I'd Rather be Roasting Beets...

Seriously, fresh beets are hard to beat!! Let me start from the begining: I went to dinner with a girlfriend and we had a beet salad with blue cheese, toasted hazelnuts, and a lovely balsamic vinegar. (We also had the best charcuterie plate I've ever had.) So the following Saturday, I ventured over to the Arlington Farmer's Market and purchased myself a bunch of beets - they were gorgeous! However, I got home and they stared at me for about five days begging to be cooked. So yesterday I took a glorious "personal day" and roasted some beets! My cousin Amy gave me the details on the how to - but I think I didn't follow them all that well b/c I couldn't get the skins off. However, they were still delightful! I roasted them in a glass dish in about one inch of water, at 350*, for about one hour. Amy said to wait until your fork goes right through - I should have listend but I was getting super impatient! My impatience did not pay off as I had to peel the beets - the skins should have popped right off, they totally did not. Anyhow, they were gorgious inside, such a beautiful deep purply-red. And the flavor is so earthy! The canned beets should be boycotted all together - fresh beets are amazing. I made my man and I a salad with fresh red leaf lettuce from the Farmer's Market, blue cheese, beets, toasted hazelnuts, and I whipped up a delish balsamic. BEST SALAD EVER. Get on the beet bandwagon already.