Roasted Corn and Lobster Chowder

Bacon and corn add smoky-sweet flavour to this chowder inspired by chef Ryan Dunne of The Fairmont Algonquin. Use our recipe for Cooked Lobster and Stock or buy a steamed lobster and prepared fish stock from a fishmonger.

Creamy Pasta with Broccoli

This creamy pasta fools you into thinking it's sinfully rich. The evaporated milk is the culprit: it is much lower in fat than cream. Plus, it has 80 per cent more calcium than regular milk. Chicken provides protein in combination with pasta, a carbohydrate. Did we mention that it tastes good, too?

Chicken Consommé with Mini Choux Puffs

An elegant, rich and dark consommé is perfect for holiday entertaining. For a dairy-free version, replace the mini puff garnish with sliced chives. 

Pork and Grainy Mustard Stew

Richly flavoured stews develop flavour as they sit in the refrigerator, making them perfect to reheat later in the week. Serve with boiled potatoes, or steamed rice and vegetable medley.

Meat Loaf With Glazed Vegetables

Meat loaf is a popular comfort food not only because it's quick and easy to toss together but also because it's hearty and always delicious – especially this one with its glossy vegetable topping.

Beet Borscht

Some weeks you need a big-batch soup to use up a ton of in-season veggies. This tangy-sweet soup fills the bill – it's great hot or cold, and freezes beautifully. This borscht is vegan on its own, but it's even tastier topped with a dollop of sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) and a sprinkle of chopped fresh dill.

Split Pea Soup with Marinated Red Onions

Slow-Cooked Beef Chili

Since slow-cookers were invented as appliances for making baked beans, chili is a natural fit. Slow-cooking really tenderizes shoulder cuts, creating a rich, beefy broth. We recommend cutting a pot roast into chunks for this chili because the meat will be juicier. Stewing beef is a reasonable shortcut but, because it is lean, can be dry after slow-cooking. Enjoy with corn bread and a mixed green salad.

Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup

Hearty simmered beef, vegetables and noodles always make for a warm welcome home on a cool night. Cooking the noodles in the soup thickens the broth and gives the dish that "stick to your ribs" feeling. They do soak up some of the broth, though, so you may want to add a bit of water to any leftovers before reheating to make them soupy again.
Cost: $2.30/serving

Shortcut Turkey Risotto

Risotto is generally a labour of love. Our shortcut version eliminates most of the stove-top stirring, but produces equally silky results and turns ho-hum turkey leftovers into a special meal. Make sure to serve the risotto as soon as it's done cooking; as it stands, it thickens quickly and loses some of its creamy texture.