Pumpkin Ravioli

Raul gets ambitious after watching too much Lidia and decides to make pumpkin ravioli. "There are four kinds of sauces," he muses. "A cream sauce."

"Too rich with pumpkin," pipes in Drew.

"Tomato sauce which just isn't my favourite."

"Does tomato go with pumpkin?"

"Or butter and sage."

"That gets my vote," notes Drew. "But what is the fourth?"

"I forget," shrugs Raul. "My search ended with butter and sage."

Raul takes some frozen cooked pumpkin from the freezer and thaws it. He blends the pumpkin with cream cheese in the mini-food processor and then adds grated Parmesan cheese to thicken and add flavour. The resultant filling has a vivid orange colour and is packed with simple goodness.

He reluctantly admits to cheating slightly by not making the pasta from scratch. Instead he uses wonton wrappers that were purchased on a whim at T&T. Lidia will forgive him if she ever finds out.

A spoonful of filling goes on each individual wrapper and is then folded over and pressed tightly together so that it is completely sealed. The resulting raviolis go into a large pot of boiling water where they remain until they start to float, and then for five minutes more.

In a frying pan he melts butter and just as it begins to brown he adds a large helping of sage. The raviolis are drained, tossed in the butter and sage, and placed in bowls for serving. The crowning touch is a liberal sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

"These are amazing," raves Drew. "Sweet and savoury."

"And buttery," notes Raul. "I wonder what the fourth sauce was."

Chicken and Bacon on Pumpkin Penne

For some reason the day is a rush and Raul has to churn out a dinner quickly. Fortunately there is Jamaican pumpkin left and Raul purées it and stirs it into a Bechamel sauce.

The result is a beautiful bright colour and the taste is just as vivid. For protein, Raul broils a chicken breast. And for flavour: some crispy bacon strips.

A hearty and healthy meal exploding with taste in a matter of minutes. "The only real time it took was in boiling the pasta," says Raul. "And isn't that pumpkin versatile? A great investment. And there is a little bit left . . ."

Mustard Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Brocollini, Black Beans, Rice and Avocado

Drew visits his mother for the few days leading up to his birthday but makes sure to get back in time for whatever Raul has created for a birthday dinner. Raul does not disappoint. The main is mustard crusted pork tenderloin but, as Drew had previously fantasized, the tenderloin has been sliced thinly and thickly breaded resulting in what Raul would dismiss - if he wasn't so proud of his creation - as schnitzel.

Raul sides the "schnitzel" with brocollini (steamed and buttered), black beans and rice. The garnish is chunks of avocado that provide an opposite texture and ease the heat of the fiery bean concoction.

Drew is flattered and even forgives Raul's not-as-tonally-congruent rendition of "Happy Birthday."

Meatloaf with Vegetables and Bean Salad

It is another rainy comfort food day. Drew is out and about all day and is delighted to come home to the aroma of meatloaf. And what a meatloaf! A crispy spicy crust surrounding a moist but firm meaty centre. Raul has whipped up a down home feast in what seems like a matter of minutes. He is initially coy about the recipe, "Oh no it was nothing," before confessing that it was a Kraft recipe and was actually Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf. Actually Raul found the recipe through dancingthroughtheminefield.blogspot.ca and it was the comments arguing whether it was actually a Kraft recipe. Raul hopes that the variations he made makes it R&D's own but credit is due where it is due. "Maybe we should just skip blogging this," he suggests.

"But this blog is all about realistically surviving on a budget in a small kitchen so it's actually applicable," argues Drew. "Besides I love Stove Top Stuffing. And I love this meatloaf."

"I used Uncle Ben's Stuff'n Such . . .We can't lie to our readers," admits Raul. "But my reputation . . . I didn't even have to spice it. And the people at Kraft."

"You are still the best chef I know," soothes Drew. "And this is a recipe that people will enjoy making. I can't believe it is this simple."

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 box stuffing mix

1 cup water

1 egg

3 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

Mix everything but the ketchup and sugar together and mash into a loaf pan. Cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mix the ketchup and sugar together and pour on the meatloaf top to bake during the last 15 minutes.

"Comfort food made simply," raves Drew. "And deliciously. Who cares if it was a bit of a cheat? Is it cheating to be fast and convenient? Should we be using commercial brands? Is it ethical to substitute Uncle Ben for Kraft? My head hurts," Drew shrugs. "Enough philosophical debate, is there another slice there?"

M&M Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

What to do with the leftover Halloween candy? R&D hosted only a single trick-or-treater (perhaps the terrifying decorations on the door scared most of them away) and the tiny ghost could only toddle off with so much candy. Drew of course had filled the bowl of blood to the brim so there was more remaining than R&D could reasonably expect to consume. And chocolate is poison for dogs, so there was to be no help from that corner.

Fortunately Drew had purchased lots of M&Ms and peanut M&Ms in the little packs. Raul diligently empties the packs into the bowl until he has a full cup. Then he follows this recipe found at overtimecook.com with only a few variations, most based on Drew's Mom's old-fashioned oatmeal cookie recipe which Raul notes is the definitive cookie recipe.

Ingredients:

2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups oatmeal (rolled oats, not instant)

2 cups mini M&M’s

1/2 cup pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter/margarine and peanut butter for about 30 seconds to combine.

Add the brown sugar and sugar and beat until creamy.

Add the vanilla, baking soda and eggs and beat until combined.

Turn the mixer to low, then add the flour, stir to combine. Add the oatmeal, M&M’s and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.

Scoop the dough out using a medium cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 11 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely

The cookies are not allowed to cool completely. And Halloween is going to last long after the decorations are off the door and put away until next year.

Mustard Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Green Beans and Greek Potatoes

Raul is heading out for the evening to catch up with an old friend so he wants a hearty but early meal. "More of the salad?" suggests Drew.

"Not two days in a row," responds Raul. "There is a pork loin in the freezer that might be just perfect." Raul sets to googling and finds the perfect recipe at foodnetwork.ca. "How does mustard crusted pork tenderloin sound?"

"All kinds of delicious," says Drew beginning to salivate. "Salad on the side?"

"No," says Raul. "It's cold out. There are green beans in the fridge and I can whip up some Greek Potatoes. I'll just steam the beans and add some butter and cashews. Simple." And that is what he does - with only a few minor variations.

Mustard Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin

4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons Botanica Fine Herbs
1 teaspoon sage

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Combine mustard, sage, and parsley along with salt and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Cut pork tenderloin in half width-wise and rub mustard mixture all over the pork. (Cutting it in half will make it easier to manage while you fry it.)

4. Spread breadcrumbs onto a plate and gently press the pork into the breadcrumb mixture so all sides are covered.

5. Place a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet. This is what you will roast the pork on.

6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter and oil. When the butter stops foaming add the pork tenderloin.

7. Cook the pork, turning it very gently to brown it on all sides without losing too much of the coating. Transfer to the rack on the cookie sheet and into the oven.

8. Bake until the pork is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 155 degrees, this should take about 20 minutes. (The temperature will continue to increase while it rests.)

9. Allow to rest for 10 minutes lightly tented with aluminum foil.

10. Cut into 1 cm wide slices and serve.

The combo works well and the pork is succulent and has just a subtle nip from the mustard. "I have just one suggestion," says Drew as Raul arches an eyebrow. "Next time slice the loin in half so that it is flatter and there is more of the yummy crust."

"But then it will just be schnitzel," grouses Raul.

"So?"