Roasted Tomato, Basil and Hummus Sandwiches

 
Oh my goodness, vacation in Michigan is crazy time!

It'd been sunny and hot and lovely for like, a week and a half.  Then last week?

Tornado!

Okay, it wasn't a tornado but I swear some of those black clouds were spinning.  Plus, the house is near a trailer park.  Tornado bait!

I tried to go running that morning, but it went all black and started lightning-ing and thundering like the voice of God itself.

I called my mom-in-law from the road and she came and gathered me into the car, shaking wet and scared in my running booty shorts.

You know how it's really unlikely that you'll get struck by lightning?  Well, you know it happens sometimes.  And you know that when it does, it's going to be me.

It rained, then it hailed, then the power went out for 16 hours.

But seriously, sorry to the people in the trailer park when you lost power.  'Cause the next day was so, so hot, right?  I hope no one had any sad babies over there. 

Sad babies are so sad.

Last night, rain.  Last night, insane wind storm.

Today?  The power was back, and the sun was back, and the heat was back, and the humidity was back.  I swear I could hear it, a kind of vroooshing inferno upon stepping outside.  My relatives tell me it will be like this until the next horrible storm.

Hooray for summer in the midwest!  I'm not homesick for Oregon yet, but maybe some consistent temps in the 80s?  Well, that'd just be swell.

Roasted Tomato, Basil and Hummus Sandwiches
(makes two sandwiches)

1 lb tomatoes
3 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans
juice of half a lemon
1 t salt
2 T tahini
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c pine nuts
paprika
6-9 leaves fresh basil
4 slices good bread (I used a light rye)

Put pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat to toast.  Keep an eye on them while you're working, and remove from heat when they start to brown.

Preheat oven to 450.  Slice tomatoes into bite-sized chunks, toss with salt, pepper, and 2 T olive oil.  Place on a foil-lined (easy cleanup!) baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, or until you get the desired amount of charry goodness.

While tomatoes are roasting and pine nuts are toasting, mix up garbanzo beans (with 1/2 c of the liquid they come in), lemon juice, garlic cloves, tahini, salt, and 1 T olive oil in a blender.  Make a smooth paste out of it.  A smooth paste of hummus.

To assemble, spread hummus on bread (it's good toasted!).  Top with sprinkling of pine nuts and paprika.  Add tomatoes, and finish with 2 - 3 basil leaves per slice.  Have a great summer dinner!