Basic Cheese Sauce

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute more. Slowly stir in milk until a smooth sauce forms, then stir in mustard and salt. Add cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes more. Serve over steamed vegetables, pasta, rice or lightly sautéed spinach or kale.

Green Chile, Chipotle Cheddar Cream Sauce

Prepare Basic Cheese Sauce as directed above, omitting mustard and replacing 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese with 1 cup Pepper-jack cheese. Stir in 1 (4-oz.) can diced green chiles and 1 to 2 tablespoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Serve over steamed vegetables, enchiladas, tortilla chips or any other Mexican dishes.

Smokey Sicilian Cream Sauce

Prepare Basic Cheese Sauce as directed above omitting mustard and replacing Cheddar cheese with 1 cup shredded Sicilian Jack cheese and 1 cup shredded smoked Mozzarella cheese. Serve over steamed vegetables, rice, lasagna, ravioli or any of your other favorite pasta dishes.