We live in a rural area halfway between Cleveland and Erie, so we don't have a lot of options when it comes to eating out. Today we were making a trek to a decent grocery store in Erie and went to our cozy little co-op in Erie for lunch. Humorously, the name of the place is the Whole Foods Co-op. They must not get any flack from Whole Foods because Whole Foods doesn't even know they exist. The closest WF is probably 90 miles from the co-op. Any thing on their menu can be ordered vegan and I opted for the tempeh reuben (surprise!). Then we had to stop at a grocery store, too, since the co-op is kind of limited. The grocery store in our previous town (2o minutes away) is also the deer processing station and they even sell guns, ammo and fishing gear. Needless to say, we never shopped there. That leaves us with a Giant Eagle (Generic Eagle, not in the literal sense) unless we are willing to drive a ways.
But... my intention was to talk about other places to eat besides our kitchen. The Co-op is a great alternative. But it is about an hour away. Every one knows P.F. Changs with their wonderful lettuce wraps and for a chain, it's wonderful. There is also a new Thai restaurant in Beachwood (about an hour away) called Ricky Lys that we tried about a week ago. It was good, not great. Interestingly, it's about 2 minutes from P.F. Changs. If we head into the Cleveland area, there are some terrific ethnic food options and of course, Tommy's. While we can eat out, it always takes some planning ahead. Really, it's more fun to cook and eat at home anyway. Things may be looking up with Chrissie Hynde's new restaurant VegiTerranean in Akron, especially since there is talk of PPK invasion there the day after Thanksgiving.
All that backstory brings me to this: I'm making my husband's favorite ever soup for dinner tonight. For years he wanted it to be his deathbed meal when the time came. This was before discovering the PPK which truly changed our lives for the better. I think the soup is just ok, so I'm also making the Caesar Salad (again) from V'con. And we're happier to be eating at home. If you ever happen get hungry while traveling on I-90 through this part of Ohio, let me know. We'll happily share our dinner and I promise it won't be the same soup recipe we're having tonight.
Jim's Pasta and Bean Soup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chop finely
6-8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp basil (dried)
1 tsp parsley (dried)
1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can chick peas, drained
1 can navy beans, drained
1/4 cup red wine
6-8 cups stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
10 drops hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 of a box of ditalini, cooked
Heat oil in a soup pot, add scallions, parsley, garlic and dried herbs. Cook a little, then add the beans. Cook a few more minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients except the pasta. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 1/2 an hour (this is just to let the flavors work together). Add pasta and adjust seasonings before serving. If you ask me, this is just an OK soup, but it does help clear out your sinuses which is definitely a plus. Look at the picture, it doesn't even look photogenic!
Tomorrow's menu includes a couple of batches of seitan for the freezer and maybe another go at those damn cookies.
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