Homemade Alfredo Sauce

It's so easy to buy a bottle of pre-made Alfredo sauce, but have you ever looked at the epistle of ingredients in those things?! It's really not difficult or time-consuming to make your own, and this recipe uses only 7 ingredients.

One of my friends sent me this recipe the other day and I tried it out to great reviews from even my picky 3-year-old. I've tried several different Alfredo recipes, most of which had a great taste, but they were all too thick and sticky in my estimation (and therefore, difficult to dish up or have as leftovers). This one, while light, still has a good flavor, and it covered all the pasta evenly, without clumping or being lumpy.

Note: I used one box of whole wheat linguine and it seemed the perfect amount of pasta to use. Also, I like to serve Alfredo pasta with some kind of green vegetable, so I added cooked, diced asparagus to the pot at the end. Other times I've used broccoli; they're both good.

Light Alfredo Sauce

2 c. milk
1/3 c. (3 oz) cream cheese
2 Tb. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tb. butter
3 garlic cloves
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese (I used the real kind)

Toss the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender (I love how easy this part is!)

Process until smooth and set aside.

In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic.

Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it. It should be nice and bubbly.

Add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now.

When it's nice and thickened remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Also, if you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid; just re-heat and add a little milk.