If Yan Can Cook, So Can I!!

I can officially cook!! I know some of you might be thinking, "what are you saying? You've been cooking since you were little." Yes I have. I had a great teacher, my mother. But there's always been one thing I can't do. I can't cook where a roux is involved. I can't make cream soups or cream sauces or anything like that. For those of you who don't know, a roux is, "a cooked mixture of wheat flour and fat, traditionally butter. It is the thickening agent of sauces and soups." I've tried and tried and the sauces and soups never thicken. I can't make gravy either, but that's for another day.

The other day Hutch and I decided to have tortellini for dinner. We also had some cheese in the fridge. I thought I'd give making sauces one more chance. I found a recipe for cheese sauce on the Internet that seemed easy and gave it a try. I came to the step where you stir it until it thickens. I was nervous but continued on. I stirred and stirred. It wasn't thickening. I started to complain to Hutch that I can't cook. Hutch being as cute as he is kept encouraging me. I kept stirring and stirring and stirring and to my amazement (after what seemed like forever) the sauce started to thicken a bit. Then it got even thicker. I was so excited!! I kept yelling "It's getting thick, it's working!!" We added the cheese and the sauce was perfect. Apparently my problem has been that I didn't stir it long enough. So now I can officially cook! I can make cream soups and sauces! I'm so proud!!