Oh Ina.....

You always know best. I haven't cooked--really cooked-- in so so long. Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love nothing more than a nice meal out, but I can't remember the last time we ate a good, home cooked dinner. Literally can't remember. I've had the itch to cook for a while, but I woke up this morning and decided right away what my reward for putting in a little bit of coffee shop study time-- a little much needed late afternoon kitchen therapy courtesy of Ina Garten.

You know how actors when actors talk about things they admire about their colleagues they're always saying how "generous" so and so is? Well that's what I love about Ina, her food is generous--comforting, abundant, inviting. It makes me want to call up all my friends and tell them to get it while it's hot. And that's surely what dinner is all about.

The recipe is, like all her recipes, at once completely simple, and completely luxurious. It starts like this, with 1lb of mushrooms...



Cook them up... little butter, a little sherry...



Roux-it up, whisk in some milk, and then throw in 12oz of Gruyere and 8oz of cheddar, all the mushrooms and a pound of cavatappi (or macaroni, but that's just not as fun).



Give it a stir and...



into a pan!



Bake it up and enjoy the way your house smells...swell with pride when you get it out of the oven!



EAT. Mmmmmmmmmm...