White Sauce questions

[Sunny Side Up]

I usually avoid recipes that call for the addition of cans of Cream of Something soup because I don't like all the salt & other unpronounceable ingredients they contain. But can I substitute a basic White Sauce for those cans of cream soup, adding other wholesome ingredients for flavor?

I wanted to make a dish using bow tie pasta, cooked white meat chicken, chopped carrots & broccoli, with a creamy white sauce to hold it all together. I melted butter in a pan, added an equal amount of flour & whisked it together, then added some milk, salt & pepper, & simmered it for a few minutes until it thickened. It all came out all right, but I'd like it to be BETTER.

What else could be added for flavoring? Or for color?

Could olive oil be substituted for the butter? I don't mind using butter in moderation, but try to keep our meals more low-fat. And there's supposed to be special health benefits in olive oil. Would I use extra-virgin or light tasting?

Is it better to use higher-percentage fat milk? We use skim and 1%. Could soy milk be used?

Please include any recipes you use for a good basic White Sauce that uses healthy wholesome ingredients. Thank you!

 

[georgialee]

I do my sauce just like that except use 1/2 butter 1/2 olive oil. If you add some paremsan or other cheese it really improves the taste. Also, garlic and/or onion will add some flavor as well.

 

[chicmom]

I would add instant chicken bullion granules to the white sauce in that recipe.....that would make it tasty...

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
I bet that would impart flavor, and it would be convenient, but what's in that stuff? Salt? MSG? Preservatives? Where did the chicken come from, how was it processed, which of its parts are in this and how did it get to be an instant granule?

I don't mean to disparage your choices, but this is what I think about when I choose food for my table. I'd rather not use packaged & processed ingredients but use more healthful & wholesome things instead. That's why I'm looking for a good alternative to the cans of Cream of Whatever soup used in so many recipes.

I know I am fortunate to have a bit of time to spare to whip up something from scratch. But I save time by preparing large portions of whatever dish I am making so there is enough to have reheated for several meals. It would be more difficult to cook a fresh meal from scratch 2 or 3 times a day.

 

[Kim_NC]

Herbs such as basil, parsley or thyme add flavor to white sauce.

You can use chicken stock in place of 1/2 of the milk for more flavor - by that I mean homemade stock, not canned commercial broth. A higher-percentage-fat milk would make it creamier and richer - but of course adds fat.