quick and easy meals for 1 or 2

Bechamel Sauce


This just a basic white cream sauce. But, you can do so many different things with it. Italian cooking uses it often in lasagna and I’ve seen it as the first layer before the red sauce and mozzarella on top of veal or chicken when making parmesan. If you jazz it up a little it is good with pasta and shrimp or cooked chicken chunks mixed in. I like it with basil and a good bit of parmesan cheese.


About 4 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper
basil (about 2 Tbsp. chopped up fresh or 1 of dried)
about ¾ cup of grated parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a heavy pot over low heat. After it is melted and bubbling, add the flour and whisk it in. Cook for a minute or two until the flour just begins to get a little color. Slowly add the milk, whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Add the basil and grated parmesan cheese. Or you can mix in pesto if you want. That’s real good when over pasta.Continue to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, stirring often. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Set aside until you are ready to use it.