away 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve than any other period of the year. The plastic and paper waste is overwhelming and impacts our oceans the hardest. Our every-day ecosystem depends on the resources from our coast in ways you might not expect; a healthy coastline gives us everything from the food we enjoy, clean air to breathe and (most importantly) great wine grown with coastal influences from regions like Napa and Sonoma. That’s why this holiday season we are bringing you more ways to help preserve the planet while still serving up the fun.
Ready for some inspiration? These are a few ways that members of The Flock can help create a more sustainable holiday season:
- Volunteer for coastal cleanup
Around the holidays, there is an abundance of opportunities to serve your community and give back. Some of the most overlooked volunteer opportunities can be clean-up work. The pollution of our oceans impacts the health of our communities inland. Search for volunteer opportunities from coast to coast through a non-profit resource like Ocean Conservancy.
- Reduce wrapping waste by using eco-friendly wrapping paper
If every American family wrapped only 3 presents in recycled materials, we could save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields this year. Zero-waste wrapping paper is trending this year, and is not only great for the environment, but extremely chic when done tastefully. Save items such as newspaper, scrap fabric, a patterned men’s button-down or a vintage scarf for wrapping material. Up-cycle items like strips of scrap fabric, hemp, or leather cords for ties, and utilize fresh herbs and greenery like pine branches or rosemary for a finishing touch.
- Get creative with a gift for the kids
Kids get an excess of toys for Christmas, and most of them are mass-produced products made with plastic and packaging materials that lead to waste. If you’re gifting for a child this year, consider a gift that doesn’t come with batteries. Get creative with the gifts you have to offer and remember that time and memories are the best gifts you can give.
Your favorite book, a trip to the zoo with you, or a special date night voucher for a movie (their choice!) are presents that are unique, thoughtful, and are low-impact on the environment.
- Drink Sea Bird Wines
With so many options for wine to adorn your tables during the holidays, it can be a challenge to choose one that everyone will enjoy. By selecting a boutique California brand like Sea Bird Wines to shop with, you are able to show up your average grocery store purchase for a crowd-pleasing selection with a story to tell. Mom can enjoy a glass (or three) of Robert’s Road Chardonnay and Cousin Joe will tell you all about the tasting notes of our silky-smooth Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir (we hear he’s a Level 1 Sommelier).
Impress your friends and family with our award-winning boutique production wine while you sip and swirl with confidence, knowing that you made a mindful choice this season. The core value of Sea Bird wines is crafting a more sustainable future for us all. That’s why proceeds from every bottle are donated to non-profits dedicated to protecting and preserving seabird habitats on coastlines all over the country..
Contributing to a better environment can be as easy as buying a few bottles of your new favorite wine.
And let’s be honest, by the time the holiday season arrives…you’ll be ready for easy.
