Cheese Sauce

1 whole egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1/2 to 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 1/2 cups whole milk, or half and half
2 teaspoons dry mustard, heaping
1 pound cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more if needed
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, or more if needed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
cayenne pepper, optional
paprika, optional
dash hot sauce, optional

1. In a large pot, melt butter and pour in milk or half and half.  Whisk.

2. Add mustard and whisk as the milk comes up to a simmer.

3. Add zanthan gum, one pinch at a time as you whisk continuously.  Hold your "pinch" over the post as you rub your fingers back and forth slowly to cause tiny grains of gum to fall into the milk.

4. Take 1/4 cup of the thickened milk and add it to the beaten egg slowly, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs.  Whisk till smooth.

5. Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly till smooth.

6. If sauce gets too think, you can always add a little more milk.

7. Add grated cheese bit by bit as you whisk till all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and                 shiny.

8. Add salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.  Do not under salt!

9. Serve over cooked whole grain pasta, rice, chicken or vegetables.


Notes:
This makes a LOT of sauce.  Cut in half if you need less.  (Just beat an egg and use half of it.)
You can pour this over whole grain pasta, put it into a baking dish with additional grated cheese on top and bake for 25 minutes at 350 for baked macaroni and cheese.
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman's Macaroni and Cheese