Io Amo Spinacci.

Tonight, I think that I created my first recipe. Or at least, this is the first time that while walking home from work x2, I managed to think about the ingredients in my fridge, and come up with something I've never cooked or read about before. And I managed to keep it simple and not go overboard with the objects I thought of afterwords. A success all around.

Spaghetti with Spinach and Wild Mushrooms:

Heat up water for pasta.
As it's heating, chop/mince (whichever you want) two cloves of garlic, and slice about 7 shittake/cremini mushrooms.
When the water boils, drop the spaghetti, and turn on the gas under a skillet, with about a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in it.
When it's warm, add the garlic and mushrooms.
Saute, while the pasta's boiling, and when the mushrooms are cooked, add the spinach. Saute, adding a little more butter if you want (I do) until the spinach is just cooked.
Drain the pasta, season the spinach/mushrooms with salt and crushed red pepper flake.
Throw a little more butter in with the pasta, toss, and then toss with the spinach and mushrooms. Add some parm if you feel like it (I did).

DEEEE Licious.

I'm really proud of myself because most of my cooking to this point has been out of recipes and stuff, out of books and magazines. But this, this I winged. This I came up with on my own and will continue to cook this for a long time.

More than anything, this gives me the confidence to follow my instincts. I mean, yes, obviously, spinach and mushrooms go well together. And nothing goes badly with pasta, butter, and garlic. But I thought of it, and I carried it out, and it was yumbly. This is a big thing. I'll hopefully be braver, and more free in the future after this success. Yes, there will still be bad recipes, bad events. But there will also be delicious goodness.

Since I have a lifetime of cooking to do, this is as good a place to start as any.