5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce

Step 1: Add the butter & flour to a sml saucepan. Heat & whisk them together until they are bubbly & foamy. Continue to cook & whisk the mixture for about 60 seconds. Whisk the milk into the flour & butter mixture. Turn the heat up slightly & allow the milk to come to a simmer while whisking. When it reaches a simmer, the mixture will thicken. Once it's thick enough to coat a spoon, turn off the heat.

Step 2: Stir in the shredded cheddar (1 handful at a time) until melted into the sauce. If needed, place the pot over a low flame to help the cheese melt. Do not over heat the cheese sauce.

Step 3: Once all the cheese is melted into the sauce, stir in the salt & chili powder. Taste & adjust the seasoning as desired. If the sauce becomes too thick, simply whisk in an additional splash of milk.

Step 4: TIPS FROM BETH: 1) Be sure to cook the flour in the butter for 1 min. This helps cook out the “floury” flavor. 2) Use medium cheddar for smoother results. Sharp cheddar tends to “break” or become grainy easier than medium cheddar. 3) Remove the pot from the heat before stirring in the cheese. Over-heating the sauce once the cheese has been added can cause the sauce to seize up & become thick &/or grainy. If needed, use only low heat to help the cheese fully melt.

Step 5: NOTE FROM ME: The main reason I favor this recipe so much is that it's so multi-functional. You can: Use it as a dip plain or w/grd beef or Rotel added ... Use it as "dressing" for a taco salad ... Use it as a sauce topping for all manner of hot Tex-Mex main-dishes, rice side-dishes or breakfast/brunch items, etc.