Morewood Beans on Cheesy Toast

for Regan:

2 cans chopped tomatoes - store brand
2 cans beans (pinto and little white) - store brand

1 onion
some garlic
dried italian seasoning OR dried basil and oregano

bread
american or mild cheddar cheese (although I think that mozzarella or provolone would be better)

Ok, baby - I've been craving a lot of weird things lately* - and this is the latest.

Chop onion.
Chop garlic.

Saute in olive oil until soft.

Add tomatoes. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes to get rid of the can taste.

Add dried herbs, enough so that you can see that they are definitely There.**

Add beans. Heat through.

While the beans are heating, make cheesy toast.

Put beans on toast.

Be transported back to the days when you could drink coffee all night long and there was always something fun going on.

*Kraft macaroni and cheese. Pizza Hut.***

**I still remember asking Mike Lingo, "How much should I put in?" I was making tomato sauce, but same idea.

***Not pregnant.

mock chicken stock

most successful vegan chicken soup stock yet:

white wine
white miso
tahini
salt, a tiny bit
sugar, a bit
lemon juice

the soup itself was kind of whatever, sorry Amy! cos I just had potatoes, broccoli, and green beans left from the box. And some tomatoes. But the broth kicked ass.

Inspired from a reciped in vegan cooking for students, for a bagel spread - shredded carrots, equal amounts tahini and white miso - which I will make as soon as I have carrots - but, yum.

definitely better than store bought veggie broth and nice and rich.

Other things I've made recently -

a really good carrot and fennel soup - from a blog, actually a Seattle food blog, I think - yes, a Seattle food blog. The name of which escapes me. fennel, carrots, garlic, orange juice, veggie broth. Made when I had just carrots and fennel left from the box.

And the never fail herbed silken tofu dip/spread - made with bean dip fundamentals - cilantro, some tomatillo salsa I made, garlic, lime juice, salt.

I've been making a lot of food lately. Mostly vegan. Which is not to say at all that I am vegan. I ate quite of bit of delicious pork out this week. Wait, that sounds weird and backwards and dirty. and Buffy and I had delicious flank steak with cucumber tomato salad and garlic bread.

I think my favorite thing in the box besides the purple haze carrots are the cucumbers. A vegetable that is generally not one of my favorites. But these cucumbers are just so...cucumbery and delicious.

Sadly purple haze carrot season seems to be over. And although the potatoes have been lovely, there's just something...I don't know. I'm beginning to think that I prefer my potatoes mashed or fried and otherwise, meh.

Oh, or in potato salad. Which we also had with the flank steak (marinade - garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, sriacha. also amazing for tofu.) The potato salad came from the fish store down the street. As did the flank steak. But the potato salad! It is my favorite by far.

The fish there is pretty excellent as well.

so there you have it.