Sautéed chicken, crispy bacon, and the vegetables of your choice coated in a delectably simple white wine alfredo sauce and tossed with fettuccine pasta. A perfect dish to impress your guests on those summer nights spent entertaining or celebrating; but is also effortless enough to make and enjoy at home on the couch alone with your dog, a glass of white wine, while you stream ID.

I Still Mean Every Word, of Every Song

Some of you may have noticed that I have taken a bit of a hiatus from writing new blog posts for Sauced. I have no doubt that you have all been waiting with bated breath for my next entry. That being said, I could think of no better occasion to break my momentary online interlude than my older sister, Katie’s, upcoming 40th birthday! To celebrate, I will be sharing my recipe for White Wine Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo with all of you, dear readers.

When I Think About You, I Think About 17

The first time I made this dish for Katie (a.k.a Kate, Kater-Did, Katie-Potatie), we had planned a Girl’s Night at my tiny little duplex. We drank white wine (some of which ended up in the sauce for this dish), engorged ourselves on pasta, and watched the premier for the epic video saga from one of our music heroes: Eric Church. The mini movie, entitled: “Mixtape,” was filmed in accompaniment for his hit song: “Springsteen.” Inevitably, the night ended in heartburn and tears.

To be clear, the tears were from our emotional viewing of “Mixtape,” not my cooking. I can assure you that, if a teardrop happens to fall after tasting my recipe for White Wine Chicken Bacon Fettucine Alfredo, that tear will only be shed out of sheer joy.

I Think About My Old Jeep, Think About the Stars in the Sky

Growing up together, it goes without saying that Katie and I have innumerable memories with one another. I always looked up to her when we were kids. As the older sister, Kate was undoubtedly the leader of the pack of three girls. She was always coming up with new, creative ways to entertain us; even if those ideas sometimes included simply calling “Time & Temp.” (It was a thing. Trust me. For any of you dear readers under the age of 25 who don’t believe me, look it up. On your smartphone. That gives you the time and temperature without needing to call some random number.)

Katie always woke up incredibly early in the morning, even as a child. She still does. I have so many memories of the three of us, making our own fun with made-up games downstairs, before our parents awoke for the day. Accordingly, Kate would turn the recliner into a make-believe theme park ride, spinning it around and even turning on the water faucet in the kitchen full-blast, for extra sound effects.

Funny How a Melody, Sounds Like a Memory

In addition, Katie had an affinity for “playing school,” where she always played the teacher. She even received an overhead projector as a present for Christmas one year.

(For those of you under the age of 25– I’m talking to you again–who do not know what an overhead projector is, picture a gigantic metal box topped with glass and a lamp-like structure that projected the image on the glass screen onto the wall. It was the old-school version of casting a video from your iPhone to your tv. Sort of. But not really.)

We were often left to our own devices for a few hours after school. I’ll always remember the evening that Katie pulled a “Mrs. Doubtfire.” For those not in the know, there is a scene in the classic film, Mrs. Doubtfire (portrayed by the late, great Robin Williams), where he ruins dinner through a series of hilarious mishaps.

As a result, he must salvage the evening. In order to do so, he orders dinner from a fancy restaurant, carefully plates each meal, and disposes of the evidence; presenting it as if he cooked this fantastic meal for the family.

I vividly remember the scene in this movie and the teeny-tiny carrots he places on each plate. To this day, I wonder what that gray-ish sauce tasted like.

While Katie’s evening endeavor did not include setting the kitchen on fire, she did spend her hard-earned chore money on a fancy meal from Pietro’s, carefully placed each food item on plates for us, and set the table in order to surprise my mom with a lovely, fancy dinner for all of us.

Like a Soundtrack to a July Saturday Night

Mrs. Doubtfire isn’t the only childhood movie that inspired some of our sisterly shenanigans. Mermaids, which remains one of my favorite movies to this day, inspired us all to make candy kabobs, star-shaped-cut-out bologna and cheese sandwiches, and even attempt to cut out fish and wave shapes into a lamp shade in order to turn her bedroom into a scene resembling the bottom of the ocean floor.

Katie’s Abracadabra Day falls on July 22nd. We have planned a bit of a shindig for her, in honor of her 40th, the details of which I cannot disclose here, as she may read this post prior to the event.

One of my favorite nights with her involves the talented and undeniably cool: Mr. Eric Church. We purchased tickets to the Illinois State Fair where Eric Church was headlining. The opening act was Aaron Lewis. (I mean, could you ask for a better concert?)

Put Some Feel Good in My Soul

During the show, smoke from the faux joints on either end of the stage during EC’s rockin’ rendition of, “Smoke a Lil’ Smoke,” hung in the atmosphere. The colored lights from rides and delighted screams of the fair’s patrons completed the superb summer night backdrop to the ultimate evening; with the sweet smell of cotton candy and funnel cakes permeating the air.

Eric Church was singing his heart out and pounding his chest to yet another song we all love. We sang along, just like the rest of the crowd, enthralled with his performance. That’s one of the things we love most about Eric Church: He gives his everything, every time we have seen him live. He leaves all he has onstage. It was a perfect evening, and we all knew it. We felt it.

When I Come Around

However, this is not a blog about Eric Church; although it could be. To be honest, I’m surprised it took me this long to mention him. But alas, ’tis not. Instead, this a blog about my older sister, Katie; who is undeniably tied to my love for Eric Church. But nevertheless, I digress. As I so often do.

In honor of Kate’s 40th birthday, this week’s playlist is inspired by the music I have loved and shared with my sisters throughout the years. Without a doubt, Eric Church is at the top of the playlist, but his artistry is not the sole contributor to this soundtrack. As kids, we went from dancing around a record player to our mom’s old 45’s, bopping to “Rockin’ Robin,” by the Jackson 5, and more.

The record player was eventually replaced by a tape deck, from which blared Whitney’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” Billy Ray’s quintessential “Achy Breaky Heart,” and Dan Seal’s infectious tune: “Bop.”

Later, we sang along to Highway 101, George, Reba, Alan, Lorrie Morgan, Travis Tritt, and more, as they exploded through the speakers of our mom’s XM stereo. As we grew into our preteen years, I envied Kate’s boombox and her first CDs: Ace of Base and Greenday.

You Put the Boom-Boom Into My Heart

Then, in high school, she selflessly spent hours with me, helping me learn the Jitterbug for my P.E. final (yes, that was a thing), as Wham!’s, “Wake Me Up Before You Go, Go,” filled our basement with its infectious melody. Pretty sure I aced that test, thanks to Kate.

I was so lucky to grow up with sisters. The cliché exists for a reason, as I undoubtedly have two best friends, who understand me, and all of my references and idiosyncrasies, far more than anyone else possibly could.

Cheers to Us

So today (and everyday), I want to thank Katie for being my older sister, for all of the moments that we’ve shared, and the many more to come. I can’t wait to sing and dance the night away with her in honor of her upcoming Abracadabra Day! Cheers to you, Katie!

White Wine Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

White Wine Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced into bite-sized cubes
• 6-8 slices of bacon, chopped
• 1 box of fettuccine (rigatoni, rotini, or bowtie pasta may also be used)
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. whole milk
• 1 c. dry white wine; divided into 2, 1/2 c. servings
• 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic; divided into 2, 1 Tbsp. servings
• 2 Tbsp. white onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. regular paprika
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Optional: If desired, you may add 1/2 c. frozen peas or any of the following chopped fresh vegetables of your choosing: Spinach, chopped green onion, red/yellow/green bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, diced tomatoes, Portobello mushrooms, and/or broccoli.

Chicken, Bacon, & Pasta Instructions:

1. Boil pasta in a large pot, according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta in colander and set aside. Pro Tip: I often drizzle my cooked pasta with some olive oil & toss it in the colander, lightly coating the noodles. That way, the noodles don’t stick together while I prepare the rest of the dish.
2. In the same pot used to boil the noodles in, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and heat on medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion and cook 2-4 minutes, until onion begins to soften.
3. Then, add 1 Tbsp. of the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until garlic becomes fragrant.
4. Place the chopped bacon into the pot and stir, coating the bacon in the onion and garlic. Cook until bacon begins to brown, stirring frequently, for approximately 6-8 minutes.
5. Once the bacon begins to crisp, add the diced chicken to the same pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika, regular paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Continue cooking on medium-high until chicken is cooked through, approximately 10-15 minutes.
6. Now, you may add in any vegetables of your choice and mix thoroughly, ensuring that they are coated in the seasoning, bacon, chicken, and onion mixture.
7. Pour in 1/2 c. dry white wine and stir. Cook the mixture on medium-high for another 5-10 minutes, until vegetables are softened and the wine begins to evaporate.
8. Remove the chicken, bacon, and vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and place onto a large paper towel-lined plate; cover to keep warm. Be sure to leave some of the drippings from the bacon and spices in the pot for the sauce!

White Wine Alfredo Sauce Instructions:

1. In the same pot you used for the noodles, meat and vegetables, add the butter and stir over medium-low heat, allowing butter to melt. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking on medium-low for 1-2 minutes.
2. Then, add in the remaining minced garlic and smoked paprika. Cook for 1-2 additional minutes, until garlic becomes fragrant.
3. Slowly whisk in the milk, heavy cream, and 1/2 c. white wine, mixing thoroughly, and bring to a boil (increasing stovetop temperature to medium/medium-high, if necessary). Let the sauce boil for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese, ensuring that it is fully incorporated into the sauce.
5. Once the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is set, you may add the pre-cooked noodles, chicken, bacon, and any vegetables back to the sauce pot; stir to combine. Serve this dish immediately, topped with additional shredded Parmesan cheese, and chopped green onion, if desired.