Fantastic Fettuccine Alfredo

The Alfredo sauce can also be used as a dipping sauce for homemade bread sticks. To make a leaner Alfredo, substitute half-and-half or fat-free evaporated milk for the heavy cream and reduce or omit the cream cheese.

Fettuccine Alfredo
(Thank you Food Nanny)


½ cup butter
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 pint heavy cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 lb. Fettuccine noodles

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Mix in the cream cheese. Stir in the cream and garlic powder. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, stirring often, while you cook the pasta. If the sauce needs additional thickening (for example if you're serving it as a dipping sauce without pasta), you may sprinkle in flour, 1 teaspoon at a time. Cook and stir for desired consistency. 

Cook the fettuccine according to package directions; drain. 

Stir the Parmesan cheese into the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Toss the sauce and the pasta in a large bowl and serve immediately. 

Serve with a tossed green salad and hot French bread or breadsticks.

Variation:
For Chicken Alfredo, stir-fry bite-size chunks of chicken in 1 T. olive oil until cooked and add to the sauce.