Ahhh. The neighborhood bistro. That small café where the aromas of wonderful home cooking — rustic salads, simmering soups, bubbling gratins and savory soufflés — make your mouth water. Feel like the chef in your own home bistro, even on a busy weeknight, when you make dishes with bold, passionate flavors and that unmistakable taste of “homemade.” To save time, let the grocery store be your sous chef. Buy pre-washed and bagged salad greens, packaged diced ham, crispy cooked bacon and chopped vegetables from the salad bar, and shredded natural cheese blends.

Start with a classic bistro recipe — an easy three-step cheese sauce simply made in minutes from butter, flour, milk and shredded cheese. This sauce becomes the basis for a brunch soufflé, a savory chowder, a hearty pasta dish and many other meals.

Make Your Own Bistro Cheese Sauce

Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and let it cook for a minute, add the milk and whisk until thickened. Then add Sargento Bistro Blends Shredded Cheese to give the sauce your own unique touch.

Use a thin sauce for soups, meats, chicken or fish; a medium sauce for pasta, casseroles or vegetables; and a thick sauce for soufflés, dips or fondues. Ingredient proportions to make 1 cup of cheese sauce follow:

Thin: 1 Tbsp. butter, 1 Tbsp. flour, 1 c. milk, 1 to 1-1/2 c. cheese

Medium: 2 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. flour, 1 c. milk, 1 to 1-1/2 c. cheese

Thick: 3 Tbsp. butter, 3 Tbsp. flour, 1 c. milk, 1 to 1-1/2 c. cheese

Using a wooden spoon, combine melted butter and flour in a saucepan, and cook for a minute. Add milk to cooked butter and flour, and whisk until thickened. Stir shredded cheese into thickened mixture, and simmer until cheese melts. Do not boil.

Southwestern Brunch Soufflé
Preparation Time: 25 minutes; Baking Time: 40 minutes; Serves: 6
1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 c. butter, divided
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 c. 1% milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1-3/4 c. (7 ounces) Sargento Bistro Blends Cheddar & Monterey Jack with Tomato & Jalapeño Peppers Shredded Cheese
1/2 c. crumbled crisply cooked bacon
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
6 large eggs, separated
Optional garnish:
1/2 c. salsa
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
Coat bottom and sides of 2-1/2-quart round soufflé dish with 1 Tbsp. softened butter.
Melt 1/4 c. butter in medium saucepan. Add flour; cook and stir over medium heat 1 minute. Stir in milk and salt; bring to simmer, stirring frequently. Simmer 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Stir in bacon and green onions.
Beat egg yolks with wooden spoon; stir into cheese sauce. Beat egg whites in electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold 1/3 egg whites at a time into cheese sauce using rubber spatula. Pour into prepared dish. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 40 minutes or until puffed and deep golden brown. Serve immediately. If desired, combine salsa and cilantro to garnish; serve with soufflé.

Chicken Alfredo Primavera
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
8 ounces linguini pasta, broken in half
1 c. frozen baby peas, thawed
1 red bell pepper, cut into short, thin strips
1 c. cut fresh asparagus spears (1 inch pieces)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 c. 1% milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1-3/4 c. (7 ounces) Sargento Bistro Blends Mozzarella Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Basil Shredded Cheese, divided
2 c. chopped cooked chicken or turkey
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)
Cook linguini according to package directions adding peas, bell pepper and asparagus to cooking water during last 3 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk; bring to simmer, stirring frequently. Stir in salt and pepper. Stir in 1-1/4 c. cheese until melted.
Drain linguini and vegetables; return to pot over low heat. Add cheese sauce and chicken; mix well. Transfer to serving plates; top with remaining 1/2 c. cheese and, if desired, basil. Serve with freshly ground black pepper.

Creamy Ham, Spinach & Cheese Chowder
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
4 c. 1% milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 c. diced ham
3 c. packed baby or torn spinach leaves
1-3/4 c. (7 ounces) Sargento Bistro Blends Mozzarella & Asiago with Roasted Garlic Shredded Cheese, divided
1/2 c. herb or garlic croutons
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Gradually stir in milk; bring to simmer, stirring frequently. Stir in salt and pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in ham; heat through.
Stir in spinach until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1-1/4 c. cheese until melted; ladle into shallow soup bowls. Top with remaining 1/2 c. cheese and croutons.