ALFREDO, YOU LOOK SAUCED!


CLASSIC ALFREDO SAUCE

There are as many versions of this simple sauce as there are stars in the sky. But the basics of it circle around butter, cream, and parmesan cheese.  The perfect compliment to your last visit to the heart clinic.  After testing the usual substitutes, like fake butter, 1% milk and synthetic parmesan cheese in trying to come up with a lo-cal version, I determined the end result of these calorie saving substitutes created a concoction worthy of being called an "emetic".  Look it up. So the answer is stick with the conventional recipes, shown here and forget calorie chopping for the day or the meal.

Tested - Barillo Alfredo sauce. I tested this in the Jacobs kitchen after purchasing it at Sams. It was  a white sauce, and thats about the size of it. It was white. NO TASTE. I think they forgot the cheese. It was saran blister packed three bottles for six dollars. I just added a ton of cheese, both plain Parmesan and Parmesano Regianno, a pinch of Garam Marsala (a wonderful Indian combined spice) and tossed the other two bottles out.

There is no standard for Alfredo Sauce thus there are many variants.


Easy Alfredo Sauce w/Whipping Cream       Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan combine whipping cream, butter or margarine, and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook over medium low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken upon standing.

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Easy Alfredo Sauce w/Heavy Cream

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, beat butter and Parmesan with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add cream, a little at a time, until mixture resembles softly scrambled eggs. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

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Easy Alfredo Sauce w/Half and Half, Milk and Egg Yolk

Ingredients:

1 cup half-and-half cream

1 cup whole milk

2 egg yolks, beaten

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine half-and-half and milk. Heat through, then reduce heat to low and stir in egg yolks and cheese, a little at a time, until well incorporated. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, until thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper to taste and toss with hot pasta.

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Easy Alfredo Sauce w/Garlic, Parsley and Heavy Cream

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

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Fettuccine Alfredo Supreme Delight
Ingredients:

1/2 pound dry fettuccine pasta

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Stir in cream and pepper, cook until mixture begins to thicken, 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted. Stir in parsley, nutmeg and garlic powder, cook 1 minute more. 

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CLAMS ALFREDO IN SAUCE  

Ingredients

1 large can of clams

1/2 cup cream cheese  (Heavy Cream and butter if this doesn't work for you)

1 cup milk 


1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper (more or less, to taste)

3 tbsp. dry parsley or 1/2 cup fresh



DIRECTIONS:

This is a lighter version without the heavy butter and cream, it uses cream cheese instead. The best way to make this consistent is to use a food processor, a hand mixer or blender. Put cream cheese, milk, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in device. Blend until there are no clumps, pour into saucepan on medium heat, cook for about 10 minutes. While cooking use a separate souse pan and gently cook the parsley and the clams (if fresh, chop finely) and save some for garnish.


Pour desired amount of clams and parsley over pasta. Cook the clams but don't overcook as they will turn hard (use diced canned for convenience).  Add both pans together or serve one over the other with garnish, or HINT: a hint of nutmeg or a pinch of Garam Masala.