Alfredo (Basic Cheese Sauce)

Directions

1. 1
   Over medium heat, melt butter in large cast iron skillet. Add flour slowly, stirring in with a wire whisk, working out all lumps. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until just light golden brown. Be careful not to cook it too long as this negatively affects the flour's ability to thicken the sauce later. And the opposite is almost as bad ~ not cooking it enough leaves your sauce tasting a little like paste.
2. 2
   Quickly add half and half, being sure to whisk continuously and briskly to work out any lumps before they have time to set. If you're new to making gravy like this, take the pan off the heat and add the half and half more slowly so you have more time to work the lumps out.
3. 3
   Turn heat up to medium high. Add garlic, salt and nutmeg and whisk in well. Add bay leaf (more than one if you like a stronger bay flavor). Cook, stirring often, until sauce has thickened.
4. 4
   Turn off heat. Add grated Parmesan and stir until melted and incorporated throughout.
5. 5
   Serve over pasta or spaghetti squash. You can add all manner of things to this ~ meats like shrimp, chicken, or even pork; or broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and the like to keep it vegetarian.