Pre-Tournament Crazies

Sorry for the lack of updates this week.  I have been cooking, but I have been too busy to update.  Our golf tournament is Friday, so we have been meeting up, working on signs, last minute details, etc.  In fact, I have been so busy that I have even forgotten to take pictures of some of the food.  I'll be better after this week, when the craziness of the last week of school plus the tournament is over!

So, first, the ice cream!  I mentioned on Sunday that I made it and had to freeze it overnight.  Besides the fact that it was a little soft due to my mom leaving the freezer door open for a few hours, it was delicious!  I am glad I didn't blend the strawberries, because the chunks of frozen berry were a plus.  The graham crackers somehow end up tasting like a perfect cheesecake... it's an ice creamy miracle.  We had Tracy, Kelsey and Gram over for dinner and everyone enjoyed their cones... especially Kenzie.  Make this ice cream for any party, picnic, graduation, or other get-together you have this summer.  It is delicious and it makes people think you spent hours slaving over an ice cream maker, when really you just used a mixer and tossed a Tupperware into the freezer!

Yesterday I tried out a new recipe for dinner.  As a mostly vegetarian, I try to cook as many meatless meals as I can, but my family always whines about "protein."  So, when I saw a recipe for white skillet beans, I had to try it.  No meat, and it's protein?  Perfect.  The ingredients were a little out there: maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, sage (it calls for fresh... had to sub dried) and brown sugar... but it also had tomato paste, which made me think of the amazing beans we used to get at our favorite Lebanese place that isn't open anymore.  This was not the recipe at all, since that sauce is more tomato-based, but it did make me decide that I will find that recipe ASAP!  Anyway, the skillet white beans: it calls for three different types of beans: butter beans (which are my favorite since they were in that Lebanese recipe), navy beans, and chick peas (although we didn't have any, so I used cannellini).  I can honestly say that this meal is very quick, very easy, and very delicious!  The sauce is a great mixture of salty and a little sweet, and the beans just soak up the flavor.  We served it over Mark's famous pilaf, and I highly recommend calling over your favorite Armenian if you choose to make this dish, because they paired together perfectly.  I'll share his pilaf recipe some night when he isn't working and is willing to share his secrets.   I loved these beans; I had them for dinner and for lunch today and frankly I am excited to eat them again tomorrow!  (It makes a lot!)

Recipes:
strawberry cheesecake ice cream
skillet white beans