White Bean Ragu with Garlic Toast

All of my kids were out tonight, so I tried a quick recipe for my husband and me that I knew my kids would have wrinkled their noses at had they been home. My cooking repertoire is going to change in a big way when I no longer have the parameters (arbitrary as they may be) that my kids or I place on what we eat...I may be guilty of cooking to their tastes, but if I just cooked to mine, the result would be some meals that wouldn't be eaten with gusto, and isn't that what we all want?? I love it when all my peeps heartily enjoy something I make in addition to the fun and laughter that we share around the table!

So for you bean lovers out there, this is a great recipe. My husband even thought it tasted like a rustic restaurant dish. It wasn't quite enough for us for dinner, so we followed it with a grilled chicken sausage and sauteed spinach. Delish!

White Bean Ragu with Garlic Toast

2 15 ounce cans cannellini or white northern beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions until soft and translucent, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
Add the tomatoes, beans, chicken broth, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape, 3-5 minutes. Right before serving, stir in the fresh basil and mint. Put ragu on top of garlic toasts on a plate and top with freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from here

Garlic Toast

1 loaf sourdough baguette
1 garlic clove
olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°  Slice bread into diagonal slices and place on baking sheet. Rub with clove of garlic and brush with olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes per side, or until brown.