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Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente (don’t forget to salt the water!). It’s important not to overcook it. Do NOT rinse when done cooking – just drain the water.
While it’s cooking, rinse the spinach and place in a blender. Add ½ cup of the milk. Blend until no chunks of spinach remain, but don’t blend longer than needed or the bright green color might be affected. You might need to push the spinach down occasionally, depending on your blender. If ½ cup of milk isn’t enough for your blender to get things moving, then use another ¼ cup (or whatever you need – but remember to subtract this amount of milk from what you add to the pan later).
Prepare the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, pepper and granulated garlic until combined.
While constantly stirring, gradually add the REMAINING milk (so, 1 ½ cups if you used ½ cup in the blender) and the spinach mixture.
Once the mixture starts boiling, turn down the heat to low and let simmer for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
Gradually add the cheese and stir until totally combined. Taste and add salt, if desired.
Add the pasta and stir until totally coated.
Serve immediately. Let leftovers cool completely and then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you want to make it in advance, it’s best to keep the macaroni and the cheese sauce separate until rewarming to serve.
