Photo via Robyn Stone, AddaPinch.com.

You know what’s fun? Announcement Day.

Announcement Day is the day that an author finally gets to announce to her readers that she’s been brewing up a book behind the scenes. It’s definitely one of the 6 moments to celebrate on a publishing journey.

We usually try to keep the book-brewing process (can I call it that? I’ve decided yes) under wraps until the publishing contract is signed. But since everything in publishing works at a slower pace, this can mean months of pent-up excitement with nary a soul to gush to. So, let the gushing finally begin! As Robyn Stone of Add a Pinch wrote in her announcement post:

I am writing a cookbook.

Lord have mercy, just typing those words thrills me and makes me a nervous wreck all at the same time!

The cookbook, being published by Clarkson Potter, is based on the blog and will be filled with brand-spanking new recipes (and a few favorites) that I think y’all are absolutely going to love!

Lord have mercy is right! Robyn and I had so much fun cooking up this book proposal, and I know this cookbook is going to be really special. Not only because it will have Robyn’s great stories throughout (you can practically hear the Southern twang when you read her writing!,) but also because her food is just so darn good.

So, as always, let’s talk about the food.

Now, if there’s one recipe of Robyn’s you absolutely must try, it’s her 5-Minute Balsamic Roast Beef. It is good. Really, really, really ridiculously good. So good you’ll be spooning up the leftover gravy like all shame and morals have abandoned you. So good you’ll be mopping it up with every porous surface in sight (bread, rice, mashed potatoes, maybe even that sponge in your sink).

It’s the perfect thing to pop in the slow cooker at the beginning of the week and turn into a dozen meals. I’ve made killer lentil and beef stew from it, and I’m already salivating thinking about the things you could do with tacos and a zesty slaw. It’s also a perfect recipe to try with venison, if you happen to have a big roast in your freezer biding its time until inspiration strikes.

I’m so glad this recipe is going to get a whole new, beautifully photographed life in the cookbook. Aside from these must-eat recipes, the book will have more than 90 brand-new recipes that Robyn is developing over the next few months, and she’ll be working with the incredibly talented Hélène Dujardin of Charleston to capture the fresh, Southern-sun-soaked flavors of her food.

In case you can’t tell, we’re all ridiculously excited about this book! If you want to follow along over the next months with Robyn, you can sign up to receive her posts, where she’ll be providing some really fun behind-the-scenes looks at what goes into making a cookbook. (Hint: It involves a lot of dishwashing!)