The first step to any problem is admitting it, right? Well … as much as I like to think that I can cook … that I make delicious, gourmet … ok more like edible meals … I have a confession.

I’m not really that good at the whole cooking thing …

So last week, my mom and I headed to the Cooking Skills Academy in Itasca for a class to get us in touch with our inner guido. Pasta Making 101. Yes, the Italians have never made fresh, homemade pasta.

I was a little worried about how this class was going to go as soon as we walked in and everyone had a bottle of wine but us. I missed the most important part of the class …. BYOB. In the long run it probably was for the best because the last thing I need is for some vino to interfere with improving my cooking skills.

Chef Paul was so informative and so fun! Not only did he teach us to make fresh pasta and gnocchi but also how to make two AMAZING sauces. Seriously, the whole time he was cooking them I wanted to just stick my spoon in there and eat it out of the pan (but I’m pretty sure the other students would not have appreciated it.)

I honestly had no clue how easy it is to make homemade gnocchi (which is my absolute favorite). Potato, egg and flour. Um, anything that has only 3 ingredients is a good recipe to me. Look out Giada … I might be taking over your gig with my newfound inner Italian.

I swear I am going to be whipping up homemade pasta all the time now. Maybe. (Ok probably not.) But in case I ever end up on Top Chef, I can look back on this experience with my favorite Italian …. my mom … and remember when I first learned how to make pasta.