Grilled Garlic Chicken on Penne Alfredo with Peas and Bacon

"This does not go on the blog," says Raul. "I used Alfredo sauce from Classico. From a jar."

"Just the sauce from the jar?" prompts Drew.

"Well no," admits Raul. "I simmered it with the leftover roasted garlic from the spaghetti squash that you didn't take enough time to pry out. And I added crispy bacon for flavour and peas for colour and vitamins. And put Parmesan cheese on top."

"And the chicken?" asks Drew. "What did you rub it with?"

"I used paprika," says Raul, "and some of that Dean Jacob's Spicy Garlic that your mother gave us." Drew's mom had found the adjustable grinder line of Dean Jacob's spices for her summer home where her spice choices are limited as she is far from her massive spice drawer. The Spicy Garlic was her favourite but the grinder clogged from moisture and she ultimately found it frustrating. Raul took the grinder apart, cleaned it and, aside from occasional maintenance, it is now working fine. Drew is puzzled when he tries to google a webpage for Dean Jacob's spices - there are lots of places offering them for sale but not a site for the manufacturer. Or at least that he can find.

"And isn't one of the points of this blog to describe how you, oh so valiantly and stylishly, turn ordinary and inexpensive foodstuffs into gourmet meals that are delicious, nutritious and cheap?" reminds Drew. "All while being hampered by a rather small kitchen, the dog underfoot and my interference?"

Raul shrugs and tastes the final result while Drew rebelliously takes a photo. "It's very garlicky," says Raul. "But delicious. The bacon makes it a little salty."

"And bottled sauces are always a little salty," notes Drew. "How hard is it to make an Alfredo sauce from scratch?"

"Not at all," says Raul as the wheels begin to turn in his head. "It's just a Bechamel sauce."

Drew smiles, sensing a new blog entry in the future and returns to eating.