Title: Medium White Sauce

Ingredients:

Two tablespoons butter.

Two tablespoons flour.

1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste).

1/8 teaspoon pepper (or to taste).

One cup of milk (two percent or lowfat milk works well).

Directions:

This is one of the most important sauces for day-to-day use or for use in some of the "fancier" creamed dishes found in many recipes. For example it can be used for making a quick creamed tuna on toast or for making the cream sauce for baked pearl onions - one of granny's best.

For best results use a heavy saucepan or a clad pan that distributes heat evenly. Begin with low heat and melt the butter. Pour the dry ingredients (everything but the milk) into the melted butter and blend with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth (don't burn or scald). You can save prep time by preheating the milk in a microwave (30 to 40 secconds for one cup) or if a microwave is not available remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the milk. Stir constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil (until thick). Don’t over boil.

When more sauce is needed just double the recipe. For a thinner variation use one-half quantities of the butter and flour or for thick batter-like white sauces double the butter and flour (four tablespoons of butter and four tablespoons of flour). See book image below.

Some hints. If you microwave the milk so that it is warm when you add it to the paste or roux immediately turn up the heat to high and stir continuously until thick. It will thicken evenly and consistently and in less time. Once thick, remove the heat and add ingredients or use in casserole.