Hey y'all! Danielle here.
Today, I wanted to share one of my go-to dinner sides: pasta with cheese sauce! As you may or may not know, we're currently going through the toddler food war. If we had pizza everyday, there would be no complaints. But we can't have pizza everyday. (Or can we?)
The recipe I'll share is a simple cheese sauce, which can actually go with anything: veggies, chicken, rice, pasta... you could even create your own casserole / baked pasta dish around this sauce. The sky is the limit!
Besides the fact that it goes with almost is anything, the other thing I love about it is that Jett LOVES it! And - even though we're big fans of Annie's Shells and White Cheddar - I'm sure it's so much better for him than the powdered cheese that comes with a good ol' box of mac and cheese.
Without further ado, here's how I make it:
First, I'll mention that this recipe is all about winging it. I don't really use exact measurements, and I substitute things when needed (milk for half and half, parmesan for cheddar, etc.). So feel free to make it your own!
What you'll want to do first is melt some butter (I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons here) in a saucepan over medium heat.
After the butter has melted, add some flour (I used a heaping tablespoon here), and allow the flour to cook. It's time to move to the next step when the flour and butter have browned a bit and are bubbly.
Next, you'll add your half and half (or milk - I just happened to have half and half on hand) slowly, while constantly stirring. This is where you'll want to think about the butter/flour to milk ratio: I like to add just a little milk at first (maybe 1/4 cup), and completely combine until I can get an idea of the consistency. If it's very thick, I'll know that I'm going to need to add quite a bit more liquid to create a nice creamy texture. After adding just enough milk (stirring all the while) to make the sauce just a bit more, well, saucy than you'd like, allow the sauce to cook over medium to medium high heat - It'll slightly thicken over the next few minutes.
Now all the hard work is done and it's time to add cheese and seasonings! I added about 4 oz. of shredded extra sharp cheddar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to create my sauce. Just taste a little bite, though... Does it need a bit more salt? More cheese? More milk even? Feel free to experiment. And don't worry if it's not "perfect" - You'll make it even better next time!
After the cheese is melted, your sauce is ready to enjoy with your yummy pasta or veggies!
Oh, and one more quick tip: When all else fails, turn down the heat! Seriously. It'll give you a little breathing room, and allow you to regroup.
Enjoy!
XO
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