Half a tin of beans is just right for two on toast. This is honest comfort food, quick and warm on a weeknight. The butter melts into the beans for richness, and the toast holds everything together.

Serves 2. 10 minutes, 8 at the stove.

You need half a tin baked beans, 2 tablespoons butter, to taste salt, to taste pepper.

1. Toast 2 slices of bread until golden and crisp.3 min
2. While the toast cooks, tip half a tin of baked beans into a small saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring now and then, until hot through, about 3 minutes.3 min
3. Spread 1 tablespoon of butter on each slice of warm toast, then divide the hot beans between them. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then serve at once.2 min

Note Swap the white beans in tinned butter beans for baked beans if you like. Leftovers keep in a closed container in the fridge for up to three days and reheat gently in a pan. Serve with a fried egg on top or a side salad.

A mug of beans transforms into quick supper over buttered toast. The beans warm while you brown the edges, and cheese melts into the cracks. This is weeknight cooking at its most straightforward.

Serves 2. 12 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 510 calories a serving, 20 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 31 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 coffee mug full [about 240 ml] baked beans, 2 tablespoons [28 g] butter, pinch salt, pinch pepper, 4 slices bread, 100 g cheddar cheese.

1. Toast 4 slices of bread in a toaster or under the broiler until golden and crisp, watching the second side if broiling. Spread 1 tablespoon butter on each slice while still warm.5 min
2. Pour the mug of baked beans into a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming at the edges, about 4 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.4 min
3. Divide the buttered toast between two plates. Spoon the warm beans over each slice, then grate 50 g cheddar over each portion. The residual heat melts the cheese into the beans. Serve right away.

Note Swap cheddar for any melting cheese. Leftovers keep three days in the fridge and reheat gently in a low oven to soften the toast. Serve with a simple green salad or pickled onions on the side.

A few spoonfuls of baked beans deserve better than the bin, so they become the base for a savory skillet that gets depth from onion and garlic, then finished with eggs. Quick, warm, and complete on one stovetop.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 180 calories a serving, 9 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need a few spoonfuls baked beans, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 3 eggs.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Dice 1 medium onion and mince 2 garlic cloves. When the oil shimmers, add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and golden, about 6 minutes.6 min
2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add your few spoonfuls of baked beans and 2 tablespoons water, breaking up the beans a little; warm through for 2 minutes.2 min
3. Crack 3 eggs into the pan directly over the beans, spacing them out. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Let the bottom set for 1 minute, then lower the heat and cover the skillet.1 min
4. Cook covered until the whites are set and yolks reach the firmness you want, about 4 minutes for soft yolks. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.4 min

Note Swap the eggs for torn toast if you prefer something to soak up the beans. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for one day and reheat gently on low heat. Serve with crusty bread, hot sauce, or a sharp cheddar grated on top.