Simple Cheese Sauce for Pretzels and Macaroni

This came from Giant Food's Summer 2010 issue of Healthy Ideas. It's recommended for pretzel dipping and if there is leftover sauce, it can be added to cooked macaroni for a fast and easy mac and cheese! I'm sure that margarine or another solid butter substitute like Earth Balance would also work. I would prefer cheddar or a colby-cheddar blend over American, but I am posting the recipe as it is.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 8 1/4-cup servings

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2  cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 8  ounces American cheese, shredded

Directions

1. In a saucepan on low heat, melt the butter.
2. Whisk in the flour, salt, and mustard powder.
3. Slowly whisk in the milk, making sure there aren't any lumps.
4. increase the heat to medium and stir continuously until the mixture begins to thicken.
5. Reduce the heat and gradually add the cheese a little at a time, and continue to stir until smooth and creamy. Makes eight 1/4-cup servings, 1/2 cup would probably work for mac and cheese if you cook 1 cup of macaroni.