Dreamy Pesto Alfredo Sauce

I recently made a large batch of pesto and was eager to try it out.  It was a little too 'bite-y' for me to enjoy on a sandwich, so I put one of the pucks in my alfredo sauce that I was preparing for dinner that night and let me just say "Wowza!!".  It was so delightful and will definitely be making a regular appearance on our dinner table. 

I like to serve this with boneless/skinless chicken breasts, that have been sliced into bite-sized strips, seasoned with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, and sautéed. Near the end of the cooking time for the chicken (after around 10-12 minutes), I add a generous amount of white cooking wine, cover the pan with a lid, and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.   

Ingredients:
1 package of cream cheese
1.5 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 stick of butter
~2 c whole milk (or heavy cream)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
pinch of red pepper flakes

salt and pepper, to taste
1 to 2 ice cube tray-sized pucks of basil pesto 

(Note: if you make this alfredo sauce without the pesto, you will want to add a clove or two of fresh minced garlic to the pan when melting the butter).

 
Directions:

1. Melt the stick of butter over low-heat; add in the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese, whisking until smooth.  Next, stir in the milk, increase heat to low-medium, and continue to whisk until smooth.
2. Add the pesto, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and heat until gently bubbling and thickened to desired consistency. 
3. Toss with or serve over your favorite cooked pasta.  Note: it is also really yummy to mix in marinara sauce. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley, if desired.