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Thank you all so much for the feedback on the white sauce.  I can’t
believe how quickly I got the responses.  I made macaroni and cheese
with the sauce.  First, I made a sauce with corn starch and cold milk,
then heated it slowly on the stove.  Once it was thickened, I added a
couple tablespoons butter, salt and pepper, removed it from the heat and
added sauté d onions and grated cheese.  It was smooth and had a good
taste.  See below for more creative ideas from list members. 
 
Thanks again.
 
Shelly
 
I use cornstarch.  Just a tablespoon or so should do.  Mix some with
water or milk and add to simmering liquid.
A local grocery store had a GF cooking class.  The chef (her husband has

CD) used cream and not milk when she made Macaroni and cheese.  We added

just a couple of tablespoons or rice flour to it.  This is not really a 
white sauce base but it might give you something to experiment with.
 
ust heat up a cup of milk or cream....bring to a simmer and then add a
slurry [1 tablespoon cornstarch to about a half cup of COLD water or
milk].  Add to the milk or cream and stir until thickened.  Season with
salt and pepper and a few scrapping of fresh nutmeg.
 
To make a "killer" cheese sauce for mac and cheese....use a small
container of heavy cream, heat to the simmer and add about 2 cups cubed
or shredded cheese..your choice...add to milk, stir until smooth and
thick, season with salt and pepper and wonder with dairy
products...nutmeg [about a pinch]. If you don't like to use cream, then
it will have to be thickened..Heat up two cups of milk, add 2 cups of
cheese and then thicken as above with 2T cornstarch in water or
wine...proceed with seasonings.
I read about and have yet to try "the Joy of Cooking" alternative white
sauce which starts with cooked white rice, they call for either only GF
or easily substituted ingredients. You may wish to check on it, it is in
the latest edition.
 
 I use sweet rice flour also known as glutinous flour. 
Cornstarch can be used too. 
Please, go to this site: 
http://forums.delphiforums.com/celiac/messages/?ctx=16 
and check the recipe folder.  I have voluntarily posted thousands of GF
recipes there. 
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I've tried, and not been very happy with the results, but have some
ideas 
for further experimentation. I thought of using either arrowroot or
tapioca 
starch plain. They're both good thickeners that don't get too gloppy (my

version of your glumpy--though I like yours, as it gives the sense of 
gloppy & lumpy all at the same time), and won't break if the sauce gets
too 
hot or as it cools. I also have sweet potato starch & green bean starch,

purchased at an oriental grocery. They make nice crisp coatings on
dredged 
stuff, but I haven't tried them as thickeners. I think part of the
problem 
with Bette Hagman's or any other flour mix is that the rice flour & such

aren't actually good thickeners, and potato starch really lumps easily.
 
I have substituted rice flour for wheat flour and just followed the rest
of the recipe exactly, with pretty good results. (1 T flour, 1 T butter
cooked together, and add 1 C milk for 1 C medium white sauce.)  I add
only 1/2 of the milk at first, then add the rest a bit at a time to get
the consistency I want.  
 
Try using sweet rice flour as your thickening agent.  It isn't gritty
and it doesn't seperate from the liquid. 
I've used a mix of potato starch and sweet rice flour with good results
- 
 
I don't measure - but I'd say I use about a Tablespoon of each.
 
Heat a sauce pan on medium heat, add olive oil or butter. Stir the flour
into the olive oil/butter and cook it for a minute or two (to get rid of
the starchy taste). I then add my seasonings (a touch of mustard, pinch
of nutmeg or cayenne, maybe Old Bay Seasoning, salt and pepper, and
about a cup of Half and Half, a dash of white vermouth or sherry, and
stir until thickened. I add shredded cheese for an Alfredo-style sauce
for pasta (Italian Blend) and macaroni (cheddar) or keep it plain for
chicken pot pie, etc.
 
Once I used Gluten Free Pantry's French Bread and Pizza Flour Mix - and
that was fine too.
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I make a gf white sauce by mixing mochi flour ( sweet rice flour, 
glutinous rice flour ) with cold buttermilk. I vary the amounts
depending on how thick I want the white sauce.
 
I then heat over medium heat stirring often.
I use Sweet Rice flour or cornstarch.  Sweet rice flour sauces freeze
better.  
 
My favorite is Watkins cream soup base but I also use this one 

Basic White Sauce 

In 1 qt glass measuring cup place 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp gf flour mix,
1/2 tsp salt and microwave at High 2 min, stirring after 1 mn. Gradually
stir in 1 c milk and microwave at High 3 1/2 min, stirring every minute
until thick and bubbly. After finished, if desired you may add other
seasonings or grated cheese, etc.
I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten free blend to make my white sauces, thicken
gravies, etc. I won't say I don't notice ANY difference, but it's a ;ot
better than some. I also use it to make popovers and Yorkshire pudding
and they come out great!
 
Mine turns out the best if I used potato starch.  You don't need very
much of this - I remember my sister in law made gravy one year with it
and we had to add to much water to it - it was "glumpy" - so I melt some
margarine in a pot - and I stir in the potato start with some salt - and
extra pepper because I like pepper.  I add milk quite early on and add
the potato starch in - not when it's too hot.  If I need to add a little
bit more, I sprinkle in a little more potato starch to thicken being
careful not to cause lumps .    I find it tastes pretty good.  I use
potato starch in my taco seasoning with ground beef too - it works well.
 
For white sauce, I use potato flour the same way I used to use wheat
flour, but half as much.  I heat it with butter until it  thickens, then
add milk and some cream.  I use cream to keep it from being too
transparent.  If it becomes gloppy when you add milk, just keep adding
more liquid.   Potato flour seems to hold up to heat better than the
other flours I have used that let go, and get thin when cooked too long,
but it still doesn't do that as well as wheat flour.  It has worked
great for milk gravy as well as al Fredo sauce and lemon dill sauce I
use on fish. 
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