portobello mushroom lasagna.

I've been trying to make a habit of cooking one new thing every week. A couple of weeks ago I attempted my first batch of fried green tomatoes, which looked like they were going to be a complete and total failure until they suddenly browned and crisped just perfectly. Other recent successes are a white bean salad and mustard roasted potatoes. And Lisa...I made my own batch of Ina Garten's Broccoli with Garlic and Soy Sauce and am most definitely obsessed with it. I've reached the point where I feel pretty comfortable with side dishes, but entrees are another story. I always find myself frustrated when I'm thinking about making a meal because of my limited experience with main dishes.

And so, yesterday I started out with an entree (of sorts) that doesn't involve meat...The Barefoot Contessa's Portobello Mushroom Lasagna (I'm a little obsessed, if you couldn't tell). I was still a little apprehensive, since this was my first time making lasagna of any sort. And this involved a pretty extensive set of directions...for me, at least. Above is a not-so-professional picture of mushrooms cooking in butter and olive oil, and a sauce consisting of milk, butter, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and to the right is another amateur iphone picture...of the final product! Notice that the cook was unable to resist cutting a piece to taste before remembering to take a picture.

I was pretty darn pleased. This lasagna is RICH, and that's even after I substituted whole milk for two percent. I think that the massive amount of butter (about a stick and a half, in total) and Parmesan cheese are enough to completely override the absence of whole milk. One other note...I used baby bella mushrooms instead of full sized Portobellos. I'd like to try it with the larger ones to see if it makes for a firmer and more cohesive product, but as is, this lasagna was firm enough to hold together and still be rich, juicy, and delightfully sinful. The recipe is a little long to re-post here, but you can find it by searching for "portobello mushroom lasagna" at www.foodnetwork.com.