The big day is tomorrow, when millions will gather around televisions to cheer their team, boo the opposition and watch ridiculously fun commercials. Oh, and eat.

Super Bowl Sunday is as much about indulging in food as it is indulging in some serious TV time. While chips, dips, guacamole and wings usually rule the day, here are some other easy, last-minute ideas to get your party started.

Eat up and enjoy!

• Bacon-wrapped dates
• Homemade salsa
• Super easy hummus
• Olive tapenade
• Pasta salad
• Oven-baked potato fries (Above)
• Cheese biscuits
• Parsley and caper relish
• Caramelized onions (great on burgers)
• Corn avocado bacon salad

Bean-based soups are amazing for their nutritional value and the sheer comfort they provide, not to mention that they cost so little to make. The problem with making most legume soups from scratch is the amount of time it takes to soak the beans – usually overnight – and then cook them, which can take hours more. If you don’t do it properly, instead of a soft bean, you’ll risk biting into something as hard as a rock.

Split pea soup doesn’t have these issues. Like lentils, the beauty of split peas is that they cook quickly – about 45 minutes – and require no soaking beforehand. Yet they pack plenty of fiber and protein, and about zero fat. Add the soup’s earthy taste and warm-your-belly satisfaction, and split pea is a winner. It’s also very cost-effective and can be tailored to a variety of tastes. You can buy a 1-pound bag of dried split peas in just about any grocery store for around $2 or less. The soup can be made vegetarian style or, for even more flavor, can include crisp, rendered bacon bits or a traditional ham hock.

While water can be used as the base liquid, I prefer broth or stock since it adds flavor. You can use chicken, vegetable, even turkey or beef broth, or a combination thereof.

[SEE HOW TO MAKE STOCK]

I like to mix low-sodium chicken broth and vegetable broth for mine. Furthermore, I bolster my split pea with potatoes, carrots and onions and garlic. The result is a big pot of soup that can feed an army.

If making homemade soup has daunted you all these years, start with split pea, and start right here.

Makes 6-10 servings

• 16-ounce bag dried split peas, rinsed well
• 64 ounces of broth or water (use a cup less if you like thicker soup)
• 1/2 brown onion, chopped small
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped small
• 1 potato, peeled and chopped small
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• Optional: Bay leaves
• Optional: Peppercorns
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1a: Rinse the peas under cold water in a colander, then put them in a large (at least 8-quart) pot.

Step 1b: Add the liquid, heat on high and bring to a boil, skimming any froth that may come to surface.

Step 2: While waiting for the boil, peel and chop the onion, carrots, potato and garlic.

Step 3: When the soup is about to boil, dump in the rest of the ingredients, then bring to boil. Here I like to add several whole peppercorns and two or three bay leaves for extra flavor. (These ones I’m holding are amazing Kampot peppercorns from Cambodia, purchased from my friends at the Pepper Project, whose product sales benefit the impoverished.)

Step 4: Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Uncover toward the end and stir. The peas will literally start falling apart.

Step 5: If you want a very smooth, even texture, use an immersion blender. Otherwise, cook until the texture is to your liking. If you want a thicker soup, uncover and cook longer until the soup reduces. Don’t forget to fish out the bay leaves if using; do the same for the peppercorns if you don’t want to bite into one. Taste and season if necessary with salt and pepper.

Congratulations: You’ve just made split pea soup. Ladle the soup into big bowls, garnish with croutons, pepper sauce or any other goodies to your liking, and enjoy.

It’s the new year, that time when we make resolutions, ponder life’s big questions and wonder how that last year flew by so quickly. Oftentimes the first of these involves diets, and with them, vows to eat better.

Before you roll your eyes, don’t worry: This isn’t necessarily an article about nutrition or how to shed calories. Rather, it’s suggestions on five foods to try that may be new to you – all of which do happen to boost flavor in a relatively healthful way.

These foods are not usually eaten alone, and that’s the beauty of them: They can make a dish that’s tried and true better, and can be used in lieu of ingredients that are higher in fat and/or calories. They can introduce flavors you may not be familiar with, and are all ripe for experimentation.

Here are the five foods that top my recommended list of ones to try in the new year. I hope those that are new to you will find their way into your kitchen in 2012.

It’s hard to believe so much flavor can be packed into something so small. Capers are actually the bud of a flowering plant. These little orbs are easily found bottled in the same section of the store where you would find pickles and olives. On the bottles, capers may be labeled “non-pareil,” which refers to their size. The term refers to capers up to 7 millimeters. While other sizes are available these are considered the most prized. Capers are packed in a brine, a salty solution, and should be rinsed with cold water before using. They will add a salty burst and a bit of crunch to any dish you use them in, from salad dressing to a cooked sauce. I like to use them chopped up as a “secret” ingredient in tuna salad.

Yes, it’s more than just a fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain. Chipotles are actually jalapenos that have been smoked and dried. While you can buy them like that, they are most easily found moist in cans. They are moist because they are bathed in a spicy, addicting red sauce called adobo. Fair warning: these things are hot, but they’re also delicious. They can be used on everything from traditional Mexican fare like tacos and burritos to eggs and baked potatoes. I’m a big fan of the Embasa brand, which can be usually be found with salsas and hot sauce at most major markets. Try a little bite of one first to see if you can handle the heat.

By “good” I mean extra-virgin. That description has nothing to do with the sanctity of the olives that are used to make these. When olive oil is labeled “extra-virgin,” it means that the oil is extracted from the first pressing of the olives, which yields the best flavor. Of these, the ones that tend to taste best are “cold-pressed” olive oils, meaning the oil is extracted without heat or chemicals, which tarnish flavor. Because this stuff can be pricey, it’s best to use it in smaller amounts on finished foods or as a base for good salad dressings. Some high-end olive oil is now even being flavored, and is coming from places other than Spain or Italy. In fact, a new Orange County based company called Enfuso has recently started selling a smoke-infused variety from California olives. I like to use a few drops on fish to give it a smoky essence.

This has become my regular substitute for milk from cows, since I’m trying to lessen my dairy intake. And I love it. Soy milk is plant-based since it’s made from soybeans, yet contains nearly as much protein as traditional cow’s milk. I’ve also found that it seems to last longer in my fridge vs. milk from cows. I use it cold and love its nutty flavor when mixed with cereal. Flavored varieties are also available (I recommend vanilla), as are light versions with half the fat and fewer calories. You can also cook with soy milk. Silk, one of the biggest sellers of the stuff, has recipes on its website, silksoymilk.com.

Think of these as onions that look like giant garlic bulbs. I like shallots because they are milder than onions, yet still provide the crunch and visual appeal of their stronger-tasting relative. Because shallots can be quarter the size of brown onions, you’ll need to use more of them if doing a straight substitution. And like onions, they need to be peeled. To use them, cut in half with a sharp knife to create a flat and stable surface, peel the parchment like exterior, then chop and use as you would a regular onion, either raw or cooked.

So there you go: My five to try for 2012. Do you have foods you’d like to recommend others try? Share in the comments area below!

I love herbs. Fresh or dried, they are an instant way to boost flavor without adding fat or salt. Their varieties and flavors baffle the mind, and they can perk up dishes ranging from the simplest eggs to the finest steak to ice cream and hundreds of foods in between.

One of my favorite herb combinations is one I only recently discovered. It was love at first taste, and now I use it on everything from seafood to spaghetti: herbes de Provence, named after the southern region in France.

These herbs, sometimes labeled “herbs from Provence,” are dried and can be found bagged or bottled with others in supermarkets or even stores like Target. Herbes de Provence are a blend of herbs, but like so many other creations in cooking, the combination creates a culinary synergy that’s magic in your mouth.

Herbes de Provence generally are a mix of dried thyme, basil, marjoram, savory and fennel. Some blends contain additional herbs such as lavender, rosemary and parsley. Bottles cost anywhere from a few dollars for a house brand like Target’s Archer Farms (it’s quite good) to nearly $20 for “gourmet” versions found at specialty retailers and online.

You can also easily make your own blend, but you may end up paying more because you’ll have to buy a quantity of each individual herb. Still, if you already have a bevy of dried herbs you need to use, or just like to experiment with your own blends, begin by mixing about 1 tablespoon of each ingredient listed above or a combination of them in a bowl. Then all you have to do is store it in an airtight container and it will be ready when you are.

Like other herbs, they will best flavor food when used in the latter or last stages of cooking. If you use them early in a recipe that takes hours, the herbs can end up overpowering the dish, or making it bitter if too many are used. You can also sprinkle herbes de Provence on meats or fish that are headed for the grill or oven, or simply on top of a ripe tomato that has been drizzled with good olive oil and salt.

I encourage you to experiment. Buy a bottle for a few bucks and use as much or as little as you want, starting on a food that is already familiar to you. I think you’ll find yourself reaching often for herbes de Provence for their magical ability to flavor food without added salt or fat, not to mention its green visual appeal. It gives that adage “season’s greetings” a whole new meaning.

It’s true: Some foods have a near-global appeal. No matter where you’re from or what your food preferences are, they speak the universal language of delicious.

Oftentimes these culinary all-stars are rather simple, and shine not just because they taste good, but because they have other inherently likable characteristics as well, such as an agreeable texture and ease of handling. One such food that immediately comes to my mind is the biscuit.

These simple, puffy clouds of carbohydrate goodness have a seemingly magical quality about them. Through the centuries they have been found everywhere from the sacks of traveling peasants to gilded baskets atop linen tablecloths.

They can be savory or sweet, and only get better when teamed with condiments such as butter, honey or gravy. Biscuits are also special in that they can be had for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack; eaten as a side; or, when cut in half, used for a sandwich.

When I told a colleague that I’d be making some, he asked if I use Bisquick. My eyes immediately shot daggers.

Yes, just like pancakes, waffles, cupcakes and so many other quickly prepared foods, mixes abound for biscuits. Some are quite good, too. But it’s not much more difficult to whip up your own mixture, which can save you money and allow you to tailor the recipe exactly to your liking.

Biscuits can be made a couple of ways. Both involve a process of pairing flour and fat, then making a batter from the wet and dry ingredients. To make a restaurant-quality round biscuit, you usually knead the dough, roll it out a few times and then fashion the biscuits using a circular mold. For me, that involves too much work, and makes a quick-bread not all that quick.

I prefer what’s called the quick-drop method. For this, after making the batter in a bowl, you simply scoop up a spoonful and plop it onto the sheet pan that you’ll then throw into the oven. The result is a more rustic-looking, one-of-a-kind biscuit. But it’s just as delicious as the round version.

The only tricky part of making biscuits is combining the flour and fat, which is usually butter or shortening. This, too, can be done a couple of ways. One method is to “cut” it in, and that involves taking two knives and slicing through the flour and butter away from each other. The other way, which I prefer, is the “rubbed in” method of gently rubbing the mixture between your thumbs and index finger. Either way, the goal is to create a dough that looks like coarse meal and spreads the fat throughout the mixture. It’s also important that the fat, in this case butter, stays very cold. I usually freeze my butter for a few minutes before using.

As said, biscuits can be host to a cornucopia of ingredients, from blueberries to bacon. One of my favorites, though, is cheese. This recipe below calls for a four-cheese blend, like the kind you find shredded and packaged at the store. Additionally, I use buttermilk for added flavor, but you can just as easily use whole milk instead (in that case, skip the additional baking soda and use 4 teaspoons of baking powder). Ready for a biscuit primer? Let’s mix.

FOUR-CHEESE BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

(Yield: 16-20 biscuits)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 4 tablespoons (half a stick) of butter, very cold
• 3/4 cup finely shredded four-cheese blend
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, very cold
• Optional: melted butter to top biscuit batter

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and garlic salt. If you don’t have a whisk, you can even do this with a fork.

Step 2: Cut the butter into small chunks and add to the flour mixture. Cut or rub in the butter until the dough appears mealy. Add the cheese and mix.

Step 3: Create a well in the middle and pour in the buttermilk. Mix briskly with a spatula or two for no more than a minute, or until the flour is moist. Use more buttermilk or flour if needed.

Step 4: Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray, scoop and drop the dough onto a baking sheet that’s been spritzed with nonstick spray. For added flavor and a browner appearance, baste the dropped biscuit batter with melted butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the biscuits start to brown.

Congratulations: You just made cheese biscuits. Remember to use oven mitts when removing the tray, and let the biscuits cool slightly before devouring. Now that you are familiar with the biscuit process, experiment with other ingredients such as herbs, corn kernels or even dried fruit such as raisins.

The feast is over, and you are as stuffed as that turkey that’s now stuffed inside you. Now it’s off to a comatose state in front of the TV or, if you are one of those insane ones, off to bed so you can be up in a few hours for the Black Friday pandemonium. Oh, and then there’s that carcass, the culinary wreckage of a feast that only comes once a year.

Most people will just toss those bones and any scraps of meat left on them in the trash without a second thought. But did you know that you can actually resurrect them, giving new life to what is otherwise considered waste? Bones, believe it or not, are a crucial component to classical cooking. After they’ve been picked to, well you know, bones can be simmered in water to make stock. Stock, of course, is the base liquid for myriad other dishes in the culinary world, most often soups and sauces.

In fact, according to The Culinary Institute of America’s “The Professional Chef,” stocks “are referred to in French as fonds de cuisine, or the foundations of cooking.”

While this all may sound a little upper-crust, stocks are actually a cinch to make. At their most basic, all it takes to make stock are bones, water and some vegetables such as carrots, onions and celery. Oh, and time. A 30-minute meal, this is not. Stocks are velvety and flavorful because they extract the last remnants of life from those bones. And that takes time. A classical white stock made from veal bones, for example, can take up to 10 hours. Luckily, bones from fowl such as chicken or turkey take about half that, from four to six hours. (Fish stocks, on the other hand, made from the delicate bones of those swimmers, is done in 30 minutes to an hour, and is often called fumet).

Luckily, stocks are low-maintenance. It’s not like you have to stand over the pot the whole time stirring, like some sort of risotto from hell. No, all you really have to do is simmer the ingredients and skim the scum that floats to the top occasionally. Once done, you strain and chill promptly. Stock such as this one we’ll make can then be used to in soups or, one of my favorite applications, instead of water when making rice.

By the way, while “stock” and “broth” are often used interchangeably, technically broth is made with meat, while stock uses bones. The contents of your turkey carcass will likely have a bit of both. Stocks tend to have more mouth feel because of the gelatin that is extracted from the bones. It is also for this reason that, once refrigerated, a well-made stock thickens like Jell-O. Don’t worry, this is normal and will thin out when heated.

Also notice that in the recipe below, measurements are not exact, since no two carcasses are the same. Just use what you have and throw in the vegetables as you have them; one less carrot will not ruin this recipe. The most important ingredient for stock is time. Also note that salt is generally added only in small amounts or not at all, since stocks are used as a base for other dishes, and not necessarily something you eat by itself.

The pictures below are from two chickens vs. one turkey, as that’s what I had on hand. You can really use any type of bones that you have. Here’s how to make it happen:

TURKEY STOCK

• Bones of one turkey, including leftover meat
• Enough water to cover by two inches in a pot
• About 3 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 1 brown onion, quartered
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• Optional: whole peppercorns, garlic cloves, and other flavorings

Step 1: After rescuing most of the meat and skin from the turkey carcass, put the bones in a large (at least 8-quart) stock pot and cover with cold water by about two inches. Starting with cold instead of hot or  boiling water will create a clearer, more flavorful stock.

Step 2. Set on medium heat and bring to a simmer, skimming and throwing away the impurities often referred to as “scum” as needed. Once a simmer is attained, regulate the heat so the liquid simmers – where bubbles gently reach the surface – instead of boils.  Simmer uncovered for three to five hours, skimming as necessary and adding more water if needed to cover the bones.

Step 3. About an hour before you plan to strain, add the vegetables and any additional aromatics such as peppercorns and garlic. Simmer uncovered for about another hour.

Step 4. OK, when do you know when it’s done? Taste it. When it tastes good to you, it’s done – and remember, flavors will intensify once chilled. Now carefully strain using the finest strainer you have (a liner of cheese cloth works best if you have it).

Step 5. Cool the stock as quickly as you can (multiple jars help here) and refrigerate for up to four days. I speed the cooling process by putting the jars in the same pot I made the stock in, but cleaned and filled with very cold water. Once chilled, a layer of fat will likely coagulate at the top; just skim this off with a spoon and toss after the stock has chilled.

Congratulations: You just made stock from scratch using parts of your turkey most others would have sacrificed to the trash can. Now that you know how to make turkey stock, experiment with other stocks using beef, chicken or fish bones, or even with various vegetables for a vegetarian version. Stocks also freeze well and defrost quickly, so it’s easy to keep on hand throughout the year.

Here it is upon us once again and all too soon: Thanksgiving.

You know what that means? Well of course it signals several helpings of turkey and a tryptophan-induced coma in front of the television soon after.  It also means that those other holidays — Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and  Chrismukkah — are just a blink away.

As things in the kitchen move into high gear, it’s good to slow down and remember to enjoy the process. If you can think of what you are doing as an expression of love instead of a load of work, it will make the day that much more enjoyable.

It’s also a good time to remind about basic kitchen safety of the fowl variety. Undercooked turkey, as we all know, does not make for good eats or safe eats. Here are some tips and facts to remember if you are cooking the bird yourself in the oven:

• Be sure it’s thawed, but don’t do it at room temperature. Ideally, a frozen bird should have several days in the fridge to thaw, about a day for every four pounds. If you’re in a pinch, you can thaw the bird quicker by covering it in cold water, unopened in its wrapper. If you do it this way, be sure to change the water frequently, every half hour or so.
• Before cooking the turkey, clear the cavity of the various parts we call giblets. Rinse the whole bird with cool water inside and out, pat dry, then proceed with seasoning, similar to roasting a whole chicken.
• 325 degrees is the recommended oven cooking temperature from the experts at Butterball. A 10-18 pound bird will take from 3 to 4 1/2 hours. One as big as 24 pounds will take more than 5 hours. The general rule of thumb is about 12 minutes per pound for an unstuffed bird. Cook it breast side up.
• The bird is done when it hits 180 degrees, as measured with a thermometer in the thigh. (Note: The USDA will let you get by at 165, but it’s better to be safe than sorry if you’re new at this.) And be sure to let it rest at least 15 minutes before you go carvin’ to let the juices recirculate.
• For beginning cooks, I don’t recommend stuffing the bird, since this can increase your chances of picking up salmonella. The reason is, by the time the stuffing reaches the proper temperature — 165 degrees — the rest of the turkey can dry out. Make the stuffing on the stove and save yourself the headache and the risk.
• Remember to thoroughly clean and sanitize absolutely anything that has come into contact with raw turkey before it touches anything else. That includes cutting boards, knives and your hands.
• Toward the end of cooking, if the wings and skin are browning too much before the turkey is done, cover them loosely with foil.
• If you want to brine your turkey, see my guide to brining.
• If you need help cooking your turkey the day of, call the Butterball Talk Line, that famous line of yearly communication in which turkey experts will talk you through any Thanksgiving dinner anguish. The number is 1-800-BUTTERBALL, or 1-800-288-8372.
• More helpful info can be found at butterball.com or here at fosterfarms.com.

If you’re not making the main event, remember there are plenty of other sides you can put together quickly and easily. The host will love you for it, too. Here are links to some on this site, with step-by-step photos on how to make them:

• Glazed carrots
• Oven-baked potato fries — Throw these in the oven with the turkey, and try them with sweet potatoes if you’d like!
• Garlic-rosemary mashed potatoes
• Pasta salad
• Whipped cream parfait — A sweet way to end the meal

Remember to relish the day and don’t stress about the food. In the end, the most important thing at the table are the friends and family gathered.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Confession: Much of my high school senior year was spent at the beach. During class hours. Yes, while I should have been absorbing formal education, I and a group of friends were instead absorbing sun, sand and most of all the ocean. We never skipped the whole day – just some selected classes we decided we’d rather not attend, or perhaps we were just dealing with teen angst the best way we knew how.

Our thinking was that nature’s saline solution that we knew as the Pacific could cure all life’s ills. And magically, somehow that saltwater did indeed make us feel better every time we took a dip.

Turns out, at least from a culinary standpoint, we were on to something. Saltwater really is magical stuff. While each component alone has too many uses to mention in the kitchen – water is used for everything from steaming to making stocks, and salt for everything from preserving to insulating – when used in tandem, they work a magic all their own.

Water mixed with salt is known as a brine, and it’s a classic way of making food flavorful even before the cooking process begins. Brining becomes especially popular this time of year because of Thanksgiving, when the process is used for turkeys.

If you’ve ever had a turkey that’s been brined, you probably already know the results: a bird that is moist and exceptionally flavorful, traits that brines help create. All done ever so simply by submerging food for hours in water and salt (you can experiment with other seasonings, too, from brown sugar to peppercorns).

Yet I sense your hesitation. “What if I get this whole brining thing wrong on the big day? Domino’s may not be able to rescue me if somehow I end up with a waterlogged turkey.”

No worries. Here’s what we’re going to do: practice. And not on a turkey, but something smaller and more manageable: a chicken.

This way, we’ll get familiar with the brining and roasting process – both easy, I promise – and then if you choose to brine and roast a turkey for T-day, it will be a whole lot simpler.

All you’ll need is the requisite salt, water and a whole chicken (found wrapped in plastic at almost any supermarket), and a bowl that’s large enough to hold it but still fits in the fridge. Aside from an oven, you’ll also need about 6 to 12 hours so the bird can soak in the solution. I usually just leave it in the fridge overnight.

Now, let’s brine and roast.

BRINED AND ROASTED WHOLE CHICKEN

• 64 ounces of water, or enough to cover chicken
• Half-cup table salt, with more on hand if needed
• 1 whole chicken, 3-5 pounds
• Half a lemon
• Half an onion
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• Optional: Veggies and dry herbs such as rosemary
• Music to make it by: The Police

Step 1: Unwrap the chicken, reach into the cavity and remove the “parts” – heart, liver, neck, etc. – and rinse the entire bird inside and out under cold water. Regarding those giblets, toss if you want, or cook with the chicken. My dog loves some of these.

Step 2: Put the chicken in a big, nonreactive bowl, such as plastic, stainless steel or stoneware. Fill with water to cover the chicken, add the salt and stir to dissolve. The usual ratio for a brine is 1 cup salt per 1 gallon of water. There, you just made one.

Step 3: Cover and let soak overnight in the fridge.

Step 4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove chicken from brine, rinse and pat dry. Toss the brining solution and remember to clean anything that comes in contact with raw chicken. Put the chicken in roasting pan, stuff cavity with lemon and onion, and sprinkle pepper all over. You can add a little oil if you want for a crisper skin and to help the pepper stick. I like to add vegetables for a complete meal, and rosemary on the chicken for added flavor.

Step 5: Roast in the oven until done, when the thigh reaches a temperature of at least 165 degrees as measured with a thermometer. A good estimate is 15 to 20 minutes in the oven per pound of chicken, and remember, ovens will vary. If skin browns too quickly, cover with foil.

Congratulations: You just brined and roasted a chicken. Once cooked, carefully remove from oven and let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes. You can now carve, tossing the lemon and onion that were in the cavity, and enjoy.

Here it is, the finale of this three-part I Want To Cook miniseries. Three weeks ago we used fat and flour to make a roux, traditionally used to thicken soups, stews and the kind of sauce we made last week, a béchamel. Now we’ll use those foundations to build our latest and last creation: a dynamite cheddar cheese sauce.

With this sauce, the options are limitless. Yes, it’s the magic spread that will get kids and adults alike to eat broccoli. Bring some chips to the party and you have an instant dip. Or you can use it to make the greatest mac and cheese of your life.

The real beauty about this whole endeavor, though, is that you can tailor it to your liking. Not a fan of cheddar? Use Parmesan or another Italian-style cheese to make a mock Alfredo that would be at home over pasta.

Love the idea of fondue but not big on wine? This can be your ticket to dipping bliss. Or perhaps you like it spicy. If that’s the case, throw in some jalapenos and a pinch of cayenne powder: That will wake up those nachos.

With béchamel as a foundation, all this is possible. The sauce is needed for the cheese to incorporate, because, as I unfortunately learned at a very young age, you can’t just throw a bunch of cheese in a pot, turn on the heat and expect it to melt. I think we’re still trying to get the burn remnants off that pan.

For now we’ll make a quick cheddar sauce from our béchamel. I use 4 cups of grated mild cheddar, but again, let your taste and senses be the guide. Use more for a stronger sauce, less for a milder one. This sauce is best used immediately. If you have to reheat, do it gently in a pot or in a microwave, stirring often.

Here’s how to make it happen, including the last two weeks’ instructions for roux and béchamel.

CHEDDAR CHEESE SAUCE

(Makes about 1.5 quarts)

• 1 quart bechamel sauce (click for bechamel recipe)
• 1/2 tablespoon mustard powder
• 4 cups grated mild cheddar cheese

Now that you’ve made the bechamel, like the kind pictured above, turning it into a cheese sauce is a snap. First, fish out the bay leaves and discard them.

Now stir in the mustard powder (you can also use prepared mustard in a bottle) and, with the heat still on low, slowly add the cheese and stir in until it has completely melted.

Congratulations: You just made cheese sauce!

To turn this into macaroni and cheese, slightly undercook a pound of elbow macaroni, mix with the cheese sauce in a greased casserole dish, top with bread crumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Last week I showed you how to make a roux, which is basically flour cooked in fat, and in doing so we laid the foundation for greater things.

Roux isn’t for eating by itself, of course, but is used to thicken such things as sauces and gravies, which themselves are used in a supporting role to build a main dish.

One easy sauce to build from a roux is béchamel, also known as white sauce. Don’t worry: It tastes better than its rather bland name. In fact, in classical French cooking, this sauce is so important that it’s known as a “mother sauce.” It’s called that because from it even more elaborate sauces can be made.

Béchamel is a thick, milk-based sauce. It gets its thickness from the roux, which also helps give the sauce a nutty, hearty flavor.

Some béchamel recipes call for cooking onions with the roux for added flavor, but you can leave them out if you’re not hot on onions, are short on time, or want a smoother sauce without the need for straining. Other than the roux and the milk, about the only other things this sauce needs are a couple of bay leaves and a dash of nutmeg. And some time, but not a whole lot.

At around half an hour, it doesn’t take long to make. Béchamel can be used in lasagna, other dishes calling for a white sauce, or as a less-fattening basis for Alfredo sauce, which traditionally calls for heavy cream and butter.

When I make béchamel, I use it as a foundation for a spectacular cheddar cheese sauce, for which I could almost eat by itself.

I’ll show you how to do that next week. For now, here’s how to build a béchamel from a roux, pictured below. (Click to see how to make a roux)

• 32 ounces (a quart) of whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 bay leaves

Step 1: Now that you’ve made the roux, slowly pour in a third of the milk and whisk continually until smooth. Let the milk come to a simmer, add another third of the milk and whisk and repeat until all the milk is in the pot.

Step 2: Bring the milk a boil very briefly, then turn the heat to low. Add the bay leaves and nutmeg, and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce has the thickness to your liking. Be sure to whisk often, plus scrape the bottom and sides of the pan, where the sauce has a tendency to stick.

Congratulations: You just made a béchamel sauce. From here, you can remove the bay leaves and use it in or on another dish, or as a basis for another sauce like a cheddar one, which we’ll get to next week.