Drunken Buttered Noodle Sauce

This might be the most versatile recipe that I make in my kitchen. It's honestly not even a recipe it's just a cooking method of combining equal parts white wine and butter and then adding whatever you're in the mood for. It's def a chameleon pasta, blends into whatever and there's so many things that it pairs perfectly with!! I love how well the butter and white wine end up coming together to make the most silky buttery sauce. Sometimes I brown the butter a bit too before I add in the wine if I'm wanting an even deeper butter flavor.

I usually eat it plain with just pasta, but if I'm adding veggies to it I'll go with garlicky broccoli or charred corn in the summer. When I brown the butter, I like to use mushrooms and onion. For protein, sooo good with little neck clams or scallops! The pasta also pairs really well with with lemon chicken and capers too.

This dish can also be turned spicy or cajun with a teaspoon of either red pepper flakes or cajun flavors like Old Bay Seasoning or Tony's Creole Seasoning! (So good this way if you're pairing the pasta with seafood and/or corn.)

ALSO, you could add a few splashes (around 1/2 cup) of heavy whipping cream to this sauce to turn it into a more rich and creamy sauce, kind of like alfredo but with a slightly heavier booze factor.

What you need:

• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) regular or vegan butter
• 1/2 cup white wine (I use Kim Crawford pino or some sort of buttery chardonnay)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• Optional - 1 tbsp cajun seasoning for a cajun version that pairs great with seafood
• Optional - 1/2 heavy cream for a heavier, creamy version 

What to do:

1. Melt the butter into a medium-large skillet on medium heat.
2. Once it starts to bubble, add the wine and or whatever extra seasonings or cream you might be adding in. The wine should create some steam and be bubbling. Lower the heat to its lowest setting and let the sauce simmer while whisking on and off for 10-15 minutes. It should go from bubbling to barely bubbling. (Be careful, if your heat is too high it could evaporate too much of the liquid and you might need to add another round of ingredients to keep it going.)
3. Toss the pasta in the sauce before serving. I like to add 2-3 tbsp of pasta water for an even better, silky texture. Parmesan cheese is also really good on top!!