Squash and Beans w/Roasted Red Peppers

The squash and beans turned out really well, and assuming I ever manage to find the frozen squash again, yes, I'll make it again, and probably with no changes...imagine that, eh? Sherrie, I saw your comment, and I had thought about doing a soup, but decided not to. But! There is a ziploc bag of this stuff in the freezer, so, who knows? It might turn into a soup yet, lol.

So this is how I did it. Um, first of all, you need to know what kind of squash I used, right? Too bad, because all the package said was "squash." Period. Now, because of the thick, creamy texture, and the bright orange-yellow color, I'm guessing it might very well be from a Hubbard squash, because it tastes just like the Hubbards my granddad used to grow. It's not zucchini or yellow crookneck, but that's about all I can really tell you. Sorry...sometimes it be that way, lol.

I used a can of navy beans, and since most canned beans aren't usually tender enough to suit me(I like things squooshy, I think I've mentioned that before, right?), I added some water to the pan I put the beans in, and let it simmer for almost an hour. By this time the squash had thawed somewhat, and I mixed in 1/8th tsp. each of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. While the beans were simmering, I diced about half of a medium yellow onion, and let it soften in a skillet with some olive oil, and then diced up some roasted red peppers(from a jar, btw), and let those get hot...it looked about a quarter cup each of onion and peppers. Then I added the beans and liquid, which by now wasn't much at all, and the squash, let it all sit there and marry nicely and get good and hot, I guess for about 20 minutes, stirring every once in a while so it wouldn't scorch, as it was very thick by now.

That's all there is to it. Very, very good, and not too awfully complicated. That and a baked potato made a lovely meal that night.

Yesterday, all I could think of all day at work was getting home and making a big ol' pot of veggie chili...actually vegan, except for the margarine I used. To be totally vegan, just use oil. I made the chili just like my other two times, except that this time, I crumbled up 80z. of tempeh, and let it get all nice and golden brown and crispy, and because the tempeh has a bitter taste...I think, anyway...I drizzled about, oh, I guess two tsp. of honey over it. Then I stirred the tempeh into the pot of chili, and let the whole thing simmer for close to an hour. Dynamite!!!! It was fantastic, I have to tell ya, it really was. With it, I made sourdough toast, buttered, and also spread with chevre(goat cheese, very earthy in flavor, spreads like a dream). Another lovely meal.

I didn't check my mail Saturday, so I did yesterday, and lo and behold, I had a gift from a friend, of $40 cash and a $25 gift card for Barnes and Noble!!!! I can buy Veganomicon," and have enough left over for maybe a couple more books besides. Praise the Lord!!!! God bless that woman, it's like she's been reading my mind, lol.

Until next time, Happy Eating!!!