Simple Alfredo Sauce

Printed from healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

*Makes 2-3 Cups

*Note: This recipe can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. It reheats well, just thicken with a little flour or thin with a little milk until desired consistency is reached.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup butter

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese (or light cream cheese)

2 Cups heavy cream (substituting half-n-half or whole milk works great too)

1 tsp. garlic powder *See Note below

1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese (Optional. I've omitted the Parmesan cheese successfully, but it's better with it)

1/4 tsp. salt, more to taste

1/8 tsp. black pepper, more to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the cream cheese and turn down temperature to medium low. Whisk until combined. Stir in the cream and garlic powder. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, stirring often until desired consistency is reached (about 5 minutes). Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot pasta.

*Note: Fresh garlic works great in this recipe too. Use 1/2 t- 1 tsp. of freshly minced garlic (1-2 cloves) and saute it with the butter.

*Variation: To use as a pizza sauce or dipping sauce, thicken sauce with flour 1 tsp. at a time before Parmesan cheese is added until desired consistency is reached.

Recipe Source: Adapted from The Food Nanny