My mom never had any trouble getting me to eat my vegetables when I was a kid.  In fact, at family dinners my cousins used to slip me their vegetables so that they wouldn’t get in trouble for not finishing their plates.  But whenever broccoli and cheese was on the menu, I only got a single serving.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly until the flour starts to turn lightly golden, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the paprika and cook one more minute.  Reduce the heat to low and slowly add milk, stirring constantly, and bring to a low boil. When the milk begins to thicken, add the cheese and stir until the cheese has just melted.  Stir in the salt, pepper, cayenne, and up to 1/4 cup milk to achieve desired consistency.

Meanwhile, place the broccoli in a steamer over high heat. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Serve the broccoli with the cheese sauce drizzled over the top or in a serving bowl alongside.

Monterey Jack cheese and Swiss cheese can be substituted for the cheddar cheese. If using a white cheese, be sure to omit the paprika and use white pepper instead of black pepper, if possible.