Growing up, I remember my mom was not always enthusiastic about cooking on Sunday nights. Now that I’m a grown up, I get it. Preparing Sunday night dinners is rough. You’re already depressed for Monday arriving bright and early the next morning, you’re coming down from the high of the weekend, reality is setting in and the last thing you want to do is cook a big meal. But one meal that sticks out to me that was usually reserved for Sunday nights (and only once every couple of months because let’s be honest, it’s not the healthiest meal) was fettuccine with this homemade alfredo sauce. And it always brightened our spirits.

I’ve been making this sauce since I left home and almost everyone who has eaten it has asked for a straw in order to slurp it up. It’s not me, it’s the recipe. It’s super simple, delicious and uses stuff you probably already have in your kitchen. I like to serve it with frozen peas sauteed in butter and minced garlic with a palm full of chopped fresh mint stirred in at the end. You can also make the sauce for a larger group by doubling it and serving it alongside a bowl of marinara to let your guests decide if they want white, red, or pink sauce. And if you really like your guests, you can offer toppings like sausage, shrimp or chicken for a “build your own pasta bowl” kind of night. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Anyway, here is the recipe that my family has been making for decades.

Alfredo Sauce:
6 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 cups half and half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Blend starch, salt and pepper together in separate bowl. Stir mixture into melted butter with wire whisk. Continue stirring (this is important to avoid scorching) and gradually add half and half. Keep stirring until sauce thickens slightly and begins to boil. Add parmesan and stir to blend. Serve with noodles.

And don’t forget to salt the water your noodles are boiling in.

Ok, that’s it! Bon Appetit! And I promise my next post won’t be about food.