Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Easy Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce

Amazing Alfredo sauce you can throw together without heavy cream and 10 pounds of butter!

Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce
Mel’s Kitchen CafĂ© Blog
Yields: 2 cups
Note from Mel's Kitchen Cafe: I've only ever used 1% milk in this sauce and it works great for our tastes. Also, I've made it with regular and
low-fat cream cheese. The low-fat cream cheese gives it a slightly, very slightly grainy texture, but the cut in calories is worth it, in my opinion, although the full-fat cream cheese offers a luxurious, creamy texture that can't be beat. You choose! (we use Neufchatel and it works great- not grainy and not quite as bad...)


2 TB butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
4 oz. cream cheese, softened and cut into 6 pieces (see note above)
1 c. milk (see note above)
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt, more to taste, if needed

In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste. Add the milk gradually, about 1/4 c. at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency. Cook for 2-3 minutes for a thicker sauce or remove right after the cheese is melted for a thinner sauce. Serve immediately over hot, cooked noodles.