I always like Alfredo better with the cheap dried parmasan cheese... for Risotto on the other hand, I like freshly grated parmasan better.
I never really did a butter and cream alfredo, which is too fatty / heart attack-ish to me.. but I have tried various other ways to do it..
you can per example sautee some mushrooms with some pepper, salt and garlic, dump 3 table spoons of flour in there while there is still enough moisture. then after a couple of minutes stir in some half/half, and maybe some chicken stock powder. at the end add the parmasan and some crispy bacon..
another one is to just make a mixture of some sour cream, parmasan , salt, pepper and 3 eggs, mix the whole thing hard, and then dump it over the cooked pasta and ham (or bacon)
just let it cook for a minute or so, not too long or the eggs will get all grainy.. (use eggs without the salmonella
)
*edit - the last one is technically a carbonara I guess,.. close enough to alfredo tho