Cheese Sauce

Driving home from the grocery store this evening (yes - I'm fully aware one should figure out dinner prior to going to the grocery store), I had a real craving for mom's cheese sauce. Thankfully, it didn't take too long to locate the recipe in the Hearthside Cook Book. I was totally impressed with how fast it whipped up. Wouldn't take any longer than mixing up Kraft Dinner... and without the chemicals!

Cheese Sauce

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
¼ tsp dry mustard
1 cup milk
¼ tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1 cup shredded cheese

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.
Mix dry mustard into the flour, add to the melted butter and blend well.
When the mixture bubbles, add cold milk and cook and stir over moderate heat until the resulting sauce is smooth and thickened.
Add seasoning and blend.
Add cheese and stir over low heat until melted and smooth.

How I made the mac and cheese above:

Made cheese sauce.

Cooked noodles.

Fried up some onions.

When everything was ready, I tossed all together with a pinch of cayenne pepper and popped into a 180C oven for approx. 20 minutes.

Side note: For as long as I can remember, mom babysat kids at home. She made their lunches, so that all the kids would be eating the same food and wouldn't feel left out. This was their favorite sauce... so I know for a fact that this is a kid favorite!

Christmas Pudding

I must be mad... or a glutton for punishment... because I'm attempting to make Christmas pudding again. The last time I made it, I boiled the pot dry, which is never a good thing!




The recipe calls for a cup of mixed fruit. I ended up chopping up way more than needed, but guess I can use that in the next recipe... fruitcake. (I used a mix of dried pinapple, apricots, prunes, currants, apple and pear.)

Christmas Pudding

Ingredients
1 cup sultanas
1 cup mixed fruit
½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup flour
Pinch of baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg
2 tbsp rum (or brandy)


Method
Put fruits in a bowl, sprinkle with rum (or brandy), leave overnight.
The next day, cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs.
Add fruit.
Add flour.
Add the pinches of spices etc.
Grease a heatproof bowl.
Place mixture inside.
Double foil and cover tightly.
Place in a double boiler and boil for 4 hours. Don’t let water run dry!
Serve with custard, crème anglaise or rum sauce.







What your pudding should look like prior to double foiling and cooking it in the double boiler.