Quick and Easy Nacho Cheese Sauce

Whether its game night, movie night or you just want to have a quick snack, nachos are always a go to. But why leave your house to go pay for nachos when you already have the ingredients at home to make them? Forget heading to the store. And who needs Velveta! You can make nacho cheese sauce right at home.  Here’s the step by step recipe in making the cheesiest of nacho cheeses!

 CHEESERANK STAFF
January, 2015

Makes About 2 Cups

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flout
1 cup whole milk
8 ounces good quality shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Serving:
Corn tortilla chips
Sour cream
Chopped fresh tomatoes
Slice scallions
Pickled jalapeno slices



Step 1:

Melt butter in your skillet.

 

 



Step 2:

Add 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour.

 

 

Step 3:

Add 1 cup of whole milk.

 

 



Step 4:

Add a 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Then stir.

 

 

Step 5:

Add 8 ounces of  good quality cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese melts.

 

Step 6:

Take a ladle and add cheese to your tortilla chips.

 

 

 



Step 7:

Add tomatoes on top of the cheese, and scallions or jalapenos for extra flavor. Serve with sour cream on the side.

 

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

Grand’s Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

 

Alabama-White-BBQ-Sauce (1).jpg

Photo Credit: SouthernBite.com, 2014

 

White Barbecue Sauce is a regional favorite found in the foot hills of Appalachian Mountains of Northern Alabama. Pit master, Bob Gibson is credited with concocting white sauce back in 1925. This tangy, mayonnaise-based condiment was traditionally used to dress chicken. But today, just about every BBQ joint in the area has  a white barbecue sauce on their menus,  and they use it on their meats as a marinade, and place it on their tables for serving.

The sauce is so versatile, that you can eat it with everything, using it as a dipping sauce  french fries to chicken wings and ribs and even as  a dressing for pulled pork sandwiches. Seriously, this unique, tangy flavor is the perfect compliment to just about everything.

To make a White Barbecue Sauce you really only need  four ingredients: mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and coarsely ground black pepper. My Grand’s  original recipe called for a little buttermilk and just a touch of heavy cream, to give it a salad dressing- like consistency. But I tweaked it just a little  bit, by adding Creole Mustard and Horseradish to her recipe and it turned out just fine.


Makes About 2 Cups


Ingredients:
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk (as needed for the desired consistency)
6 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Creole mustard
1/8 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2-3 teaspoons granulated white sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced

 

Directions:
Whisk together all ingredients until blended. Pour into a Mason Jar, cap tight with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

 

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

Bar Amá Guacamole

Photo Credit: William-Sonoma, 2015

From Bar  Amá  Restaurant Los Angeles, California, March 2015

There are almost as many ways to make guacamole as there are cooks who enjoy making it with the freshest ingredients. At the Los Angeles restaurant Bar Amá, celery puree is the secret ingredient. No one will be able to guess what’s in the guacamole, but everyone will agree it’s delicious. Another secret to making great guacamole is the use of more than enough lime juice, to prevent the browning of the condiment while being served.

Makes About 3 1/2 Cups
Ingredients:
2 celery stalks, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons water Kosher salt, to taste
4 ripe Hass avocados, pitted
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) fresh lime juice, or more as needed
2 teaspoons minced serrano chile
2 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Directions:
In a blender, combine the celery, garlic, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth. Measure out 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) of the celery puree; discard the remaining celery puree or reserve for another use. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Add the 1/4 cup celery puree, the lime juice, chile, cilantro and 2 teaspoon salt. Using a large fork or potato masher, mash the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined but the mixture is not completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and lime juice. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.