I’m posting over at SC Johnson today … The Dinner Table: Where Empathy Flows.
Would you join me there?
(Tablecloth above: My Good Will Vent du Sud $2 bargain.)
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Beets have a sweet, earthy taste. If you bake or roast them in their skins, you can enjoy the best flavor. I grew up with my mom canning and pickling beets, but she’d also boil them, take the skins off, thinly slice and fry in butter with salt and pepper. Pure deliciousness.
How to boil beets
My husband brought the beets in fresh from the garden so we had to scrub and trim them first (like you would a potato). But boiling beets is an easy process.
1. Add 1 teaspoon salt to 2 to 3 quarts water in a medium size pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Add the beets and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until tender, for about 1 hour or until tender. You want to be able to pierce the beet easily with a fork.
3. Drain and cool. Peel the beets with a parrying knife.
4. Cut or slice the beets for whatever recipe you are using.
The other night at this dinner party, I came up with a new, fresh beet salad, after my husband pulled the largest beet out of the ground!
Summer Orange Beet Salad
1 cup cooked, peeled, sliced beets 1/4 ” thick
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup feta cheese
Sea Salt
Lay beets on a serving platter.
Pour the orange juice over the beets and sprinkle with green onion and feta cheese. Salt for flavor.
My kids are still not too fond of beets. But that’s okay. I think a taste for beets is something you acquire with age.
More beet suggestions
Cook beets only until they just lose their rawness, then combine them with meat, fish, grains, fruits, nuts, celeriac, fennel, or bitter greens. Once tender, beets can be sliced or diced to use in salads, risottos, and vegetable side dishes.
Platter motto
A couple nights later, I was asked to bring a salad to another dinner party, so I brought the same salad … but served it on this tray.
The story behind the silver tray has to do with my “returning a platter” motto:
Never give a dish/pan/platter back empty (if someone brings you a food, etc.) to its owner!
My friend Jeannie had loaned us this Mexican Pewter platter awhile back (served lemon bars!) and so I was just now returning it. Love the bull – Jeannie is a Texan girl and bought this platter about 10 years ago to remind her of her Texan roots.
Back to the beets …
I’d really like to try baking beets! We have barbequed them in the past, and this method you have to pre-bake the beets in the microwave first.
Do you have a favorite way of cooking with beets? And what do you think about my platter motto?
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I was humbled and honored to get this email from a reader a few weeks ago. I asked if I could share it with you, and my friend said, yes!
I have been reading your blog for quite some time now, but just had to comment. I have always struggled with entertaining, feeling like things weren’t good enough, clean enough, whatever enough. Even hurt my sweet husband’s feelings a few times when he suggested having people over, because he feels (and rightly so) that we have a great house that he provided for me, and I should be proud to show it off. I couldn’t make him understand that it wasn’t our home, it was me… lacking self confidence. Anyway, fast forward several years. We have recently purchased a little place at a nearby lake… definitely a fixer up! We spent Memorial Day weekend there, and had 17 of our sons’ friends over to play and boat and swim!!! Without the fixing up part done yet! I could have never done this without having read your blog daily for about a year now…. you are truly a blessing to me and a giver of confidence!!!!! Thank you so much for your willingness to be real and your wonderful creativity! We will be hosting lots more informal get togethers, both at the lake and at home!!!
It’s really hard to explain “confidence” when you’ve never experienced it. But it sounds like my friend, Emily, is on her way to better living – with new experiences ahead. I’m so proud of her!
Does it really take confidence to entertain?
Yes.
You have to take your mind off of yourself.
You have to tell yourself that you can do it.
You have to tell yourself that things do not have to be perfect.
You have to put your mind on to others.
You have to let your surroundings not dominate your thoughts.
You have to think about relationships.
You have to realize that a gift is about to be given to you.
And remind yourself you are made in God’s perfect image. Ready to be loved and then to love others.
I wonder if we could just put our imperfections aside, pretend in our minds a welcome sign is hanging outside of our front door, and then just love on people.
Have you struggled with “confidence” when it comes to hospitality in your home? Would you be willing to share your story here at RE?
Susan Heid is featuring RE over at The Confident Mom today. Her site is full of excellent “Mom” resources, stories and information.
I love this quote by Susan: By using your unique gifts and strengths as a mom, you can create a home where your kids co-operate and your to-do list isn’t longer than your grocery receipt. It’s time to discover new satisfaction in your most important role ever and live the life God has for you and your family!
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