Gluten Free Fettuccine Alfredo with Mushrooms and Broccoli

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This dish is traditionally pasta, cheese and butter.  Any mother of young children will know why the Italians started with a dish like this.  Children love spaghetti with butter.  Add a tad of parmesan and they will gobble it up.  History does not say that kids were the original reason but, as  mommy, I am positive kids had SOMETHING to do with it.   As we Americanized this dish over the years a touch of cream was added.  I'd venture a guess at saying it was to make this dish a tad bit more saucy.  Eventually a squeeze of fresh lemon. 

Now I am going to warn you. You are going to wrinkle your forehead and cock your eye at me when you see my "surprise" ingredent in this new twist on a traditional recipe.  This is the reaction my brother had anyway when he annonced that this was the best Fettuccine Alfredo he ever ate.  BUTTERMILK he says?!?!?!  I explained to him that I wanted it to be a tad bit more saucy and replaced the lemon with the tang of buttermilk.  Why not.  It sort of gives you the same tang that cream cheese would.  You have seen this cream cheese version before right?  I think the buttermilk gives it more depth of flavor.

Try it, you will like it! 

14 to 16 ounces Fettucini Noodles
      or Thai Kitchen Flat Noodles or Spaghetti    

6 tablespoons Butter

16 ounces Sliced Mushrooms

4 cloves fresh Garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

1/4 cup Water

1 pint Heavy Cream

1/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

1 bunch steamed broccoli (cooked)

• In a large pot, add water and boil.
• Add noodles and cook until just done.
• Remove, rinse with hot water and drain.  Meanwhile...
• Melt butter over medium heat in skillet.
• Add mushrooms and garlic. Lightly sauté until cooked through.
• Pour in pint of Heavy Cream and bring to just about simmer.  Steam will rise from the mixture but it will not boil.
• Add salt, garlic and onion powder.  Stir in to fully incorporate.
• In a small cup add water and corn starch and water,  Mix to dissolve corn starch.  Pour into cream.
• Add buttermilk and stir until sauce just starts to simmer.  
• Stir in cheese until melted.
• Steam Broccoli in microwave unti fully cooked and stil into dish with cooked noodles.