Basic White Sauce

(aka: Bechamel Sauce)
Makes about 2 cups
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
Salt & pepper
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg (fresh is best!)

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour to the butter and whisk quickly to coat the flour with butter, and get out any lumps. Cook for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly pour in the milk, still whisking to ensure you don't get any lumps. Keep whisking until all the milk is in the pan. Heat the sauce until it starts to thicken and just starts to bubble up. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir. Sauce should be smooth and creamy.

*This is a really easy sauce that is good on lots of things like pasta, fish and chicken. It doesn't have much flavor, so the flavor really comes in the salt pepper and nutmeg. The nutmeg gives it a warmth and depth that is really good. I usually use this as the base to my lasagnas. This is also grate to mix with other sauces. Mix it with tomato sauce to make a creamy pink sauce. Mix it with pesto to make a creamy pesto. The possibilities are endless for this basic, delicious sauce.

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Psalm 71:17