I must confess, my motive for this post is twofold: to show off one of the first pictures with my new camera as well as talk about a new recipe I tried. Almost every week, usually on Fridays, Jason and I try out a new “experimental” recipe and decide whether we like it enough to make it again. This week was one of Ina Garten’s Mac and Cheese Recipes.

Those who are close to me know I am a pretty huge fan of Ina Garten. I started watching her show on Food Network back in 2007 and I was hooked. Her food is simple, fabulous, and doesn’t require much of a fuss. So on to the Mac and Cheese! The prep work of grating all that cheese by hand wasn’t too fun, but I’m pretty sure Ina would have done it in a food processor. We cut the recipe in half, since we weren’t serving a crowd. It turned out really delicious–especially with its contrasting textures. Even better, you can make the base of this recipe ahead of time!

On to motive number two: to show off a picture from my new camera, a Canon Rebel XS. I couldn’t resist taking a picture of our dinner, and you can expect a lot more in the future.

I still have a lot to learn about this camera, but I’m excited by the opportunity to take my photography to another level.